《Bulgarian Empire》 Chapter 1: Traversing Chapter 1: Traversing VOLUME I : FOUNDATION The year is 1881. On the inside of Stephen''s Cathedral in Vienna, he admires the reliefs and the paintings hanging on the walls. For once, Li Mu (now Ferdinand) had a feeling of mess. He oftenpared the present Stephen''s Cathedral with the one in a hundred yearster. Just three months ago, the real Ferdinand fainted suddenly in Stephen''s Cathedral. Li Mu had taken over him. Ferdinand was born on February 26, 1861. His full name was Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria. He is a part of the member of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Kohry family. His father is Prince August of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. His mother is Princess Clmentine of Ons. His godparents were Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico with his wife, Princess Charlotte of Belgium. Ferdinand was the grandnephew of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians. His mother, Princess Clmentine, is the daughter of King Louis-Philippe of France. His father, Prince Auguste of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, is the brother of King Fernando II of Portugal. He is also the first cousin of Prince Albert, the Empress of Mxico - Princess Charlotte of Belgium and King Leopold II of Belgium and Queen Victoria of Ennd. Princess Louise, the mother of Charlotte and Leopold II, is the sister of Ferdinand''s mother. That means the three have rtionships as uncle-nephew and aunt-nephew and Ferdinand''s first cousins. Frankly speaking, Li Mu (Ferdinand) is pleased with this traverse. His background is high enough. In addition, if no incidents, he is still the future Tsar of Bulgaria. He is a Taobao merchant who can barely describe as a merchant. As a part-time expert in the military and history, Li Mu (Ferdinand) feels a lot of pressure when he thinks about the real one act in history. The first twenty years of Ferdinand''s rule in Bulgaria brought great sess. However, it all went up into smoke when he lost the Second Balkan War, and few nations force him into the Great War. It seems that as a traverser, he should change his fate against the odds, fight and dominate the world. For Li Mu (Ferdinand), he did not think so much. The people who have some insight into Bulgaria know that a small Balkan country is most powerful in war. You have nothing to do with industry, resources, and popce, which is not a typical country. If he is traversing as Wilhelm II, he has to fight against fate. He can probably really defeat the world. The target he just set for himself, Li Mu ter all called Ferdinand), is at least to be a rich and prestigious aristocrat, and it feels too passive in turn. At present, it is not too tough to improve a little bit to retain the throne. It seems that as long as Ferdinand doesn''t stand in the wrong position, he can do it. It is clear to anyone who knows the Balkans, however. Unless he wins two Balkan wars, he will still plunge Bulgaria into the abyss with his rising jingoism at home. If you are poor, you are alone. If you are rich, you get everything! For now, Ferdinand is not yet the Tsar of Bulgaria. He is just a minor officer of the Austro-Hungarian local garrison. As one of the aristocrats, all Ferdinand has to do ise to report every day. It is okay if he does not. From that aspect, one could also see that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was rotten. It was just helpful for Ferdinand to act. After three months of getting familiar with the situation, Ferdinand learned how the basic picture looks. The Kohry family remains wealthy, boasting arge number of terrific rtives. The greatest wealth, however, was the domain. The Kohry were the owners of arge part of the Slovakia territory, abra and Sitno. They may look terrific now, but Ferdinand knew that these estates would shrink massively after the Great War. The Soviet Union will seize it after World War II. It seems that he should do more than one option. As long as he has a lot of money in his hands, he can survive happily in the future. So what did he really want to do? The first thing that came to his mind was "arms", and then he got rid of it. Most of the arms trade is tying up with politics. There are simply so many powerful buyers in the global market now, and therge-scale arms trade is already taking its ce. Is it possible to engage in a small business of a hundred or eighty guns? That is a shame for the aristocracy, and the money he earns is not as much as his allowance. Drugs'' is currently not. He is the one who wants to be the King. If he bes a drug dealer, he will be the ''Drug King'' and think about the horrible scene. As he made his way to the streets of Vienna, Ferdinand had to remove one n after another on how to make money when he got a sudden sh on his mind: "Department Store". Department stores had been born in Paris, France, as early as 1852 and spread rapidly around the world. There were also department stores in Vienna, but unlike the supermarkets that came after, they were not easy to manage. It had to wait until 1930 when a new store like this opened in New York in the United States. The customers may just walk in, take the goods on the shelves, and only clear the bill at the same time, making it the world''s first supermarket. History has proven the upper hand of supermarkets, which do notpare very well with department stores. 1. Different orientations: Department stores mainly deal with durable goods. It mainly focuses on the high-end quality of the goods. Supermarkets mainly sell with fast-moving consumer goods and daily needs. The quality of goods is primarily low to medium grade. 2. Different profit models: Department stores manage to gain benefits using a lease to gain profits. Supermarkets rely on their purchases to earn profits by selling more product. 3. Different sales methods: Department store guides are vital, with expert sales agents advising on sales. They are taking a separate bill at the time of purchase. A supermarket is a ce where customers choose their own products. They adopt "no need to disturb services" unless they want to. They take a single payment when paying the bill. Having judged the market with calm, Ferdinand thought that the financial system in Vienna at that time was good enough to make the supermarket turn a profit. As soon as he says it, Ferdinand began his market survey. After all, at that time and now, it is not the same. There is not so much variety of goods and no home delivery. Whether the goods are suitable for the supermarket, all of them will decide themselves. However, in that era, he is also the most expert in this area. At least he has seen the supermarket. While others cannot get a good idea, he can only do it right with his own hands. After a series of daily work for more than a month, Ferdinand, atst, has a clear picture of the basic situation of the big city of Vienna. He collects it in a thick note. ''This is a historical source, isn''t it? In the future, when people want to study the era in Vienna, they will find that this is the best evidence. I have taken all into ount, like food, clothing, housing and job, he taken all into ount. Most of all have some footnotes! It will remain in the museum for future generations to admire!'' Ferdinand fondly thought as hey in bed. "Bong bang!" There is s sound of the door that was kicking open. "Ferdinand, what do you think you''re doing these days? I can''t even see you at the aristocratic banquet, nor do you report to the city guards!" The person who came was Ferdinand''s mother, Princess Clmentine. "No, Clmentine, my dear mother. You know the whole lot about etiquette! It is improper to barge the door without knocking and it would affect your honor!" "God forbid. Forget about your aristocratic manners. Do not change the subject for me. Do you realize that no one will know about this? Could you please tell me!" said Princess Clmentine. Chapter 2: Opening of Supermarkets Chapter 2: Opening of Supermarkets After a lot of talks, Ferdinand finally left Princess Clmentine. In fact, Ferdinand is still a bit afraid of Princess Clmentine. After all, he has taken over her family. His heart is always a little guilty. Ferdinand went back to making supermarket ns. The most important thing now was the training for staff, which was also the most difficult. Ferdinand ns to hire a hundred people first, at least a middle school graduate, to conduct early training. Concerning raising instructors will only be his personal priority. By the way, it is possible to find the old butler to make up for it. He manages hundreds of people inside and outside the castle in smooth order. His abilities to manage are still good. Vienna in 1881 is still not the same as theter world in the end. It is impossible to copy it exactly. After all, this is now still the world of the aristocracy. The waiters must also receive the most basic aristocratic etiquette training, which can enhance the ss of the supermarket. The second step is the site, which is ideal solutions. Vienna''srgest locations in line with the terms are still there in a hundred or eighty ces. He can rent or buy over and simply renovate it. In any case, he cannot afford to open a few stores now. It is not possible to put together so many goods. Those kinds of snacks in the future and the many brands of daily goods are not yet out. He seems to have found another way to make money. Thepany seems to have a good future in making sales of low-tech snacks. Let us open a supermarket first, Ferdinand thought to himself. The third step is to buy the goods. It should be trickier in the early stage. Forget it. You can first pick up the goods in the wholesale market. When the supermarket rose in size, it is time to find factories first. The fourth step is to go through the proper customs, which is not a problem at all. Ferdinand is at least a major aristocrat, which still has prestige. Finally is the money. For the supermarket 500 square meters, Ferdinand will pay about one thousand pounds. That includes the cost of staff training, site fees and the purchase of goods and other mess together. Taking into ount his real condition, Ferdinand chose to open five supermarkets in Vienna first. The problem is not the money. In fact, taking out a few thousand pounds at once was not a burden for him. The staff could not keep up the progress is the reason. It took more than three months of preparation for Ferdinand''s supermarket. From market research to training personnel, choosing the site, furnishing and stocking, and finally, it was ready. It has been more than half a year since he came into the world. When he saw the supermarket that is about to open, he felt a sense of pride, which carries his dream to begin. If it was in the previous life, such a small supermarket is enough for him to live most of his life. On June 18, 1881, Ferdinand chose it for the opening of his first supermarket. Its name simply stole from Volvo. It was natural for a traverser not forgets the publicity. Two days earlier, he arranged for all his employees to stand out. He took his staff out, put up banners and came onto the streets of Vienna to publicize the opening of Volvo. 1881 is a memorable year, both in the East and in the West. On February 24, Zeng Jize makes the Sino-Russian Treaty of Ili and the Statute of Land Trade with the delegates of Russia. Russia returned Ili to China but left arge territory west of the Khorgos River and north of the Ili River. China pays nine million rubles to Russia for the expenses of the war. The Manchu aristocracy is still asleep. The country is indeed sliding towards the abyss. Bismarck sought to prevent Russia and France from aligning themselves on two sides. Russia also wanted to ally with Germany to counter Britain in the Near East and the Turkish Straits. Bismarck and the Russian and Austrian ambassadors renew The League of the Three Emperors in Berlin on June 18, 1881. It took ce for three years. On the same day, the world''s first supermarket Volvo was born. Ferdinand firmly believes that June 18 is the right day. He will never admit that he chose to publicize for the event. However, it is also a fact that the citizens of Vienna, when they mention the League of the Three Emperors, they will think of Volvo. Ferdinand''s hopes are fulfilling with Volvo. He can see the two long lines of people on the street on an opening day. The number of people is sorge that it is necessary to limit admission. Just like Chinese people, many westerners also like to watch themotion. Some people simply want to buy cheap goods for the sake of shopping. Others are simply curious because people are just blind followers. When they see others buying in big bags, they cannot help but buy it too. (After the ''80s, you can recall Supermarket Rush in the early ''90s when supermarkets began to open in the county.) It went on until the evening, and there were three restocks in the meantime. The spectacle is a shock to Vienna. Tomorrow''s newspapers will certainly have to report it. The profit of the supermarket did not let Ferdinand down. It is even more than that, however. The turnover of the opening day is up to fifteen hundred pounds, with a gross profit of up to thirty per cent. However, it is normal to think that the first time the supermarket appears. Many people walk in because of interest on the first day of opening and buy a whole lot of things in fun and immersion. This good thing will notst long. It will slowly return to normalter, and turnover will indeed shrink greatly. The retail industry is always profitable. Even in the highlypetitive twenty-first century, many small supermarkets in good locations make a perfect time. While the iron is hot, the other four supermarkets will open one by one in the next month. Its market is still booming. The store managers have chosen from the best talents from the trainee staff. In fact, such a small supermarket did not need much great skills in management. Of course, as long as they can follow Ferdinand''s system prior and implement it. The contenders are still waiting to learn, but they will soone. It is likely that in a few months, Vienna will be swarming with its own supermarkets. The most urgent task now is to recruit and seize the market. No matter how fierce the future struggle, getting a lead now will be helpfulter. Ferdinand has be active with the previous sess and ns to add thirty new supermarket chains within six months. It involves many staff hiring. Each supermarket will need not less than ten to twenty employees. With logistics and management, there will be no less than a thousand people. It is also a great challenge for Ferdinand as Butler Karl, who is now in his grip, is too busy all day to manage the castle. It made Princess Clmentine furious, and Ferdinand simply went home, and he got caught. "Ferdinand, why are you hiding? It''s not like I''m going to kill you!" Princess Clmentine said with great contempt. "Oh, my dear mother, for what purpose do you seek me?" Ferdinand said jokingly. "Are you that busy? It''s just a small department store, why do you need it? Don''t you have any idea how to get help? If you want to manage the Kohry family, you might as well die from the work!" Princess Clmentine said with greatint. Chapter 3: Trivial Chapter 3: Trivial Princess Clmentine catches Ferdinand. He is given a severe lecture and is firm drags to a few boring aristocratic banquets before she takes over the time and lets him go. It was not without its rewards, at least reaping one talent from his mother. Franz Kafka, that does seem familiar, has the same name as an Austrian Jewish novelist. It was not always on one person, though, as Franz Kafka here, a Hungarian in his forties, was always taking care of the estate for Princess Clmentine, and he did very well. After Ferdinand and he talk in-depth, he gave initial approval to his ability and then lent it from Princess Clmentine in a gentle way. He is ready to allow him to get it over to the trial. If he performs well, he will have the person who is in charge of the supermarkets. In the 19th century, the market is not that mature, as the family business is now the norm. There is still less demand for talent, leaving the ugly skills there. In 1881, there were only 13,000 students in Austria, which seems to be a lot at first. If he count closely, he will find that there are only 2,000 to 3,000 students who can graduate every year, and they are spread out in various majors. After taking on specific management majors, there are only a few hundred or eighty people. In addition, apart from those who are aristocrats and businessmen themselves, there are only a few people who really need to find a job. At that time, university graduates are really the elite. Each ministry of the government and major consortia are eager to hire them. Simply, before they graduate, they are already sure about where to go. Ferdinand is having to put out the idea of going to campus to recruit people to nurture them frankly. The first thing that Franz Kafka has to do for Ferdinand is to recruit people. But things are not going well. Later that day, Franz ran over and gave Ferdinand the aristocratic curtsy, "Your Highness: Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Duke of Saxony, Franz Kafka wishes to greet you." "Well, you can choose to address me as your highness or duke. It''s just too awkward to call me by my entire title. What is it that you came to see me about today, Franz?" Ferdinand said casually. "I''m sorry, Your Highness. But I can''t finish what you have given me on schedule." Franz Kafka said with some trouble. "What? How can you not finish it if you recruit more than a thousand people only?" Ferdinand asked with a certain doubt. The rating of Franz in his heart is already down a few points. He gave him half a month to recruit people, and now after less than half the time, hees and says he has trouble. He does not know how to solve it! "Your Highness, ording to your request, I''m afraid it is beyond reach. So far, only three hundred and eighty-two people came in. And sincest morning, only a few people are already sign up. I''m afraid there aren''t that many people in the Vienna area with highly academic talents still looking for work!" Franz Kafka exined it. And after that, Franz brought up to Ferdinand, "Your Highness. If you look at the rest, is it possible to lower some of the standards. That make you can also cut some of the sries. You will save money and it will not affect the business of the supermarket!" The lowest school for Ferdinand to recruit people are junior school graduates. Since the sry is not very high, the first batch of one hundred people is quickly done. It makes him ignore that in this era, junior school graduates, in fact, a highly academic talent. At this time, you can easily find a good job after graduating from junior school. The amount of gold is even higher than those of 985 and 211 graduates inter years. After hearing the reasons by Franz, the anger Ferdinand has already gone. This one is the result of his own careless. He secretly wants to remind himself to remember the lesson of this time. He can not think beyond this era. It is a small joke. It is not good enough to fall into the grave. It is the strong side of Ferdinand to learn from his mistakes. Since the advice of Franz has a good point, he has no reason to reject it at all. "Mr. Franz, your advice is very good. I will leave the rest to you. Take it as you wish with courage!" Ferdinand''s tone is much more polite this time. The supermarket managers are there, but the financial staff is still very messy. There are noputers in this era. All rely on manual work. The task was so much that each supermarket must have a credible finance staff. Ferdinand could hardly find that many people for a while. When he thinks about it, it''s painful to keep Volvo open worldwide, but there is still a long way to go! However, when he think about the supermarket''s profits, Ferdinand''s once again in the spirit. With the first Volvo supermarket, the first month of business makes a profit. The other four are still open for a short time, but the ie is also good. "It''s true that the best way to make money in business is to create a monopoly!" Ferdinand thought to himself. However, he also knew that such good times it is likely to be at most six months. When others came on board, profits will surelye down. After more than two months of constant effort, the supermarket business is now on the right track. The daily management had already left to Franz. Of course, they did not forget to promote two people from the earliest staff as assistants to Franz. How is it possible not to build up a reserve of talent early, as the supermarket is sure to keep expanding! While the supermarket thing came to an end, Ferdinand never took a break. The supermarket''s profits are good, but with the things he has to doter, it is a mere drop in the bucket. When he thinks about Bulgaria, Ferdinand feels that he is still not doing enough! After all, he is a traverser. Ferdinand knows the scene. How can he expect to enjoy a monthly ie of more than 10,000 pounds! Of course, it would have been very grateful to have more than 10,000 pounds a month if it was before the traverse. It''s all different now. He is at least a prince, a Knyaz, and the future Tsar of Bulgaria. How can his eyes be narrow! Ferdinand is very envious of all those traversers who came before him. As long as they make some inventions, they will have tens of millions of dors of assets. It was his turn can only do some small business. Although the Kohry family also has tens of millions of pounds of assets, it is all nominal. It is unlikely that arge area of territory and castles are going into cash. Of course, unless he do not intend to remain in the aristocratic circle. In fact, the Kohry family has an annual ie of just over one million pounds from various investments plusnd revenue. After covering their expenses, they can still bnce around two to three hundred thousand pounds per year. It is considered good in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Ferdinand is unable to create inventions. He knows about pencils with an eraser. But, Hyman already had a patent in 1867, so he has nothing to do. The silk socks are bullshit. Although the chemical level should be able to make them, the price is not much lower than gold. It''s another story if he can wear them! It is not possible to go this way. Ferdinand continues to pay attention to food, clothing, housing and transportation. It is not bad such as food processing nts. Although the profit is not high, the mosquito still has meat! The grain is avable on his family''snd. After processing it, he can sell it directly in the supermarket. He can form a small industrial chain and also increase his low-risk ability. Chapter 4: Trivial 2 Chapter 4: Trivial 2 Ferdinand always does what he says he will do. Since he intends to build a food processing nt, he will start to prepare now. His own domains are mainly growing wheat, barley, sugar beets, potatoes, and x. His livestock is mostly raising pigs and cattle. Therefore to increase the benefits of doing processing support, a flour mill is normally the first choice. The second is the sugar nt. Oh, potatoes are good for making French fries as well. You can make your own fries. x, you must open a weaving factory or a garment factory, which he can put aside. The ughterhouse can be there. It does not require much effort. Do you want to do... As he thought about it and saw it, Ferdinand could proudly say: The final quest of the feudal lords came to an end: food, clothing, housing, and transportation, which were all self-sufficient. It is not that simple to open a factory because his father died early. His family''s industry is simply a consumer investor. A proper aristocrat and has not yet had time to be a capitalist. Well, let''s start with himself, the mix of big aristocrats and big capitalists, the dominant force in today''s society. At present, Ferdinand has some problems. Although his family also has shares in some factories, they are not lead by his family. It is indeed left behind in terms of talent reserves. "Butler Karl, send someone to find out the status of the flour processing mills near Vienna!" Ferdinand has finally decided to start with the flour processing mills. "Yes, Your Highness. I''ll do that right away!" Karl ekov courtly replied. Ferdinand is adjusting to his status as an aristocrat better. Unlike when he first arrived, he loves to do it all himself. Things like letting the maids help with dressing, clothes, and food are his life now. Ferdinand intends to go to the city guard to report for duty. Except for the days when he just traversed, he kept working on time to his shift every day. He just kept going away until now. Although no one inquires, he still feels too wrong. Because, where to find such a good job. It is important to know that the German aristocracy always has the custom of serving in the army. If a person does not serve in the army, he might be a coward. It will make it very hard for him to find a proper woman for his family. Naturally, the Ferdinand family, who were also part of the German aristocracy, has kept this custom. But the Austro-Hungarian Empire was rotten in the end. Few officers felt like moping around like Ferdinand. The old emperor could not do anything about it. In order to keep the armybat-ready and not let them bring others down, he simply threw them into the city guards in one ce. Of course, if the person has to suffer, he can also leave them. The original Ferdinand has always dislike these children who have been in charge. The original and they are not the same streams. There is no much friend left in it. When he came into the City Guard building, a smell of rot hit him. It was the same as he recalls, a shabby and old office building that seems worn out and crumbling. "This is too shabby! No wonder no onees to work. With this ce, only demons are willing toe here. I don''t know how the previous one kept it up!" Ferdinand secretly spat out. Along the way, except for a fewzy guards on duty, Ferdinand never found another person. He found his office, a small room of less than twenty square meters. A small wooden table, a chair, a teacup, and a stack of outdated newspapers were all he had in the office of the former one. The room has a thickyer of dust. It seems that no one has been here for a long time. Ferdinand gave up the idea of doing the cleaning by himself after looking at it. He went straight back the way he came. He didn''t even find an officer in his unit, so that he couldn''t report his arrival. The line of city guards made him feel down. For such a force to fight on, no wonder they were beaten up by Russia and lost their sense of purpose. Ferdinand also knew that it was just a few of them, which were specially set up for them, with no drills and no orders. How could they say that they are also one of the five major European powers when the other armies might still have somebat power? But when he thought about the strife of the Austro-Hungarian peoples, Ferdinand shook his head. The old emperor will need to know eightnguages. It is terrible to think about it. "Then how should wemand the army? If the army is separate ording to each ethnic group, then it is easy to split the country. If it is mixed and spread out, to ensure itsbat strength, then themander first has to learn the other ethnguages. Who will find a group of schr." "It''s also the root cause of the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, I think! Unless we make it fast and unify thenguage and culture now, even without a war, this country will not exist for long!" Ferdinand secretly thought. The Balkans are not much better than Austria-Hungary in terms of ethnicity. The only good thing about them is that they have fewer people. When did a small poption be an advantage? Ferdinand thinks about it and bes amused. Ferdinand is still a little uneasy when walking on the streets of Vienna. Compared to the future, Vienna is as bustling now. But sadly, there is no link with clean and tidy. Many ces are smelly! If you can''t change the world, then you have to adapt to it! Ferdinand, now, is a good example. Before he knew it, he came to the door of the Volvo. Ferdinand took a stand and saw. He gazes at the crowd of people whoe in and out, with big bags and small bags. As people talk andugh, they are happy to return. Ferdinand content with this. He strides towards the Volvo and gives a hand signal to the security guards at the door to remain there. After that, he went into the supermarket and saw that the service staff was busy working. When Ferdinand came in, and they were about toe over, he quickly made a sign for them to resume. There was some chaos inside. Many goods were in a mess. The staff was busy trying to restore them, and there was a lot of garbage on the floor. Ferdinand got a frown and got out of it. As a whole, he is still content that the people are doing their jobs and working to the best of their ability, and business is booming. However, it may be the limits of the times that they did not consider the weight of hygiene and customers''fort to shop. Of course, in the 19th century, perhaps the people also got a habit of it. Vienna is stinking, and the streets are full of garbage. There is not so much demand for hygiene. Ferdinand still went to Franz, that is, to recognize his work. He also put forward the demands of hygiene. Ferdinand prefers to raise some costs now in order to keep customers. After all, it is easy to choose between clean and tidy on one side and messy on the other. This era is the most pleasant for capitalists. They can make workers work overtime as much as they want, without the unions ofter times and the threat of the Soviets. Ferdinand would like to think that thebor costs have not grown. However, with the staff, there is an extra job of cleaning at all times. Protests, demos, strikes, demands for wage increases, etc., all terms deep in Ferdinand''s memory, never came up. Chapter 5: Preparing the Flour Mill Chapter 5: Preparing the Flour Mill The Volvo supermarket, open for business ten hours a day, along with the setup work, the staff, in fact, had to work twelve hours a day. No one had any problems, and no one sought overtime pay from Ferdinand. One: Ferdinand gave a sry that was slightly above the market rate, thus giving his staff full credit. Two: At that time, the local factories in Vienna had to work basically twelve-hour shifts every day. Some of them had to work sixteen-hour shifts. Three: It is easier to work in a supermarket than in a factory. On the one hand, it is a department store with a friendly working area. On the other hand, it is dreary and risky to work in a factory. Anyway, in the view of people at that time, it is still a decent job to work in a department store. Ferdinand stole the concept. On the surface, it looks simr to a department store, except that there are slightly different things to do. After all, the supermarket is a new thing. People do not know what it is to do. For the sake of convenience, Ferdinand just put the word department store so that people can quickly get it. Many people just choose to apply for the job because of the name of the department store. It took Ferdinand a short time to hire the full number of people, and it was quite a misstep. After three days have gone past, Butler Karl is still very fast and efficient. He checks out all the flour mills near Vienna. "Your Highness, there are thirteen flour mills of all sizes in Vienna. Only two of them arerge enough to make a profit, seven are mostly keeping their capitals, and the other four havee into the deficit. It makes this a very fierce business!" Butler Karl report dutifully. Butler Karl disagrees with Ferdinand''s n to establish a flour processing mill. In his opinion, the flour processing market is already full, and the burden ofpetition is too great. It isn''t easy to make money by joining in now. After heard Karl''s report, Ferdinand was a little hesitant. After all, there were thirteen flour mills in a small Vienna. So, how many were there in the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire? After a few moments of silence, Ferdinand still decides that the n remains intact. He still has the upper hand, he can produce and sell himself, and his costs are much lower than theirs. The big deal is that when the timees to focus on improving some secondary products, what is the fear of going to the game! "Well, I know. Thanks for your hard work, Karl!" Ferdinand affirms the old butler''s work. "It''s an honor to work for Your Highness!" said Karl happily. "Karl, how much do you think it would cost me to obtain a flour processing nt?" Ferdinand asked cautiously. To build a factory in 1881 was not that simple. They had at least one year to put the factory into business, and they had to buy machines, train workers, and so on. It is much simpler to obtain a factory. It takes little effort to put it into business. Ferdinand is still willing to take over as long as the price is not too high. Butler Karl was silent for a moment as if he was giving an estimate for the nts and then said, "Your Highness. If they were small nts that went bankrupt, they might only cost a few thousand pounds. The two flour processing nts that are making a profit are probably going to cost seventy to eighty thousand pounds!" It was a shock to Ferdinand''s heart. The gap was too big, right? And then he thought, with losses in the factory, there must be problems of one kind or another, either the equipment is old or poorly run, or too small to be able topete, and now, in this case, someone willing to take over is good, why pick and choose. "Well, then first contact with the owners of those factories to see if they intend to sell. I will decide after making an assessment!" said Ferdinand. "Yes, Your Highness, as you wish!" After Butler Karl spoke, he left, seeing that Ferdinand felt no desire to stay. When he sent the old butler away, Ferdinand was at home reading the newspaper. Today he had a special party that he had to attend in person, the birthday of his uncle, the tragic emperor - Franz Joseph I. Franz Joseph I (August 18, 1830 - November 21, 1916) is known for his work in forming the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He created an alliance with the Prussian-led German Empire in 1879, and in 1914 he sent an ultimatum to Serbia, which brought Austria and Germany into World War I. In 1916 he passed away in Vienna at the age of 86 due to an attack of pneumonia. After reviewing the life of the old emperor, Ferdinand felt a lot of sentiment. A living figure in the flesh! "A great diplomat!" It is the world''s verdict on him. Maybe God wrongly chose his talent. Compared to the sharpness of his diplomatic skills, the rest of him could take as mediocre. He made use of diplomacy to form the Austro-Hungarian Empire. But this rotten empire, with its endless problems of ethnicity, always came to gue him, impeding the progress of the empire and leading most to its downfall. In this respect, Franz Joseph I, sadly, was not very good. Hisck of resolve was evident. Although he also took many measures to ease ethnic tensions, it had little effect. In hister years, his brother got executed in Mexico. His wife was stabbed to death by an Italian anarchist in Geneva, and his sonmitted suicide at a young age. His chosen heir was stabbed to death by the Serbian party, and his vengeful war for which tens of millions of people fell in a sea of blood make the Austro-Hungarian Empire, for which he had spent so much of his life, was in shambles. "Ferdinand, it''s time to go. You''re not messing around again, are you?" Princess Clmentine said with some concern. She clearly feels Ferdinand has grown more strange these days. He likes to fool around with some weird stuff, which worries her. "How could you, my dear mother, how could you think that! You have to believe me!" Ferdinand said as he rushed over. It was obvious that he struggled with Princess Clmentine''s problem. The original Ferdinand will act slightly unusual. Unlike most aristocrats, he has very few friends and likes to get into some mess. Princess Clmentine did not suspect that he was not in the same boat. When she saw Ferdinanding, she took him directly to the carriage. Vienna - Schnbrunn Pce, its history goes back to the Middle Ages. The old emperor, Franz Joseph I, was born in the Schnbrunn Pce, and it was also Franz Joseph I''s favourite and longest-lived residence. Now, this grand pce is bustling with people, as the creation of The League of the Three Emperors, the political and diplomatic of Austria-Hungary, are in the most favourable times. Aristocrats and ministers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, ambassadors of various countries, and great aristocrats from other parts of Europe sent people toe over. The prestige of the Habsburg family shows up at this moment. The banquet was different from what Ferdinand was thinking. There were not so many formalities, and the old emperor epted the people''s good wishes and began at once. Ferdinand is not the main focus. Except for many big shots mixed with a famous face, the legendary bloody drama did not happen. Of course, Ferdinand also knows a fewdies. If he is willing, there is a chance of further progress. Chapter 6: Food Plant Launching Chapter 6: Food nt Launching Capitalists are profit-oriented! -- Das Kapital Butler Karl was extremely fast, and the results were pleasant. The owners of eight of the factories are willing to sell. No one wants to do a business that is not making money. In Austria, where industrialization isplete, flour factories are already a dying industry. The brutal race to the bottom makes it harder for people to keep up with the money. Ferdinand still left the bargaining to Karl. After all, the old butler''s talent in this area made him tremble, with a previous acquisition in the supermarket as proof. Ferdinand himself is really not good for bargaining. In the end, Ferdinand bought a flour factory called "Katwipolto" for 18,000 pounds. The machines and tools were all bought a year ago. With more than one hundred and eighty skilled workers and more than fifty staff, the nt can produce 2,000 metric tons of flour per day with full capacity. Since they brought these machines back, Katwipolto never ran at full capacity. They reduced their staff to more than 500 people from its peak. Even so, Katwipolto is barely held in ce, struggling to survive, tipping the edge between losses and profits. Ferdinand is happy with the deal. A new owner always has to bring in a new vibe, and then he renamed Katwipolto. "Shuanghui Food Development Co., Ltd.." It is the new name of the flour nt, a sign of a fresh start. Well, in fact, it is purely a bad joke by Ferdinand, who intends to pirate any famous brand that he is familiar with in the future. Ferdinand kept the former manager, Wilhelm Schubert. He proves his talent because the flour nt could save its money in the highlypetitive Vienna. In fact, the earliest nt, Katwipolto, still runs very well. He kept well managed inside and out, and costs kept to a bare minimum. But the sales side is a mess. There is no market, and there is no big dealer, and the products mainly sell to the vast rural areas. It can''t work. As ater, the market in the city has already taken its share. The ability to open up the rural market is also enough to show that the boss has a strategic vision, but sadly it is too far ahead of the times. The rural areas in this era are poor. It is a fantasy toplete the expansion of the rural regions around the city. But now, with Ferdinand, all is not a problem. Of course, in the short term, the sales of supermarkets are limited, and the rural market must remain intact. Ferdinand, as the boss, goes to the factory himself and calms the workers. He made a public promise to keep the wages in advance and look at the factory''s current state. In the end, when he saw the poor quality of the bread, he felt pity and told the workers to raise the fee by 20 percent, which gained the support of the workers at once. After a short time, the factory kept running because workers are cooperative with the staff who sent out as managers. To improve output and boost workers'' morale, Ferdinand offers a scheme of bonuses to Wilhelm. Wilhelm took it out very fast, which met the reality in the nt bonus scheme and sent it up to him. Ferdinand is very please with Wilhelm''s method. As a boss, he can be kind to the workers, but the case is just the reverse for the managers. Like many bosses who can only good and buy the hearts of people, the manager must have to be evil and save him money. Wilhelm''s n for workers is to either increase the output on average or increase the overall quality each month from the current state. For each one percent increase in production or quality, the shift to which they are a part will get a bonus of one bag of flour. This step is good but not costly, the flour is self-made, and the cost is meager. Workers can also take it home simply for their own food, which has the same effect as a direct bonus payment. Ferdinand also found that Wilhelm still had a basic good nature and tried to give the workers as much benefit as possible without harming his own interests, which gave Ferdinand even morefort. "Mr. Wilhelm, you have done a great job with this n. The workers need a morale boost. How about this, you should go down and count all the people who work in the factory who have many family members. In the future, they can use the factory price and buy the proper rations from the factory." Ferdinand once again has dropped a strategy to buy people''s hearts. "Yes, Your Highness. I''ll get right on it!" Wilhelm said with some affection. The price of flour has risen by at least three-fold from the factory to retail. And flour is a staple food in Europe, reducing the workers'' cost of living a lot, which is equal to adding two or three-fold of sry. Ferdinand''s idea was to improve the living standards of the workers as much as possible without harming his interests. Ferdinand''s approach turned out to be correct. As his business grew, the more welfare policies his workers got, the more they enjoyed. When the workers'' unions were in forceter, his business was always the safest where unions had much less impact. As time flies, the flour nt is soon on the right track, with output and quality rising gradually. When it came to the final stage, the total output was nearly 30 percent higher, and the quality was 11 percent higher. And the price he paid was just a few hundred more bags of flour given out each month, and on average, each worker gets two or three bags of flour. Wilhelm showed great kindness when ites to bending rewards and gave them full up in the end. However, when ites to handing out the bonuses, he is quite feckless to change the rewards into small bags. Because Ferdinand did not clearly tell it at the time, and the workers had nothing to say. These are the size bags designed to adapt for supermarket sales. There arerge bags of 50 kg, medium bags of 20 kg, small bags of 10 kg, small pouches of 5 kg, and even tiny pouches of 1 kg that also designed. Of course, on average, the smaller the bags, the higher the unit price. In the end, Wilhelm is still a little bit humane. He did not put it in the smallest bags, or the workers would want to cry. At present, they have given the flour of 10 kg per bag, which was enough for one person''s ration, so the workers took it happily. In fear of forms messy ounts, Ferdinand kept the finances of factories and supermarkets separate early on as well. Those supermarkets have to pay even for their own purchases and set up payment regarding market prices. As a result of supermarket sales growth, the flour nt soon began to make a profit. In the first month, it made a profit of three hundred pounds. However, it was not as good as a supermarket. However, Ferdinand is happy enough. There is a good start, and the factory''s capacity is now only a third of the output. They sell many products to the rural areas with little profit. If they can produce and sell on their own, the factory''s profits will have much scope for increase. Ferdinand thinks of the mostmon trick of the future of business. It is immoral to switch on various bags and make seven or eight brands to choose one. And the same rogue business inter years, the same flour sold at different prices to be very profitable. Chapter 7: Christmas Chapter 7: Christmas It was a year of progress in 1881, and the citizens of Vienna ~ whose social life had be rich and colorful. Ferdinand, the brightest mind, also went farther and farther on the path of the shady businessman. All sorts of tricks kept people baffled. Shuanghui Food Group has increased the number of products, such as a broad type of noodles, many brands of pastry, various vors of French fries, etc. The baker has also taken up his post formally in the supermarket. All kinds of pastries have made their debut, making it easier for the Viennese citizens who came along to see the goods. Of course, it also filled Ferdinand''s pockets. Volvo has spread to every major city in Austria-Hungary. Shuanghui Food Group, of course, with the supermarket, from the bagspany to be truer to its name. It has be the food industry in Austria-Hungary, with manyrgepanies. With Christmas just about toe, Volvo became even busier. Under Ferdinand''s nudge, Franz, in a daze, made arrangements for the Christmas event. Ferdinand can not rx. There are several supermarkets in Vienna now that are starting to remodel in a style that is mainly copied from Volvo. It also has a sign of fresh ideas but has been ignored by Ferdinand naturally. Without knowing anything and going for creativity, they will make a perfect mess with all their own assets. It would never be a threat. It is fair to imagine that in 1882 there would be arge number of supermarkets in Vienna. The era of Ferdinand''s monopoly wasing to an end, and a hundred supermarkets wereing. Ferdinand expects that the next three to five years will be the golden age for supermarkets, withpetitors still figuring it out. It will shift to the silver stage in five to ten years, withpetitors rising and profits begin to thin. However, Volvo''s leading status has been set, and it is hard for the upstarts to change in the short term. Ten yearster, his own supporting industry is to be perfected. With aplete industrial chain, you can achieve maximum benefits. When ites to taking stock of the 1881 harvest, Volvo began the year on June 18 with theunch of thirty-six new stores one after another in nearly six months, which is slightly more than its n. It also gave Ferdinand a profit of thirty thousand pounds, which he mainly spent on opening new stores. The profits of each supermarket, on average, are still kept at eight hundred pounds per month, which is quite shocking, and it is now Ferdinand''s highest ie. Shuanghui Food Group also performs very well. After reforming the flour factory, thanks to the rapid expansion of sales outlets, the profit from the first three hundred pounds per month has grown to a thousand pounds per month now. The newly built noodles factory had average sales. Although Ferdinand came up with many brands, the Europeans hadn''t gotten used to using chopsticks. It was the pasta that sold well. At first, there was a slight loss. Now, the monthly profit is only a hundred pounds or less, making Ferdinand very frustrated. It is lucky that this is only a tiny factory of ten or so people. He did not blindly expand the scale, or it would not be possible to make a profit now. The revenue of the snack factories is good, like popcorn, French fries, all kinds of cookies, etc., are selling well. Since itsunch, the snack factory already expands twice and now has more than eight hundred employees. It is second only to Volvo in terms of size in Ferdinand''s industry. The monthly profit is now up to eight thousand pounds, and there is still plenty of margin for growth. For the entire year 1881, Ferdinand built his business to the value of hundreds of thousands of pounds. But, he only adds less than 10,000 pounds of cash to his pocket. When Christmases, there is a big Christmas tree standing in front of Volvo and a wide range of food products set up in the sales area. With a big hat with a pointy top on his head and a big robe with white eyebrows, the Santa us waves to the people and gives bags of food to the children who pass on his way. Supermarkets also start a special holiday offer. A wide range of goods isbeled with a discounted price, which attracts the passing crowd. It is what exactly Ferdinand makes ~ follow the future Austrian Christmas, theyout. It seems to work very well. Many goods were sold out, only a row of empty shelves left in the supermarket and tired sales clerks. Christmas is one of the most important events in the West. The Ferdinand family is no different, as they have all been invited together to the Schnbrunn Pce to have a Christmas banquet with a group of rtives from Vienna. After that, the family sang and did traditional dances under the Christmas tree and gave each other Christmas gifts. The whole scene was full of a cozy moment. When the clock struck midnight, Ferdinand and the others stood up. They lit a candle, chanted from the Bible, and wish each other well. After that, they sang a Christmas song, whose origins lie in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. After singing Christmas hymns, Ferdinand left the Schnbrunn Pce to attend Mass at the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Vienna. At this time, they built a tall Christmas tree in the church. A bright star on the tree stood out, pointing the way to Bethlehem for the "Three Kings of the East", Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior. The streets of Vienna are now full of children, who sing Christmas songs and march through houses to chant carols. The aristocrats and capitalists also had a rare gracious time. All workers were given a holiday. Many people got to receive Christmas gifts. At least the people who work for Ferdinand get a Christmas gift of some of the factory''s own snacks and some product that doesn''t sell well. In any case, all the Ferdinand factories make is food, and it is a good offer to the very poor workers. If not for the warning of Butler Karl, Ferdinand even sent out the year-end bonus. It''s a good thing he took the time to react. He knew that raising the workers'' wages without proper consent would be met with hostility from the capitalists in those days. After a warm and busy Christmas, Ferdinand found himself woken up by Princess Clmentine the next morning. A bad habit that Ferdinand used to have in his previous life is slumber. Princess Clmentine loathes it, believing that it weakens a person''s resolve. Ferdinand put up several fruitless protests, and atst, meekly do as she told him. He thought she could exclude Christmas, but reality told him no. The aristocracy in Vienna was slowly rotting down. It was mainly a newly emerged one that was so greedy for leisure that they brought down the aristocratic circle''s prestige. The great aristocrats with real legacy were more strict with their offspring than themoner could imagine. It is also a custom of the Kohry family to train in the morning. The days of being a military aristocrat are not as good as they are told. There is a lot of fame and glory in the paper, with very few exceptions. Most German aristocrats who follow their roots in custom are brought up to be strict. They have to learn a lot more than the average person and hardly ever have a good childhood. Chapter 8: Developing Volvo Chapter 8: Developing Volvo Major Events: In 1882, Germany, Austria, and Italy held an agreement in Vienna. On May 20 of the same year, the Treaty of the Triple Alliance was signed, marking the rise of the Triple Alliance. September 30 - Began operates the world''s first hydraulic power nt (the dam on the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin is the world''s first hydraulic power nt). ... On January 14, Ferdinand met with his managers and held a meeting for business ns. The meeting included the new businesses that Ferdinand had built and the heads of the traditional businesses of the Kohry family. Mainly, Ferdinand found that some traditional businesses still have a lot of prospects for expansion. There are many ces in his ns that are intertwined and can benefit from supporting each other. For example, like many great aristocrats, the Kohry family has its own wine estate that serves solely for their family. Mostly usually takes a little drink himself and feels the taste is very good. He felt it was a waste to raise arge group of people just to serve a few of his own family. It is quite possible to expand the scale and sell to the market. Even if the output is expanded, which causes a loss of taste, Ferdinand will sell it as long as it is not lower than the market''s great value. At the start of this year, the estate that nted wheat and potatoes will no longer have to sell to the outside. Their own factories can fully absorb. There are also cattle and sheep in the pastures. It is possible to build his own ughterhouse and send it to the supermarket to sell. Another case in point is thend from near his own city. He can set aside a ce to grow his own veggies, self-produce and sell, etc. The lineup of the great European aristocrats is often beyond the wildest likely picture. Like Ferdinand now, there are more than a dozen private maids and a team of chefs no less than five-star hotels in the future. Whether Italian, French, Indian and a dozen other nations dishes, they will do it. In the castle where he lives, the guards plus the staff are no less than 300 people. The clothes that he wears, he has special tailors to serve him alone. There are seven or eightvish carriages for his own use. When ites to the milk he drinks, he has his own private ranch, where he chooses the best quality cows, solely for him alone. There is also the standard wine estate, where only the best choice of grapes is chosen to make wine. Of course, his lineup is nothing. Princess Clmentine''s is a great deal, fully in line with her status as a French princess. Anyway, the Kohry family''s ie, in addition to the basic expenses, there are no less than 100,000 pounds per year, which are spent on their lineup, and this cost is still rising every year. It is also the source of the change of the great aristocrats to the great capitalists. The ie of the ssic business can no longer meet their rising expenses. Ferdinand is deep in disgust at these bad habits and anxious to change all of this. If he will lose the prestige of the aristocracy, he said he would bring his own vest. Ferdinand did not intend to change the aristocratic system. The bottom decides the head, and he himself is already the one who benefits. On the surface, Ferdinand is still a loyal backer of the aristocratic system. The ce he should be has not changed. At most, let the maid take on the role of secretary. At the same time as Ferdinand''s efforts to revamp the business, the retail business in Vienna was changing. The grocery stores are losing much of their profits due to the squeeze from Volvo. It makes the capitalists behind the scenes made the shift into the supermarket business. From February, a supermarket called Tinker Bell opens its doors, which broke the monopoly of Volvo. From then on, a hundred stores in the retail industry began topete. Itsted until October, when more than eighty new supermarkets, whetherrge or small, began to open in the cosmopolitan city of Vienna. At first, they also kept a certain distance from the sites they chose and kept away from the fierce conflicts. Although there is also rivalry between each other, they get along well and are friendly. Their profits are still over the top. However, after entering 1883, the rising yers have sprung up, and they can no longer avoid it. In some cases, there were seven or eight supermarkets on a single street. Some supermarkets were simply facing one another to steal business. Since the supermarket business isn''t technical, there is a surge of capital things. By the end of 1883, the density of supermarkets in Vienna was simr to that in future times. The brutal struggle began. With all kinds of methods, the price war is always the first choice. The streets are full of discount offers, and it''s the end of the good times for everyone. Volvo is the top yer in the business. Its stores spread overrge and small cities in Austria-Hungary and also into Germany and Italy. Despite being hit as well, the Vienna stores are still making a profit. It was not until 1884 when Gottfried Department Store changed its status in March. This giant department store business was finally moving into the supermarket business. It was a surprise to Ferdinand that they hadn''t done the brutal struggle for supermarkets in Vienna with little help from him. His aim to scare off some big capitalists froming in. It was also a great sess before. Although Volvo''s stores in Vienna took a hit, other cities felt the impact, which stopped capitalists, who were still fairly conservative. Volvo''s losses in Vienna were made back twice as much in other cities. Gottfried Department Store''s background, Ferdinand still knows very well. Therge consortia of the Kingdom of Hungary are behind the scenes, and the Kohry family is one of them. It was the capitalist interests in Hungary ~ who are involved in the flour processing industry that took the lead. Although Ferdinand also had flour factories, they were mostly for their own use. They did not usually pay much mind to this aspect of the market and were caught off guard this time. In response, Ferdinand took up his family contacts and found out what was going on. As a result of Volvo''s rapid spread and its growing share in the retail sector, Shuanghui Flour Mill normally grew along with it, and its market share kept growing. The sales of Hungarian flour in the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell sharply. As a result, the capitalists in the flour industry were unable to stay in their seats. If Ferdinand was amon man, he might have been brought to their knees or sent to God. But Ferdinand is also a major Hungarian aristocrat, which belongs to the inner rivalries. Therefore, many tactics will not be able to use. In other words, apart from the capitalists who have suffered from their own pain, others watch from the outside. After all, they support the move of Gottfried Department Store to change the status of Volvo''s monopoly in the retail industry and force Ferdinand to relent. Ferdinand took the time to rest in mind. As long as it is not the purpose of the whole Hungarian consortium, he is not afraid of just one small Gottfried Department Store. Besides, the news came so quickly. It is also clear that there is a sign of talk and peace, which means that the other party does not intend to fight him to the death. This matter also gives Ferdinand a lesson that he must build up his intelligence work. The traverser is not omnipotent. If he pays more attention to these old rtives, it is estimated that the two sides have made peace long ago, and this matter will not happen. Chapter 9: Competitor Chapter 9: Competitor Ferdinand, who knew the cause and effect, acted at once. Although he could not see the helping hand of flour capitalists, he still let out some goodwill, and Volvo made a few more flour brands. He also took the idea to teach Gottfried Department Store a lesson and secure his ce in the business. Ferdinand found something in his deep investigation. Although Gottfried is a giant of the Austro-Hungarian department store business, it is not very good in its financial state. It is still using the ssic business model, family-style control, which cannot keep up with the times every day. The current head of the business is Ruprecht Helder, an Austrian who is not yet 30 years old. Ruprecht has ambition. He dislikes the ssical business model of Gottfried Department Store. He is very proud and has a frosty attitude towards the managers of thepany. However, because it is a family business, most of the top managers of Gottfried Department Store are rtives. They include his two uncles and one brother, who also hold arge portion of the shares. Ruprecht''s entry into the supermarket sector was a push to get rid of the limited control of the management. Ferdinand is not sure what role the flour capitalists did y in it. After he figured out the rival status, Ferdinand gave this task to Franz. Ferdinand frankly can''t regard this Ruprecht. Although his ability is good, but it''s easy to see how good he is. With the current shape of Gottfried Department Store, they should not blindly open new business and distract their limited power. The most vital thing is to reform their own system. If Gottfried were to enter, they should not have chosen this time to enter. Even if they were to enter now, they should not have chosen Vienna. The Vienna retail business is now at its most intense and will consume the limited munition that Gottfried Department Store has now. Not only is Ruprecht now in the game, but he has also put his focus on Vienna. One of his moves is theunch of ten supermarkets, which are all open with great splendor. Two department stores have been converted to arge andvishly furnished ce, which is the best in Vienna. As Volvo hase this far, it is time to reap the gains. With other local markets to support, Ferdinand can afford as much as it can wear out. The first toe out will surely be the small capitalists. With therge move of Gottfried Department Store into the game, the smell of gunpowder is thicker. The first to suffer is instead therge supermarkets. They have high operating costs. High customer traffic would have been a good thing, and customers mean profit. However, the more they sell now, the more they lose. The retailer with weak financial resources is the first one to leave the ce. In 1884, on May 18, the Katars Department Store could not bear the long losses and dered bankruptcy, which blew the horn of death. Within the next week, another supermarket named Philipp Department Store dered bankruptcy. All hell then broke loose. After that, it was every three days when a supermarket shut down. At this time, nobody in Vienna can escape from the crisis alone. All supermarkets are in a state of loss, and it is only a matter of how much they lose. Volvo is no less. Even with argework to keep costs down, several stores in Vienna are now in the red. There are five stores in Vienna that lose an average of three hundred pounds per month, which is less than the peers. Gottfried Department Store, which just came into the game, has suffered a stroke of big bad luck, with big expenses meaning big losses. Combining with the fact that Gottfried is a department store, the stores arevishly furnished and badly located. It just wastes a lot of space and raises the running costs. They are now badly beaten. Ferdinand admits that Ruprecht is truly gifted. Thevish design attracts many people, which also includes arge group of middle-ss people. It is a high-quality customer who can be said to have a good business. It is a pity that this is 1884, not the 21st century. The Vienna middle ss is limited in number and unable to support arge-scale supermarket. In order to seize the market, Gottfried also had to follow the price cuts. In other words, he kept his discount from the day he started to open the business, making a bigger loss every day and unable to look at the future. Franz doesn''t just waste time. He first got the employees of Shuanghui Food Group to go shopping at Gottfried Department Store. With thousands of people rushing out, it gave Gottfried a super high reputation at once. He even buys products that are set in advance and then secretly sends them to other cities around Vienna. He sells them through Volvo stores to earn the profit margin, which makes up for the losses of the Vienna stores. Ruprecht is now in a bad mood. For a week, the vase in his office has changed three times. At first, he saw that the prospects of the supermarket were good for the department store. With the support of the Hungarian flour capitalists, he made a hasty move in and then started the road of losses. The losses are also losses. Anyway, Ruprecht is prepared in advance, as a start to boost the reputation as well. But, they do not expect the business is so good that the losses are also sorge. The ten stores of Gottfried in Vienna had a loss of more than eight hundred poundsst month. Thergest store has a record loss of three thousand pounds. Gottfried is indeed a big business. If it''s a normal business, they would have quit the price war. The goods of the supermarkets are now being sold at a 95% discount straight from the factory price. Volvo''s idea was to start the first one, and then the big yers took it up. If the cost of running is taken into ount, the lossesrgely reach about ten percent of sales. It is now that the more they sell, the more they lose. Gottfried Department Store can now im with pride that it has turned out to be a Viennese department store and supermarket giant. Its market share is number one, far ahead of Volvo, which ranks second. It is precisely for this reason that the current mood of Gottfried Department Store is quite strange. Even with a majority in the shares, Ruprecht is having a hard time. The Gottfried Department Store has lost up to 15,000 poundsst month, and there are signs of further rises this month. Even if the department store is still making a profit, it can not fill this endless gap. So far, it is not easy to quit because Gottfried has invested 80,000 pounds in the supermarket business. Ruprecht refused to sell his shares to the investors, but in this case, he also did not want to lose. It is either to give up the 80,000 pounds put into the early game, and the money will not return. Gottfried Department Store will suffer a great impact. The other choice, he can keep pouring his money into the business, first crush a bunch of business rivals, then the market will return to normal. The money that they lost will return. The mood is sullen in the board room of Gottfried Department Store. More than ten people who attended the meeting inhaled the cigarette smoke for a while. "Well, with all of you here, then today''s meeting will begin." said Ruprecht, who lost his old style. Chapter 10: Competitor 2 Chapter 10: Competitor 2 By Ruprecht''s sign, manager Cameron Eichen said with passion, "Gentlemen, Gottfried has entered the supermarket business at the start of the year, and has now gained great sess in Vienna. In just over three months since opening, it has started from zero and has achieved the number one status in the business..." "Excuse me for asking you to stop Mr. Cameron. If you''re talking about being number one in the business in terms of losses, I don''t think that''s worth it at all!" Jakobus Helder cut Cameron in a nice, polite way. Jakobus Helder is Ruprecht''s uncle, the secondrgest shareholder of thepany. He is the former director of thepany''s human resources, who founded Gottfried Department Store with Ruprecht Sr. and had a great influence on the firm and is now retired. Ruprecht''s face paled. Jakobus, who had retired, came out, clearly quite upset with him already. "Mr. Jakobus, the loss is just to capture the moment. When we drive all the yers out of the market, that''s when we will reap the fruits!" said Cameron in his defense. "So, you tell us, Mr. Cameron. How long will it take to get rid of all the yers?" said Zamar Helder (Ruprecht''s brother) with a cynical smile. When Cameron fell silent, Zamar continued, "Be aware that our losses are growing every day. Gottfried is a big business, but don''t forget that our roots are in a department store, not a supermarket! We can''t put all of our resources into this endless pit!" When Ruprecht saw that Cameron had been defeated, he knew it was time for him to step up. After a moment of pondering, he said, "Well, we''''vee to this point now... and the bullshit is no longer done!" "Our Gottfried has spent too much on the supermarket, it'' s a whole eighty thousand pounds! Gentlemen, do you think we can still drop out now?" "What? Eighty thousand pounds? Are you sure you''re not wrong!" Zamar jumped up at once and asked Ruprecht. "My brother, the information was sent to all shareholders yesterday. Don''t tell me you didn''t get it!" Ruprecht said angrily. For this yboy''s own brother, Ruprecht never had much patience. In his heart, he cursed: "Damn, at this hour, you idiot is still causing me mess. I don''t know what''s going on. Even if they are all from the Helder family, howe they have such an idiot!" Zamar gave an awkward smile, and then he finished his part. It was clear that he was still a little afraid of his older brother. Jakobus thought about it and came out as a mediator, saying, "Well, we havee to this point, so let''s find a way to get along with each other! Thepany has already spent eighty thousand pounds, which is already one tenth of Gottfried''s assets. We are already in a hard position to ovee problems." When there was a short wait, and no one spoke, Jakobus asked, "Ruprecht, I''m afraid thepany''s cash flow is about to go out of bnce now, what''s your n?" "Thepany has also made a lot of money over the years, and everyone''s annual dividends are not small. I hope that all shareholders to give thepany a sum of capital to change things around, in principle, based on the ratio of capital!" Ruprecht said in response without panic. The room burst into instant chatter, with some in favor and others against it. "What''s the exact number of the gap for thepany to get through the crisis?" Jakobus asked with concern. The people all turned their eyes toward Ruprecht with great hope. They looked like they were ready to pay up if the margin was not too big. "I asked people to report on thepany''s ounts. There is a shortage of funds. It is two hundred thousand pounds, or five years of dividends for everyone!" Ruprecht said solemnly. The people''s faces paled as the figure was too big. Even if it was divided by shares, it was not a small number. On the assets, they surely have. But who has that much capital, they have either spent it or invested in the business. "How can it be so much? The supermarket has only put in eighty thousand pounds into the project!" Zamar asked with a pale face. "Quite simply. Our department stores have also been hit, and we have a lot of items that ovep with the supermarkets that has affected our profits. It is crucial that the supermarket project still needs to continue to invest. This figure is only the ideal state, and more money may be neededter!" Ruprecht gave a little reason. "We can pay the money, but what is your final goal?" Jakobus asked as he stared closely at Ruprecht in a discreet manner. Ruprecht knew that as long as he got Jakobus convinced, it would be a great end to the day, and no one else would be enough to worry about as they both had more than two-thirds of the shares taken up. "Clean up that bunch of small fish. Let Gottfried Department Store and Volvo stand on their own feet!" Ruprecht said with caution. "Well, that''s good. This goal is a bit hard to achieve, but it''s still a little realistic!" Jakobus shows a long-lost smile. To be frank, Ruprecht is the most capable one in the next generation of the Helder family. Jakobus has always thought highly of this nephew. At the same time, he is also worried about Ruprecht''s pride. The Helder family, at the same time, just ater in the capital area. It''s not that strong, and Austria-Hungary is still the world of the aristocracy. Ruprecht, this time ys a price war with no other means. It is not how high his ethics, but he simply does not dare to break the rules. When facing the Kohry family, they would not have chosen this time to enter if they did not have the support of the Hungarian flour capitalists behind them. "By the way, Ruprecht ~ what about those Hungarians? Now it''s time for them to give their support!" Jakobus went straight to its core. "I have spoken with them. It''''s not ideal except for what has been agreed before. We were given a loan of two hundred thousand pounds. Besides the flour which can be purchased at an affordable cost, they do not intend to give any help in." Ruprecht said bitterly. Two hundred thousand pounds is indeed a lot of money, but it was a loan, and it was still under a mortgage. They didn''t get the benefits they expected, except that the flour they could buy at an affordable cost. "It was expected, wasn''t it! They are not likely to make a big effort for us. You have to quickly put these terms in ce. If Ferdinandes to react, it is likely that we will not be able to get these, and then it is not so easy to get a loan!" Jakobus gave a serious note. Ruprecht said bitterly, "Okay uncle, I''ll do it right away!" It s obvious that this time, it hit him hard. The power of the old aristocracy is beyond his vision. After Ferdinand had only slightly shown a little goodwill, the flour capitalists backed off. "Ruprecht is in the pit. What are you going to do next, Franz?" Ferdinand asked, looking at Franz in forethought. "Your Highness, why don''t we let them sink deeper before we act! As for now, I''m going to purge the market first, like drop the prices by another 5 points. In less than two months, half of the supermarkets in Vienna will be dead!" said Franz with a wicked smile. Ferdinand also smiles along. Don''t look at the supermarkets in Vienna that are losing money, but the Shuanghui Food Group is making a profit. While the retail price has fallen and sales have increased, the factory price has not changed. Chapter 11: The Beginning of Brutal Competition Chapter 11: The Beginning of Brutal Competition In June, Vienna is so green and full of flowers that it seems like a fairnd on earth - which of course, is never going to happen. Vienna in the 21st century is more like it. After June, the retail business has be highlypetitive. The struggle between the major supermarkets has also spread to the local fish. One by one, every traditional grocery store has been forced to close. It reduced the hustle and bustle of Vienna all of a sudden. The streets were marked with relocation notices, and only a few small stores were still open. There are dozens of small stores doing sales of daily goods facing a choice to switch to other businesses or close. In the capitalist world, one hair will move the whole body. -- Das Kapital In the future, some supermarkets will not be able to survive. The smart capitalists have chosen to adapt. The loss of selling daily goods will sell alternatives, such as changing into a clothes market or the restaurant business, setting up a buffet. With the earlier gain in poprity, one business thrives and convinces more people to join in, and many sales businesses in Vienna are in a mess. The unrest in the market soon spread to the financial markets. A small-scale economic crisis actually broke out in Vienna. It was natural for spectors to show no mercy, and the storm came. Of course, that is something for the future. It will take time for the unrest in the market to ripen, and for now, it is still limited to the retail industry''s struggles. Gottfried is now well-funded. Ruprecht is even more ambitious, and he does not yet know that a falcon has set his sights on him. "Mr. Cameron, how long do you think it will take to end this war?" said Ruprecht with great spirits. "If the current situation is kept up, it is possible that by next month the number of supermarkets in Vienna will be reduced by a third. In six months it will be reduced by half again. By then, everyone will be drained, and those who survive will be the ones with strength. With fewer yers, this price war wille to an end!" Cameron analyzed it. "No, the shareholders will have a bad opinion if we lose money for a long time. Moreover, it has now spread to the department store and will affect our n to go to the stock market!" Ruprecht vetoed the idea. "Then we can only let intensify the price war. We will lose a lot!" Cameron said with a frown. "Then we will just proceed to lower it, and I hope to end the battle within three months. At all costs, take out that bunch of mongrels and make back the money we lost!" Ruprecht said firmly. With a grin, Ruprecht thought of a good n and said, "The retail price of goods in the supermarket now is lower than our current purchase price. You can secretly send people to other supermarkets to buy it." "That is, we can blow the other side and reduce the cost of purchase! Keep in mind to do it in secret. If they find out, it would be a problem if they follow the same model." "Yes sir, as you wish. I''ll lower the price by another ten percent today, maybe I can scare off a few stray fish!" Cameron said with a smile. The retail market was once again in a state of distress. The Volvo got printed with Volvo franchise on most of the items required because of its size. The goods from Volvo had to be repackaged to make sure to avoid the reveal out. After a little attempt, Ruprecht had to give up. Then other supermarkets hit a stroke of big bad luck with heavy losses for a while, but Ferdinand soon discovered that they reduced Gottfried''s purchases in the Shuanghui Food Group. Ferdinand smiled wryly and thought to himself, "Ruprecht is killing himself. He''ll soon learn the hard way about being a target for all of us!" Volvo can do that isrge enough to spread out everywhere, with just a goal for the Gottfried side. If it exposes Ferdinand, he can also afford to leave. It does not look like the strength of those small capitalists is not good. If they all move together, even Ferdinand needs to be afraid for a moment. Ferdinand also did not waste time and simply let out the news that Gottfried''s purchase is reduced. He believes that anyone who is not a fool will know that there is a problem with it. It didn''t take long. The smart capitalists imitate the model and send people directly to the Gottfried supermarkets to buy goods, making Cameron''s work a mess. Those capitalists with backgrounds also used a lot of connections to give Gottfried more trouble. For example, they often cut off power and water at Gottfried''s stores. Of course, there are no less than a few punks to mess up now and then, when the most intense also took a human life. Everyone knows that Gottfried Department Store is losing money. All tacitly agreed to target department stores, of course, without Ferdinand''s secret support. In a half month, Ruprecht had bombs dropped on his home twice. He was ambushed three times on the road, and members of the Helder family were not spared from scrutiny. Gottfried Department Store workers do notck impact. There are not a few who are beaten and asked for a leave of absence. Those who are not granted will simply resign. No doubt they arepetent capitalists. The Helder family looks like it is not the first time they have faced it. They are a little used to it and respond at once. After ramping up security measures and finding connections to pressure the police department on one side, they quickly quieted the chaos. However, their already bad status now became even more infamous. In order to quell this trouble, in just one month, Gottfried paid a high price of two hundred thousand pounds. The supermarket''s loss can only be seen as average, only a mere forty thousand pounds. In addition, the department store now has a big drop in customer numbers and enters a deficit. The biggest expense is naturally public affairs. To find a good connection, of course, it has to throw money! When ites to such a fat sheep, anyone who does note to bite is still called an official of the Austro-Hungarian Empire? Of course, this is not over. While the official steps to quell it, but the struggle is still going on! Gottfried is not only losing money in the supermarkets. Even the department stores also lose money. If there is no ie, who can not afford it! Jakobus was forced to step out and soon secure the department store. He knew this time they had been targeted. Otherwise, if no one had guided them, how could they all have targeted the department store and not touched the supermarket? The veteran Jakobus quickly identified the target. After reviewing it, he said, "Ruprecht, get ready to shut down the supermarket, we lose!" "Why, Uncle? They''re all going crazy because they can''t hold out any longer!" Ruprecht said reluctantly. "The other side has not yet made a push, and we have been badly hurt. I am afraid that if we keep going, the Held family will cease to exist!" Jakobus said with sadness. "Are you saying that the Kohry family has taken a move on us?" Ruprecht asked unsurely. Jakobus shook his head and said, "Not yet, or this one would have killed us! I guess at most it was a move by that Franz guy, and I can''t say what happens next!" It is not that Ferdinand does not want to y. It is mostly about prestige. If he does it now, is not to tell the world that this is what he did? It doesn''t mean, however, that Franz sits back and watches as well. If he fails to strike, it will be fatal. Chapter 12: Capital Feast Chapter 12: Capital Feast Franz spread rumors that prices were going up, leading to the start of the rush to buy. It is because Vienna, which has always had the highest prices in Austria-Hungary, has seen prices lower than other regions for most of the year. Nobody knows that this is not normal. Capitalists are not phnthropists, and this situation cannotst. The citizens of Vienna came to believe that the good times, which had juststed six months, would now soone to an end. Naturally, there was a mad rush. Before dawn, there were long lines of people in front of Vienna supermarkets, creating a wave of the rush to buy. Volvo, who had made nning early, shifted a lot of goods, of course, like the daily supplies that they can store for a long time are not in stock as a matter of course. Most of the prepared goods are some crafts for short-term use, like bread, all kinds of snacks and so on. It was soon being bought out empty, and Volvo''s staff in-service had opened the warehouse. The crowd took a look at it, and there were no more supplies, so they were not the target of the average citizen''s rush, of course. They then left and swam to other supermarkets, and soon many supermarkets were cleared out. Looking at the empty shelves, many capitalists were in tears. Be aware that most supermarkets are buying goods on loan. They are often settled monthly, and it''s normal to owe more than a half year. They are now selling at a loss. The more they sell, the more they lose, but the money they owe is not less at all. If one has the strength to remain in business, then to retain customers, it is okay to spend some money in deficit. If the losses are bad and want to shut down, me them for trying to fall on their sword. Gottfried, who had juste out from troubled times, was hit with another blow to the head. The stockpile of goods was emptied, and there came an awkward situation, there is nothing to sell! The retail business in Vienna has been hit hard, and many capitalists are facing a problem with poor capital flow. The more they sell, the more they lose, and the more they can liquidate, the less they can pay the debts of the factories. Being forced to raise debts, the banks in Vienna would not let go of this capital feast. They took profit from the crisis and jumped at the wrong time. Even in the worst cases of small capitalists facing the danger of bankruptcy, many of them simply ran away with their debts. In those days, there was no ability to chase them across borders anyway. In turn, the problem has been linked to the manufacturers, and many factories have been affected and have gone bankrupt. And the capitalists who survived the disaster are not willing to stop here. It inspired many people to start something like a clothes factory, restaurant business, and machinery factory to make up for the loss. They think that the property is not ready to sell anyway, so they should just survive. Thanks to the prestige built up in front of them, the creator easily made money, but the legacy is that all the retail business has suffered. There was a huge wave of bankruptcy. Many capitalists went bankrupt with one involving the other, the number of jobless people increased day by day. Vienna was in decline, and the economic crisis came. It just started as a chance to feast on the big financial shots, who may not be too good at this kind of thing. They came up with a big piece of meat and then choked on their bite. With arge amount of mortgage in hand, they cannot liquidate in case of a financial crisis. They were watching the devaluation every day. There is no chance to cry. Then the effects spread to the stock market, which began to plummet due to ack of capital in the market, and countless wealth vanished. The financial crisis in Vienna soon spread to the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire. Arge number of businesses went bankrupt, workers lost their jobs, and there was social unrest. Bank deposits also began to drain massively, and finally, a small bank called Boston went bankrupt when its capital chain dried up. Due to the poor handle of the Austrian government, these bank crashes started taking effect, and more banks were caught in the storm. Many banks thatcked capital reserves before have now fallen into the same fate as Boston. At this point, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with the help of a post-event, finally knew it was time for a bailout. On December 8, Austro-Hungarian Finance Minister Murdoch Holman held a press meeting tounch the bailout n. Ferdinand knows that the harvest season is here. The Austro-Hungarian economy is still doing very well, and as long as there is enough money to flow in, this financial crisis will soon end. Ferdinand took profit from the stock market mise, buying much worthy business with cabbage price. He also took a share in koda in the process, became the secondrgest shareholder in one leap. Of course, the current koda is not as great as the future times. It broke out in 1899 and peaked in 1937 when the output of artillery leaped over the entire British Isles. Ferdinand simplyid out in advance. The Gottfried Department Store, which had long been in Ferdinand''s sights, could not escape his grasp. Gottfried Department Store took a heavy loss in the retail sector first, and then the financial crisis struck a fatal blow when the banks made early demands on loans. The loan of two hundred thousand pounds once sent by the Hungarian capitalists ~ now became a death curse for Gottfried instead. Since the infamy has been on the public side, the goods bought by Gottfried Department Store were requested to be paid in cash, which took up a lot of money. And now the bank called the payment in advance. The capital chain is broken. Gottfried Department Store is simply unable to recover. After some time, the Helder family decided to give up in the end. After all, they are the trigger that caused this financial crisis. Most of the time, they will put the me on their heads, and it is not so easy to be the scapegoat. By selling thepany now, the family can still make a profit. The key is that Ferdinand can give cash, and they can take it to rescue other businesses. With a cash payment of fifty thousand pounds and the taking on all debts, Ferdinand easily bought out Gottfried Department Store ~ a giantpany valued at eight hundred thousand pounds. This chance was only possible during the financial crisis when arge number ofpanies went bankrupt. With everyone busy with mergers and reforms, there is nobody to challenge Ferdinand. Ten years of hard work is not as good as one day''s breakout. This time is a good example of this quote. Ferdinand earned a lot of money. This harvest alone is enough for the Kohry family to spend ten years of their lives. The economic crisis is still a little out of Ferdinand''s expectations. The power of the butterfly effect is beyond his mind. With the rise of the butterfly effect, the power of foresight will be lower on the scale. It seems that Ferdinand is freaking out a bit, and he has to prepare a few more backups. There is no need to consider the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Although it is the main home of the Kohry family, it is sadly not bound to thrive in the future. There is no need to consider any of the allies. Ferdinand was not yet sure that he could change the oue of the Great War by relying on himself alone. It seems that it would be a good choice to look beyond Europe and go to the colonies to thrive. After all, many ces are now freend and have no real business rivals. He probably still recalls several famous mineral deposits in the world, and then he can also be a mining tycoon. "It seems that time is short and the London trip is gonna be early," Ferdinand thought grimly. Chapter 13: London Trip Chapter 13: London Trip This financial crisis in Austria-Hungary came and went quickly. When the government put enough money into the market, the market soon started to recover. Ferdinand, who had eaten and drunk his fill at the capital feast, now set off on a trip to London. It''s time to get out of the spotlight. Ferdinand has made a name for himself in Austria-Hungary in the past two years. He has just made a fortune in the capital feast. It''s too obvious. It''s not Ferdinand''s style. It is good to take this chance to go out for a walk and settle the matter of the gold mine, by the way. After Ferdinand was reborn, he sent people out to buynd in the first ce. He took many famous minerals found in the future into his arms. Many ces are in poor condition. There is no mining value, which upies and disregards. However, the several open-pit gold mines can not also leave it! Who knows if someone will find out in advance and take the gold mine inside out. Tens of millions of pounds of revenue are enough to drive someone crazy. Ferdinand, who is not strong enough, is ready to find a strong partner. He must also ensure his own interests, hence the trip to London. Queen Victoria with her full name: Alexandrina Victoria (May 24, 1819 - January 22, 1901). She is the daughter of Prince Edward (Duke of Kent and Strathearn). She seeded to the throne at the age of 18 and was regarded as a national symbol. Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years and 7 months. This reign was longer than any other British monarch and longer than any other female monarch in history. It is known as the Victorian era. It was a time when Britain enjoyed great industrial, cultural, political, scientific, and military sess. Queen Victoria was thest monarch of the Hanoverian dynasty. Her son and heir to the throne, Edward VII, belonged to the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty. The Victorian era is the most glorious period of Britain. It was the center of world trade at this time. The British proudly said: ''The ins of North America and Russia are our cornfields; Chicago and Odessa are our granaries. Canada and the Baltic Sea are our woonds. Australia and West Asia have our sheep pastures; Argentina and the western grasnds of North America have our cattle. Peru brings its silver; South African and Australian gold flows to London. The Indians and Chinese grow tea for us, and our coffee, sugar cane, and spice nts are spread throughout the Indies. Spain and France are our vineyards; the Mediterranean is our orchards. The United States is our cotton fields.'' Ferdinand, who arrived in London at the beginning of December, from Vienna, already almost after Christmas, had just disembarked when he met his good friend and cousin, Albert Edward von Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Edward VII, who hade to meet him. The two of them can be friends, mainly because they have shared habits and live an unruly life. Both are deviants among the aristocracy. Edward weed Ferdinand''s arrival and didn''t rule out that it would help him share some of the me. After all, the feeling of two people being punished is not the same as one being punished. If not, it would not be needed for a Crown Prince to greet Ferdinand personally. "Ferdinand, my friend, what took you so long toe?" Edward shouted at Ferdinand. "Damn, it''s not like you don''t know how far it is! The wind and waves at sea are just too hateful!" said Ferdinand with a grumble. ... It was Ferdinand''s main strength to have a good chat and talk about things. The two men naturally had a good talk. He first had to visit Queen Victoria ording to protocol. Buckingham Pce, well, despite its high poprity in the future world, but Ferdinand did not think there was anything great. He may have been already immersed in the world. In his mind, it was simr to a normal pce. To the paintings and art along the way to his eyes. Here will be gathered around the world''s antique relics, like a work of art furniture, so Ferdinand amazed. Edward seemed happy with Ferdinand''s behavior, opened his mouth, and said, "If you like it, I can consider giving you some. However, now we have to go and pay our respects to my mother." It pulled Ferdinand back to reality andughed awkwardly. It was a bit shameful how he behaved just now. "Ferdinand, it''s a pleasure to wee you here as a guest!" Victoria said kindly. But for Ferdinand, it was no less than a day in life. Victoria''s aura is too powerful. He now has some pity for Edward. With such a strong mother, he thought it would be a hard time. ... Victoria, who is very old and has limited energy, soon let Ferdinand go and spent the night at the usual wee party. The next day, Ferdinand and Edward let loose and began to explore London. "Ferdinand, I heard that you have made a lot of money in the past two years?" Edward said with envy. "Not too much. It''s just a few million pounds, which is a small amount for the royal family!" Ferdinand said ndly. Edward''s envy is still a bit strange. It''s not easy to get money when you are the heir of the world''s ruler. If anyone wants to do something, it''s a good source of money. "Sure, a few million pounds is nothing to the royal family! But to me it''s enormous!" Edward said with a grudge. Thinking back, it seems that the one in front of him is not having a good time. He and Victoria are in a bad state of rtions. Although he is the Crown Prince, he is not allowed to join in political affairs, and his expenses are restricted to death. He also likes cruises and horse racing and often throws a lot of money. It''s normal to have trouble with finances. "God, are you kidding me! The Crown Prince of the British Empire will actually have no money. Don''t tell me that with the hundreds of millions of pounds of assets of the royal family, you will have no money?" Ferdinand said in pretend hyperbole. In fact, he was happy in his heart. Since you are short of money, it is good to do. At once, the n changed, and Edward''s cooperation seems to be the same. That bunch of officials in the colony who are not brain-dead, no one should dare to make things difficult for the Crown Prince''s assets! No matter how it looks, Edward is also more foolish than Victoria. The price to pay is much less, and the gold mine sent to the door. How can you possibly give it up! "Financial rules, no more than ten thousand pounds per month! You know my expenses are high. How can this amount be enough?" Edward said with a grumble. "Wouldn''t you invest?" Ferdinand asked fitfully. "Why not? But with this little capital I have, I can''t get much of a share in it!" Edward said with a growl. "Yes, I have found a gold mine. Are you interested again?" Ferdinand said with a smile. "Supermarkets? I''ve opened a few of those, but the profits aren''t great?" Edward said bluntly. Ferdinand cursed a lot. You have to pirate my ideas, but also in front of me, who is the master toin about the profit is not high. "Of course not, I''m talking about a gold mine. And an open-pit one at that! Do you understand me? Edward!" Ferdinand growled. "Oh my God, I''m not kidding! If you have a gold mine you won''t go dig it yourself. Why do youe to me?" Edward said in surprise. "Damn, don''t you know it takes a lot of manpower to dig the mines? You have to know how high the wages of European workers are now? Of course I don''t want to pay you for your work!" Ferdinand exined with a growl. "What! You''re not even going to pay for the work! You dirty capitalist! I''m not going to let you get away with this! I''m going to disown you!" Edward said angrily. Ferdinand said with a sneer, "Come on, don''t give me a fake. There are no outsiders here, no need to act! This is the first time I''ve heard that the Crown Prince of Ennd cares about the lives of the natives! So..." "Wait a minute, I told you so my friend. It''s not just about ves, how much do I need to pay for them?" Edward was like a different person. Then the two began to bargain it. In the end, the two reached an agreement and jointly set up United Mining Co., Ltd. As the gold mine owner, Ferdinand contributed 300,000 pounds, taking 60% of the shares. Edward, who did not pay a penny, was in charge of solving the workers'' problems, giving protection to thepany, and solving all foreign troubles, taking 40% of the shares. The first target given by Ferdinand was the Coolgardie mines. Coolgardie: The Coolgardie Gold Mine is one of the tworgest gold-producing areas across Australia. The Coolgardie Gold Mine is located about 40 kilometers west of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The discovery of 554 ounces of gold in 1892 triggered thest wave of the gold rush worldwide. Nearly 16,000 people flooded into Coolgardie at the time, making it almost the thirdrgest city in Australia. The mine has a reserve of around 1.2 million tonnes grading 1.7 g/t and contains up to 69,000 ounces of gold. During the first 28 months of mine life, 65,000 ounces of gold can be reimed from three shallow ore bodies. Chapter 14: Bulgaria Coup détat Chapter 14: Bulgaria Coup d''¨¦tat The trip to London went better than Ferdinand expected. He not only created a gold mine but also deepened his rtionship with the British royal family. It will be of great help in the future. Edward, who was in a financial crisis, was much keener on gold than Ferdinand. The two men formed a miningpany as quickly as possible. When Edward was excited, he nned to go to Australia himself, but Ferdinand stopped him. 19th century Australia was not a good ce to go. It was a remote ce, a brutal ce, and Ferdinand valued his life. It was only in June of the next year, the first batch of Australian gold arrived in London. Ferdinand could drop his worries. The first batch of gold was small, only a mere eight hundred kilograms. It was worth only a hundred thousand pounds, but Ferdinand and Edward were happy. A pile of gold gives a much stronger impact than a check. Even Victoria attended the celebration of the two men. In the 19th century, when the gold standard was in force, the weight of gold was much greater thanter. He was able to earn hundreds of thousands of pounds a year. It was no surprise that the miningpany was on the right track. Ferdinand was able to return to Vienna. Unlike when he first arrived, Ferdinandnded in France on his return trip. He took the ovend route instead, touring the country and visiting ces of interest along the way. In France, he has made his mark on the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, and the Panthon. In Germany, Ferdinand has been seen at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the Neuschwanstein Castle, Lake Constance, Cologne Cathedral, and the Danube River. It was not until the end of 1885 that Ferdinand made his way back to Vienna. Along the way, Ferdinand gained many benefits from seeing three of the most powerful nations of his time: Ennd, France, and Germany. From cultural, historical, and geographical aspects to industrial development, he gained a clear picture of them all. Now the three countries are thriving. However, Ferdinand clearly felt that France is falling behind. Arge amount of capital has converged on the financial market. The investment in the industry has been greatly reduced. The opposite was true in Germany. Probably due to the influence of German customs. The capitalists were not interested in virtual finance, but they focused on a much stronger industry. After exploring the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Ferdinand found that this rotten empire, which was still running in good health, did not show any signs of copse. The economy is growing rapidly. Although it is no match for Britain, France, and Germany, the growth potential is not much worse. The internal tensions are now kept to a minimum. The most vocal Hungary is now only fighting for power and has no hint of independence. Look at the current British Empire. No one could have imagined that it would fall into decline and be a second-rate country after just a few decades. Of course, it was none of Ferdinand''s business. He was now concerned about the coup in Bulgaria. The Russian government had be ever more upset: Alexander Battenberg''s anti-Russian bias and a coup were in the works. Battenberg, who had always been a man of great antipathy and hatred of Russia, cleverly concealed his hatred of Russia not to provoke Russian resentment. But he never concealed his opposition views and openly sided with the Conservatives from the very start. He organized a Conservative government, knowing that the Liberals dominated the parliament. The Conservative Party came to power and tantly trampled on the constitution from the start. The Liberals, through public opinion, held protests, and the struggle between the two parties was fierce. Then for the next few years, it was a tussle between the Knyaz and the Liberals. The Russian presence made a mess of the country. When the political crisis deepened in 1886, the Russians intended to depose Battenberg and rece him with a pro-Russian. However, Western powers such as Britain and Austria-Hungary chose to support Battenberg to weaken Russia''s influence in the Balkans. The emerging Bulgarian capitalists were also divided into pro-Russian and anti-Russian factions, which were at each others'' throats. The pro-Russian faction turned to Russia for help. On August 21, 1886, a part of Bulgarian officers who relied on Russian support deposed Knyaz Alexander. The move led to national unrest in Bulgaria. Some military and political figuresunched a counter-coup and urged Knyaz Alexander to return. On September 7, Knyaz Alexander was forced to abandon his throne and leave the country. A sharp political crisis broke out. The Great Powers fought again for the candidacy of the Knyaz of Bulgaria. The Russian side took the stand that the National Assembly would be convened. The Knyaz of Bulgaria would be elected as long as the power was in the hands of the pro-Russians. However, because the Russians were too brutal in their methods, they caused resentment among Bulgarians. Despite the disapproval of the Russians, Stambolov forced a national assembly to elect Prince Valdemar of Denmark as Knyaz of Bulgaria. However, under pressure from the Tsar, Prince Valdemar refused to take the throne. The conflict continued to intensify to the point that Russia broke off diplomatic rtions with Bulgaria for a time. As the two factions in the country could not reach apromise, the pro-Russian factionunched an uprising in February 1887. However, they quickly suppressed it, and the leader was sentenced to death. In order to put an end to this crisis, the Bulgarian government, with the support of Austria-Hungary and without the consent of Russia, convened the National Assembly to elect the Knyaz of Bulgaria. In order to gain more support, Austria-Hungary nominated Ferdinand. Ferdinand was elected as the sessor of Knyaz by the Bulgarian National Assembly on June 25, 1887. The Russian government protested against this. They demanded that the Turkish government reject Ferdinand''s ession to office per the Treaty of Berlin. However, under the pressure of the Western powers, Turkey refused Russia''s demand and supported Ferdinand''s session. Right now, the coup in Bulgaria is still in the process, and Ferdinand did not interfere. He was afraid that it would cause a butterfly effect. After all, Bulgaria in history has run all over Europe in search of Knyaz. There is a long list of candidates. Although in the end, they chose Ferdinand for no other reason than to obtain the support of the Western powers. It does not mean that there is no one else to rece him. Ferdinand waited anxiously while strengthening the intelligence work. Historically, his own new arrival in Bulgaria was not a good day. The power was in the hands of the Liberals. As time passed, the coup d''tat started as scheduled in the summer of 1886. Battenberg was forced to abdicate and was then deported. The ensuing brawl around Bulgaria left Ferdinand dumbfounded. Russia, which had the upper hand, gradually lost it in a series of missteps. The Bulgarian crisis worsened in 1887. After obtaining Ferdinand''s consent, in February, Stambolov held a forced National Assembly and formally elected Ferdinand as Knyaz of Bulgaria. Chapter 15: Enthronement Chapter 15: Enthronement It was a memorable day on July 12, 1887, when Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria was crowned as Knyaz of Bulgaria at the Vrana Pce. The ceremony was much more prestigious than in history, thanks to Ferdinand''s efforts. At least, the guests who attended had much more influence. Crown Prince Edward of the British Empire, Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary, and the King of Greece showed the support of the Great Powers bying to the event in person. It achieved Ferdinand''s aim. He was able to deter the Bulgarian factions with the help of external power. He was able toy the basis forter reforms. Bulgaria has excellent natural terrain, with mountains, hills and ins,kes and rivers. The main rivers are the Danube and the Maritsa. It is alsock of abundant natural resources, with its major reserves such as coal, lead, zinc, copper, iron, uranium, manganese, chromium, mineral salts and a small amount of oil. "In general, it is suitable for the beginning of the new period. It has been ruled by the Ottomans for a long time and just gained independence. There are no big aristocrats and big capitalists in the country. The initial start of progress is very good, but there is not much potential!" While Ferdinand had long been prepared, he still could not help but review. "Stambolov, any good suggestions you have about personnel appointments and dismissals?" Ferdinand asked calmly. Stambolov was a Bulgarian politician and strong prime minister (1887-1894). He was regarded as the Bismarck of Bulgaria. In 1870 - 1872 he studied at the seminary in Odessa. In his early years, he joined the revolt against Turkish rule in Bulgaria as part of the underground revolt movement. In 1875 and 1876, he led small-scale uprisings against the Turks. When Bulgaria gained autonomy in 1878, he was elected to the newly formed parliament and became its speaker in 1884. After the abdication of Knyaz Alexander I in 1886, he crushed the Russian influence and instated Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha as Knyaz of Bulgaria. After the new Knyaz''s enthronement, he formed a cab that continued to oppose Russia during his reign. He established good rtions with Turkey and expanded the Bulgarian influence in Macedonia. He used terror to deal with the rising plots and mutinies against the regime. When Knyaz Ferdinand I regained sovereign power, he made Stambolov resign as prime minister (May 31, 1894). Ferdinand has no ns to change now. He has only just ascended the throne. The most important thing now is to stabilize the situation, and there is no proper one. "Your Highness, after careful consideration, I would like to submit a list of the members of the cab as well as the main government officials for your approval." said Stambolov as he handed over the document. "Well, it is done! Let them take office as soon as possible! There will be a cab meeting next week. You will have toe up with a policy proposal. You can leave now, I need to rest." Ferdinand gave his dismissal order with resentment. "So you want to be a powerful minister now? You''re too desperate! At least you have to make things better by offering a few more candidates! It is not a good idea to have all of them set. They treat me like a rubber stamp!" Ferdinand secretly thought. ... "Bulgaria still has the advantage of growth. First: there is no strong investor, the industrial base is rtively poor. It is possible to fully monopolize the business. There is almost no trouble on the part of the government. Second: They are very rich. There is no such thing as a technology barrier now. I can get the technology I want!" "The government should let them go to develop agriculture intensely! What kind of industry do you y? You''re still waiting for a loan to pay your sry! By the way, we also need to develop education. However, it is better to simply use literacy sses now. Encourage patriotic youth to spread cultural literacy in the same spirit. It is good to give out some rewards, and save a..." Ferdinand is busy with nning. "Your Highness, the cab ministers have arrived. They are waiting in the main hall now. Is it time to start the meeting?" The chambein reminded him. "Yes, I''ll be right there." ... "Excuse me, Mr. Stambolov," Ferdinand spoke up. "Yes, Your Highness, please speak!" Stambolov said with some grumbling. "Mr. Stambolov, how was this n made? How much poption does Bulgaria have now? And how much of it is in agriculture and how much in industry? What is the situation with regard to education? What is the situation with regard to the resources avable in the country?" Ferdinand nonchntly exposed the problems in it. He gave Stambolov a hard time and vetoed the vague n. "This ~~ Your Highness, Bulgaria now has a poption of 3,104,500 people. Most of them are farmers. The education status and the resources avable in the country have not been taken into ount. Well, I admit that this n was made in a bit of a hurry." Stambolov said after a short time. "It seems that there are few historical figures who have understood so quickly," Ferdinand thought to himself. He did say: "Mr. Prime Minister, we are obliged to the Bulgarian people. We must understand the reality of the country''s affairs before drawing up a program of policy." "On the matter of personnel sries, I approve! The rest of them, you have to go back and redo them. The big industrial n, hell, I''ve never even heard of any industry in Bulgaria. Be specific about it, do you understand?" "In terms of demographics, I suggest you focus on agriculture first. We have to consider the interests of the majority! There is also education reform. The focus should be in the direction of science subjects. You may also establish literacy sses first. For industrial development, first figure out theyout of resources, and make ns ording to local conditions. I don''t want to see anything like this big industrial machine n again!" "Sorry, Your Highness, we''ll go right back and redo it!" Stambolov said with his head bowed. Stambolov, on the other hand, was beaten over the head by Ferdinand. His carefully prepared n was said to be worthless. He had no way to refute it. In Ferdinand''s view, the current Bulgarian government is simr to the Tongmenghui1) during the Xinhai Revolution. A group of idealists who boast about what they can do. They arepletely naive in terms of specific policies and strategies. "Suit yourselves, gentlemen. For the sake of Bulgaria''s future, you''vee a long way!" After seeing that the cab headed by Stambolov had bowed its head, Ferdinand certainly knew that it was enough to see things through. "For Bulgaria!" A few people who had slumped a moment ago got into high spirits at once. "Struggle for Bulgaria!" ... "Well, not bad. The young patriots are just good at fooling around!" As he looked at this group of cab members with an average age of no more than thirty-five, Ferdinand said in his heart dirt quiet. The Stambolov government was regarded inter times as a regime of police terror. They gained the support of a part of the emerging capitalist and fully sided with the capitalist. They strongly promoted factories and trade. The peasants and workers, who made up the vast majority, were excluded. The ruling power base was weak. Most of the clergy and some intellectuals, and the petty capitalist, fought against the radical anti-Russian policy of the government. Trantor: 1) Tongmenghui, also known as the Chinese United League. It was a republican secret society that existed in Qing Dynasty-era China from August 20, 1905, to August 25, 1912. The Tongmenghui recruited the people of China for a revolution. In 1911, the Tongmenghui returned to China from Japan. They were moving their headquarters to Shanghai andunching the Xinhai Revolution against the government. The predecessor of the Kuomintang. Chapter 16: Planned Economy Chapter 16: nned Economy After dismissing the cab, Ferdinand called out to the door, "Butler Karl, inform our men toe to the meeting." "Yes, Your Highness!" Karl, the old butler, returned in a loud voice. After half an hour, Ferdinand summoned the crowd and said, "Gentlemen, please sit down. All of you havee to Bulgaria with me from Austria-Hungary. Everyone is basically clear about the situation now." "Bulgaria is only a small country. It''s not easy to grow and develop like one. For now I need everyone''s help." After Ferdinand finished his sentence, he nced down. "Your Highness, it is our honor to serve you!" Franz and the others said in unison. Ferdinand was pleased with the crowd''s reaction and said with a smile, "Well, without further ado, let''s expand our industry first. Although the market in Bulgaria is still small, but there is also little interference!" "But Your Highness, with the terrible ess conditions in Bulgaria, it is difficult for our products to bepetitive in the international arena!" Wilhelm said in a depressed voice. "Oh, Mr. Wilhelm, I know it''s difficult, but isn''t there you guys! You can look at the Balkan market. There is a good choice of domestic, Greece and Serbia, as well as Turkey!" Ferdinand proposed, knowing Wilhelm''s worries. "Well, Your Highness, then I understand. If that''s all, it shouldn''t be a big problem. But they''re all poor, and the profits won''t be too high!" Wilhelm warned. "Sure, I know this. For the international market, isn''t there still a factory in Austria-Hungary! Your focus at the moment is still over there. The mainpetitors for flour mills over here are family mills and logistics!" Ferdinand said with some depression. After saying that, Ferdinand looked at the others and said, "You won''t have a problem, will you!" Looking at the silent crowd, Ferdinand said glumly, "It seems that the road must still be built first! I will get the cab to make a railroad n and issue public bonds as soon as possible." ... Despite having long been prepared, Ferdinand was still depressed. It was still a headache for him as to where Bulgaria''s future should go. In his mind, he calcted, "How does the high-end route go? Internalbustion engines, cars, aircraft, tanks and other things are still quite far away. These things are not something Bulgaria can figure out." "Even if ites out, it can still be sold inside. When it goes out, it will be beaten up by other local businesses. The industrial foundation is too poor!" "Now it is better to slowly raise the farm. The industrial base that really can not be helped, need to slowly made up and require state support." "It''s better to convince the group of centrist cab first. Forget it, it''s better to use big data directly because young people have little patience. They can make a five-year n and adopt a nned economy that suits their appetite. There are no capitalists in Bulgaria whoe out against it now." The spring breeze blew through the Sofia Pce in 1887. The grass, which had been sleeping all winter, had awakened and stubbornly stuck its head out of the ground. Although only a little green was visible, it was full of life. After a five-month survey, the cab concluded that Bulgaria was poor in natural resources. The previously submitted industrial ns had long since been thrown into the Mediterranean. "All right, everyone, cheer up! Theck of natural resources is not without ways to make up for it." Ferdinand reassured them. "Your Highness, are you nning to start a war?" With his eyes shining, Stambolov asked him. Ferdinand secretly thought: "The Bulgarians are worthy of being the Prussians of the Balkans. They are really warlike, just look at this cab. No wonder in history, with a poption of more than four million, they mobilized more than one million two hundred thousand troops!" He rolled his eyes and said, "No, right now we don''t have the strength to start a war! Although Bulgariacks mineral resources, it is still strategically located; the government is backed by the citizens. I intend to introduce a nned economy to reduce needless resource losses." "nned economy," said everyone, who was concerned and turned their attention to it. "Yes, nned economy. Maybe you don''t understand it very well. Let me make it simple." "Let''s take an example, such as the railroad. The n is to build a thousand kilometers of railroads in five years to improve ess to Bulgaria. There is not enough capital from the private sector, so the government will issue public bonds to build them." "A thousand kilometers of railroad, built in Bulgaria in five years?" Minister of Transport Klinton asked, not daring to believe. "That''s right," said Ferdinand with a smile. "Then I support it," said Klinton, taking a direct stand. "This is just one of them. All major Bulgarian industries are involved." Ferdinand said confidently. When he saw the crowd''s reaction, he knew the result. "Okay, keep it quiet. We''ll discuss it when I''m done!" Ferdinand waved a hand to signal something. "This is my personal vision, you can read it." said Ferdinand, who handed a copy of the Bulgarian Five-Year n to the crowd. Article 1, Focus on the agricultural sector: Invite agricultural experts and promote advanced agricultural production methods. Increase the total production of agricultural products by 30 percent within five years, and improve farmers'' ie. Article 2, The railroad n: Construct 1,000 kilometers of railroads throughout the country in five years to improve ess conditions. The government issuing railroad bonds will meet the funds required. Article 3, Military: 1. Establish a primary arsenal and localize the equipment of light weapons within five years. 2. Complete the restructuring of the national army within five years and implement a reserve system and mandatory military service. 3. Establish a national defense university. Article 4, Industry: To encourage the development of heavy industries, and to consider theck of resources in Bulgaria, and to support key industries such as iron and steel nts, machine chain factories, and military enterprises, are exempted from taxes. In equal conditions, priority is given to the use of domestic. Article 5, Education: 1. Establish literacy sses in factories and rural areas, encourage young schrs to give sses to the people during holidays, with the content focused on the generalw, and reduce the illiteracy rate to less than 15 percent within five years. 2. Establish a public university; given that this is a special period, we will open only science and technology at the time of registration. 3. Build three new pedagogical institutes to train teachers toy the foundation for future mandatory education. "The five articles above are the core of this five-year n, which can also be called the Top Five n. If you have any ideas to add, you can also raise your opinions." Ferdinand said with a confident face. "Your Highness, can I have it done? This is clearly against thews of the market!" Mihail, the Minister of Economy, asked uneasily. "Of course you can! Ignore that bullshit about thews of the market! It''s just rhetoric created by those who take money from capitalists, and it''s all used to fool people! Be brave, you''re all Bulgarian elites. You can definitely finish, maybe even exceed!" Ferdinand said encouragingly. "Your Highness, how will the funds be settled? With Bulgaria''s revenues, I''m afraid it will be difficult toplete?" asked Prime Minister Stambolov. "The main expense is the railroad program. You can issue railroad bonds, and set the interest rate higher to attract private capital. If not, you can also go abroad to sell. In the future, the ie from the operation of the railroad will be used to pay off the debt, at most the government will make up a little." "Like the arsenal, I can invest in it so the government saves another expense." "The funding gap for thetter is not much anymore. With Bulgaria''s revenues, it should be barelypleted, at most in issuing some education bonds. What else is the problem?" said Ferdinand crisply. "Your Highness, why is there no goal for steel and coal? These are the things that are needed for the country to be powerful and be essential!" Mihail asked in confusion. "Very simple, Bulgaria''s coal reserves are too small. We can''t defy thews of nature to change out! And iron ore are in the Balkan Mountains. Before the railroad is built, all the raw materials for the building of steel nts have to be imported. It is better to import steel directly!" Ferdinand exined. "If you have no questions, that is our decision. We will leave the details to you to perfect and then submit it to the National Assembly for approval!" Seeing that the crowd did not say anything more, Ferdinand announced the decision. Chapter 17: Five-Year Plan Chapter 17: Five-Year n To Ferdinand''s surprise, Stambolov''s cab was much better than expected. Ferdinand was already prepared for his own Five-Year n to be rejected and for the cab to make a new one. There is no thought that this group of liberals are so politically naive that they gave away the control with their hands. Once this n is passed by the National Assembly again, then the one in charge is Ferdinand. It is logical that he will be able to get some of the power from the Liberal Party. If it seeds, Ferdinand''s position will be solid, and if it fails, he can let the cab take the me. If he leads people to question the cab''s ability to govern, he can escape in one piece. The methods are cheap but effective. After a few years living in the aristocracy, the former loser has now transformed into a politician. However, the tactics are still a bit childish. After being busy for most of the month, Stambolov''s cab finally refined the five-year n. In order to satisfy the interests of all parties, there are bing many articles covering all aspects of Bulgaria. By the time it reached Ferdinand, there were already more than 300 articles, bothrge and small. This n is still good, to be frank, but the biggest problem is that it is too extreme. In Ferdinand''s view, this is aplete leap of faith. It is possible in theory toplete, but the government has too much to do! It is amon problem of idealism, always wanting to do everything at once. Ferdinand did not raise his voice against it. If they reallypleted this n, Bulgaria would be the hegemon of the Balkans. Now it is better not toe out and pour cold water. From the change in Stambolov''s attitude, he should have now understood his ns. However, they are forced by the situation in Bulgaria, unable toe out against it. On January 5, 1888, the day that future historians will call the "Day of Bulgarian Revival". Stambolov''s cab submitted the world-shaking Five-Year n to the National Assembly, whichid the foundation for the rise of Bulgaria. The National Assembly, dominated by the Liberals, voted to pass the draft without any problems. Ferdinand also signed the bill on the spot, dering it in force. The Bulgarian "Five-Year n" started with a great impact. The articles were too many but just perfect for Ferdinand to seize power. Ferdinand, whose moral integrity was shattered, immediately convened a cab meeting. Looking at the joyful cab members, Ferdinand naturally smiled and asked, "Prime Minister, now that the n has been made. Where do you n to start next?" Stambolov was instantly baffled. He was so focused on making a n, but there was no way to execute it. It is important to know that Ferdinand only mentioned five articles. If everyone works hard, it can still be done! Now the additional perfect size of more than 300 articles, how to aplish? How many people are needed? Where do we start? It''s all a problem! But as the prime minister, Stambolov cannot y dumb and say that he has not thought of anything, right? Everyone is watching. If he can''te up with a viable proposal, it will be too damaging to the prestige. Stambolov knows that the trouble is big. He is not withoutpetitors. If he cannot show a certain ability, it means that these cab members will also have ideas about the prime minister''s seat! After a moment of silence, Stambolov said stiffly, "Your Highness, please believe that our cab will certainlye up with a way to satisfy people!" "Yes, of course I believe in the ability of the cab. But this is a critical time for Bulgaria''s future and the nation is watching us. I hope you cane up with a workable n within three days!" Ferdinand said with false hope. Stambolov knew he had been tricked. He also didn''t know how he had gotten out of the pce, so he returned home in a daze. What happened today has upset everyone. Like most Liberals, theck of vision is amon problem among revolutionaries all over the world! He called his staff to discuss it, and everyone agreed that the king had tricked him. But this n waspleted by Stambolov with the cab members. Ferdinand only mentioned a mere five articles, and they made more than 300 articles by themselves. Who would not believe it if they said it out loud! "So what should I do now? I have to do something about this matter. I can''t answer for it otherwise?" Stambolov said with a headache. "Your Excellency, this n has been passed, and the opposition parties are praising us! It''s impossible to give up. We have to finish at least most of it to be able justify it!" said Kobylov - Stambolov''s most trusted advisor. "Well, you''re right. It''s not just about me anymore, no one can get away without getting results for the whole cab. The Liberals can''t get away with it!" Stambolov grasped Kobylov''s meaning. He was pulling people into trouble. If he seeded, everyone would be happy, and if he failed, no one would get away. Disregard the cab''s thoughts, Ferdinand knew that this matter tricky to say, challenging, and easy to say simply. It''s just a program. Whether or not, it is impossible toplete all the tasks. As long as the main five arepleted, Ferdinand will be satisfied! If the cab can make an outburst and all done, he will only be happier. He will get less merit anyway. After three days, as Ferdinand expected, Stambolov''s cab really came up with a n. Although in Ferdinand''s opinion, it was full of loopholes! Ferdinand still nodded in satisfaction and said, "Good! But with so much going on, can you guys handle it all? Why not split it up? Wouldn''t it be better if each one of the ministries was responsible for some, and the cab was responsible for arranging and coordinating?" Seeing the crowd brighten up, Stambolov looked dark. It is a wed figure, and the point is that it also makes it impossible to refute. Yes, Ferdinand''s ultimate goal is to split the power. It will be a problem to take it back as soon as the power is in the party. It strengthened the ministries, and it weakened the cab. It was mainly aimed at Prime Minister Stambolov, whose cab members mostly also served as ministers, with a slight loss of power. Ferdinand could not tolerate the existence of a powerful minister. If Stambolov had indeed been a genius, then he would have epted it. It is a pity that history has already told him that Stambolov did not have the ability as an Iron Chancellor1). In addition to Prime Minister Stambolov, the Bulgarian cab also has Economic Minister Mihail, Industry Minister Wilson, Defense Minister Sava, and Interior Minister Ionas. That makes a total of five people. The cab would have been a lot of things. It is simply impossible to manage hundreds of projects. The most efficient way is to delegate power. Stambolov and a few others looked at each other. He then knew that the four had agreed, and he could no longer refuse. But Stambolov still had to make a stand and said, "Your Highness has a point. It is necessary to divide the tasks, and several of us have to divide the work. Each of us is responsible for a part of it." After saying that, Stambolov''s face paled. After today, the cab will not be one of his words. Everyone else''s position will gradually move closer to him. Trantor: 1) It refers to Bismarck''s nickname, of course what author means is his ability. Chapter 18: Education Chapter 18: Education The cab meeting ended well, and Ferdinand was satisfied with the split of power. He got to monitor the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Education. Compared to other sectors, the cab did not pay enough attention to agriculture. The ns that were made rarely involved the development of agriculture. It gave Ferdinand the excuse to take full advantage of it. The Ministry of Education is even simpler. The Bulgarian treasury has no money. The most severe attacks on the government now and the opposition are the education sector. The sry of teachers has been suspended for several months. Since Ferdinand is willing to take over this role, they naturally do not mind throwing away a mess. Anyway, funds for education are still in debt. Ferdinand took two hot potatoes, but his heart was happy. Bulgaria is an agricultural country with poor mineral resources. The easiest thing to do in the short term is agriculture. Compared to China''s use ofnd, Bulgaria is too far from European countries. If the area of arablend is in East Bulgaria, it could be erged twice. Of course, Ferdinand did not intend to do that. It is entirely unnecessary. An areaparable to Jiangsu province, it now has just over three million people. It is less than one-tenth of the poption of Jiangsu during the same period. Ferdinand nned to build an irrigation system greatly, promote modern agricultural technology, and increase grain production, which would be enough. (The agricultural development in the Balkans was poor, and the yield of grain per acre in the same period was less than two-thirds of that in Western Europe.) As long as he did this well and obtained the support of the peasant ss, which made up nine-fold of the total poption, he would be standing firm. For this reason, Ferdinand would not hesitate to invest hundreds of thousands of pounds. As for the education sector, that''s even better. History tells Ferdinand that if you control the schools, you control public opinion. By controlling the country''s next-generation, you control the future of that country. It was urgent to found a university. The first Bulgarian university in history - Sofia University - was established in 1888. The same university gave birth to the first socialist-scientific society in Bulgaria, whichid the foundation for setting off the proletarian revolution. Ferdinand''s efficiency was enough to make the cab sweat. He knew that the treasury had no money, nor did he go to the Stambolov cab. On January 10, 1888, just after the cab had settled on the split of power, Ferdinand, in his capacity as Knyaz of Bulgaria, issued a second decree "An Education Bond Roll of 5 million Leva" (Remark: 1 Leva = 1 franc = 0.2903225 grams of gold) The country was shocked to know that Bulgaria''s revenue in 1887 was less than 40 million Leva due to the civil war. This move was quickly supported by the educated and enlightened capitalist. Even though the interest rate was only slightly higher than bank deposits and the term was as long as ten years, everyone gave their money generously, and half of them were sold out in just one month. The shrewd Ferdinand, of course, knew to maximize the benefits. He not only bought a high-profile purchase of 300,000 Leva, but he also publicly invited the media to monitor the use of this fee. He gained a lot of prestige over time. Anyway, he does not intend to withhold education funds. If the media monitors the situation more strictly, the bad luck is only for the people who are at the bottom. If he could catch a few assholes, he wouldn''t mind. He gained the money to pay the teachers'' sries, which is owed for the past years. Then he allocated the funds for the construction of the first Bulgarian university - The University of Bulgaria. The rest of the money is still untouched. The cab tried to make a move several times, but Ferdinand''s phrase of special funding stopped it. Being poor, Stambolov also followed Ferdinand''s example and issued debt papers. But his appetite is not as small as Ferdinand, and the Five Year n requires funding that could be astronomical for the government. The first issue was a 50 million Leva railroad bond, followed by a 30 million Leva industrial bond. Bulgarians are not that rich, and the government''s prestige is not that high. For a few million education bonds, they grit their teeth and take it in the spirit of patriotism. For the government-issued industrial debt papers, railroad debt papers will not be able to do anything. It sold a few hundred thousand embarrassments. Ferdinand did not worry about the cab''s troubles as he is still worried about the university''s first rector. He must be highly respected and credible to the educationmunity. Among the Bulgarian educationalmunity, there are precisely no candidates who are expected. Like the country, most of thepetent overseas students are still young and do not have that experience. The older generation is conservative-minded andcks the international perspective to keep up with the times. Ferdinand, who could not really find a candidate, turned his attention to the Ministry of Education. "Minister Chekhov, does your Ministry of Education have in mind for the rector of the University of Bulgaria?" asked Ferdinand. "Your Highness, the educationmunity is now in full arguments. There are three people who are qualified to be nominated, but their abilities are hardly credible!" Minister of Education Chekhov said with a headache. Ferdinand was clear that theck of ability was still a minor problem. However, the key was that all three of them were opponents of Stambolov''s cab. The old educators are part of the pro-Russian faction. The cab is trying to prevent them froming to power. "What about the others? We have to find a suitable candidate and we can''t drag on like this and the university is currently just another ghost town! When you get there, you should go back and think slowly!" Ferdinand dumped the pressure on Chekhov. It was difficult for Chekhov. If he chose from these three, how could he exin to the cab? If he chose someone else, how could he convince the educationmunity? The headache Chekhov suddenly has a bright light in front of his eyes. He thought of a suitable candidate, to let the monarch put up the job and leave it. Once this idea came out, they could no longer fight. First of all, the cab will not oppose. It can silence the opposition. Second, the education sector also responsible for the past, at least no worries about future education funds. This reason is enough to make the three old stubborn themselves to withdraw. On the way back, Chekhov was thinking about the better. If Ferdinand became the university''s rector, then it will greatly increase the presence of the Ministry of Education. If he wants to fund it, he can also let the monarch cover it without bearing the pressure of the cab. No, it''s not something Chekhov can do alone. Why doesn''t he just contact the educationmunity and let them take the lead? Whoever opposes it, let him be responsible for settling the education funding! It did not surprise Chekhov that after the release of the news, the endless debates in the educationalmunity immediately stopped. For the benefit of all, or for the sake of their own sries, which they can receive on time, almost all teachers have publicly expressed their support for Ferdinand as rector. Ferdinand was stunned. He was the one who was expected. At that moment, he thought it was impossible that he, an outsider, who had been on the throne for only six months and had done nothing significant, could gain the support of the people. Even if Chekhov said repeatedly, it could not convince Ferdinand. He did not want to be a rector and then be scolded by that group of educators. "Karl, please send someone to find out what''s going on?" Ferdinand was still determined to get a clear picture of the situation. "Well, Your Highness, it''s really quite simple!" Karl said calmly. "Oh, would you like to tell me about it?" Ferdinand asked. Chapter 19: Raising Taxes Chapter 19: Raising Taxes "Well, Your Highness, educators have to eat too! Have you noticed that Bulgaria has not been adequately funded for education since independence? Basically, the funding has been in arrears for each government, and some time ago, you happened to pay back the unpaid sries." Ferdinand eximed, "What a revtion! It is fitting that they have put their notice on my head." "However, they are just what I want. It is not easy for the university to get involved, and now that I am the nominal rector, it is not as easy to interfere." Ferdinand, who had figured out the reason, naturally would not continue to refuse. However, Ferdinand also knows that he is only a titr rector. It is impossible to devote all his energy to the university. He should leave the usual management of the university to others. "Karl, call Chekhov back and tell him I said yes." Ferdinand said with a smile. "Yes, Your Highness!" Karl said and went out the door. In a few moments, Chekhov walked in to greet Ferdinand. "Well, for God''s sake, I agreed to do the rector post. However, with the rest of the faculty, it will be left to your Ministry of Education. In addition, doing a good job of enrolling students in the second half of the year!" Ferdinand said in a serious tone. "Yes, Your Highness, we in the Ministry of Education will do our absolute best, by God I can swear!" Chekhov assured him. Ferdinand nodded in content and said with a smile, "Well, tell us about your ns?" Chekhov pondered a little and said, " You know, Your Highness, that Bulgaria is establishing a university for the first time andcks of the rted expertise. Our Ministry of Education ns to hire talents in running the university from the Austro-Hungarian and German Empires. It same as well as some teachers!" Ferdinand pondered for a moment, thinking: "It seems that the Liberals have a good impression of the Central! Russia''s education itself is not good, so it''s normal to ignore it. It''s not good that Britain and France didn''t mention it either!" So in mind, Ferdinand is not to say it directly, which is not politically correct. "Report your ns to me as soon as possible. That include as the faculties of the University of Bulgaria, the major divisions and the number of students enrolled, all together!" Ferdinand looked at Chekhov and said. "Yes, Your Highness!" Chekhov said firmly. "Well, go and get to work!" Ferdinand said as he looked at the glowing Chekhov. "Yes," Chekhov said and left the pce. On the other hand, the Sofia government building was now abuzz with noise. Stambolov shook his head helplessly and pped the table hard. He said, "For God''s sake, stop arguing, all of you! It''s all because of the damn money, you can''t turn it out even if you argue!" Seeing the crowd quieted down, Stambolov continued, "Bulgaria''s financial situation, you all know. If we do nothing, we can bnce the budget, but is that possible?" "If we''re not going to do anything, what do we need us now? Instead of fighting over the budget here, you guys should be thinking about how to get the money!" "Let''s think about it and take out a loan from a foreign bank!" Minister of Industry Wilson suggested. "No, the bankers are not charities. They will definitely take advantage of the fire and pay a big price for fear. Besides, with such a big funding gap, what will we take as mortgage?" Minister of Economy Mihail objected. "Then raise taxes!" Minister of Interior Ionas proposed. "It will never work! The economy at home is in the crapper and the capitalists are having a hard time!" Stambolov objected. He knows very well that the capitalists support the Liberal Party toe to power, so raising taxes on them now will be self-sabotage! "Your Excellency, I also know that the capitalists are having a hard time. I mean that the peasants can be taxed!" Ionas exined it. "This~" The crowd fell into silence, and no one objected directly. After a few moments of time, Stambolov said, "Why don''t we call a ministerial meeting and discuss it!" "Yes!" The crowd said in unison. Everyone knows that raising taxes is not a good thing to do and being scolded is certain. The peasant ss is not much in terms of influence, but the feudalndlords, although weak, are not soft. The bottom indeed decides the head. When facing the financial crisis, as in history, the knife is still cut to the peasants. Historically, Bulgaria has increased the burden on the peasants in order to develop the industry. Land annexation intensified, and many peasants went bankrupt and lost theirnd, forcing them to go to the cities to make a living. Naturally, wives and children were left behind, and blood and tears were spilled all over Bulgaria. Although arge number ofborers moved into the city has promoted the development of the industry. However, the new working ss has not benefited from it. They work up to 14-16 hours a day but get less than half of the sry. It also provided the basis for the development ofmunism. Thest defeat of the World Wars fuelled civil conflicts and gave rise to the proletarian revolution. Ferdinand, who knew the causes and consequences, naturally had to think twice before acting. Although he urgently needs to develop the industry, Ferdinand is still worried about the butterfly effect because it triggers bad results and finally decided to have a limited intervention. The cab submitted a bill to raise taxes which Ferdinand directly vetoed. He had already made up his mind that no matter what, he could not bankrupt arge number of farmers as in history. "Your Highness, now that the government is in financial crisis, we have to resort to this measure!" Stambolov said unhappily. "I know! But for God''s sake, I can''t agree to it! You know, the moment this bill passes, it means thousands of families will go bankrupt, their wives will be torn apart, and the cries will drown the whole of Bulgaria!" Ferdinand said with dignity. "No, Your Highness. It''s not as bad as you think. The peasants'' lives will be a little bitter in the following days, but they have to be sacrificed for the development of Bulgaria. Besides they can still go to work as workers, it won''t be as bad as you say!" Stambolov growled. Ferdinand said with a sneer, "Really? Please don''t take me for a fool! If we go by the new taxw you have made, the next thing will be a lot ofnd mergers and a lot of farmers going bankrupt. Don''t tell me Bulgaria can provide so many jobs?" "By then arge number of farmers will have lost their livelihoods. By then the capitalists can still continue to cut wages and make workers work overtime with impunity, right, Stambolov, my Prime Minister?" "Remember you are the prime minister of Bulgaria, not the capitalist one! Apetent government must take into ount the interests of the majority of the people, or we will face an endless stream of enemies. Bunch of people who are dying of hunger will demand justice from you with their lives!" Chapter 20: Trigger Chapter 20: Trigger With a righteous face, Ferdinand stopped that cab''s death-defying Bill. All jokes aside, there are two of them. Bulgaria''s financial gap is not a few million, but hundreds of millions of Leva. If they imposed all on the peasants, Ferdinand already thought of the scene that countless bankrupt peasants rose and started a revolution to overthrow the government. However, as for the reason why and the cab has fallen out, Ferdinand no longer cared. Choose the lesser of two evils,pared with the peasant uprising. The cab is obviously a soft target. Ferdinand knew more about the Stambolov cab, or better. When ites to political brutality, the methods can be called a novice. Ferdinand has ways to deal with them. After leaving the pce, Minister of Economy Mihail said worriedly, "Your Excellency, the Knyaz has vetoed the tax increase bill. What should we do?" "What to do! Since this is the case, then there is no need for us to be polite with him. Ferdinand''s throne is still ours to put up, so the big deal is to rece him!" Minister of Interior Ionas growled. "What!" The faces of the people changed in unison. Stambolov retorted: "God! Ionas, you idiot, shut up! Don''t talk nonsense! You think it''s a child''s game and you can change people at will! Are you trying to get us killed?" Ionas, who knew he had gotten into trouble, turned pale. He knew that if word of today''s events got out, he would be finished. Thest Knyaz''s affair had just passed, but Sofia was bleeding to death. He looked at the crowd for help! Wilson, who usually has a good rtionship with Ionas, came out to round up the situation and said, "Your Excellency, no need for that idiot Ionas to take it into ount. What should we do next?" After a moment of silence, Stambolov said, "ording to Bulgarianw, we can still convene the National Assembly now. As long as the Assembly approves it, the Knyaz will not jump out and veto it again!" The hearts of the people were shocked, their faces changed slightly, and finally, they nodded. Everyone knows that bypassing the monarch and directly using the parliament to pass the Bill is equivalent to having overruled the monarch. Their session of the cab can no longer get Ferdinand''s support. There will certainly be trouble in the future. Sure enough, as Ferdinand had expected. Stambolov''s cab did not rest in peace. After Ferdinand''s veto, they directly convened the National Assembly. The n is to force through the tax increase bill with the advantage of the Liberal Party in the National Assembly and strike at Ferdinand''s prestige. On April 28, 1888, the Bulgarian National Assembly was held again. Stambolov, on behalf of the cab, submitted the Bill on the Increase of Agricultural Taxes to the National Assembly. But Ferdinand, who had anticipated this, naturally did not do nothing. The rumors of the disputes between him and the cab had already gotten out before the National Assembly convened. Would the opposition parties, who received the news, let the Stambolov cab get what it wanted? Ferdinand does not know. What is certain, however, is that public opinion is already on his side. Once the Bill is passed, the cab will undoubtedly be scolded. Knowing that today the National Assembly must be very lively, Ferdinand will not attend the meeting naturally. He hides in the back to watch a good show. If he jumps out directly, it is certainly a lowering of status. When he was looking at the noisy parliament, Stambolov''s heart was irritated for no reason. The son of a shoemaker who can be the prime minister of a country is naturally not a fool. He was prepared in advance to be scolded for raising agricultural taxes. For the sake of Bulgaria''s industrialization, taking a little bit of me, Stambolov does not care. But looking at the current chaotic National Assembly, he doubted that this group of people could lead the revival of Bulgaria! Stambolov, who is also the Speaker, angrily spoke up and said, "Order! All right, without further ado, let''s get straight to the vote!" But this move has caused strong discontent among the Conservatives and Democrats. ording to the standard procedure, the Bill should be debated first before voting. In a bad mood, Stambolov has actually skipped the session and submitted the Bill for legal purposes to rify and then voted directly on it, depriving them of the right to speak. Furious Conservative MPs simply withdrew from the vote in protest. No surprise, the Liberals upy the seven-fold of the parliament, and passing the resolution is naturally not a problem. Now that the biggest opposition in parliament, the Conservative MPs, have simply withdrawn from the vote, it should pass with a high vote! The result was surprising and regrettable for the Conservative MPs. It passed 26 votes for the resolution, 55 abstentions, and 18 votes against it. The scene is awkward for the Stambolov cab, which is so unpopr that they have less than 30 percent support. If the Conservatives do not withdraw, then the Liberal-controlled parliament will have to reject their proposals today. As one can imagine, a political struggle around the cab is about to unfold. If Ferdinand were here, he could tell Stambolov very clearly that he was totally wrong. Most of the Bulgarian MPs are foreign students, and their juvenile spirit is most likely to be swayed by public opinion. Moreover, arge part of the feudalndlord''s origin, the family will certainly not tell them where the familyndes from it. After hearing the tax increase, the first reaction is that the interests of their own families are damaged. The opposition to the proposal came out of instinct but not really upset with the cab. Ferdinand, who received the results, knew that the Stambolov cab was about to make a stupid move. It could be the trigger for the police government! Since he can not stop it, Ferdinand is naturally going with the flow to maximize the profits. At the very least, Ferdinand''s intelligence agency has already started to act. Several newspapers have been secretly acquired and are waving the g for Ferdinand. While people did not think about it, he brushed up a wave of prestige for him. At least in the minds of most of the nation, Ferdinand, who opposed the brutal draft, was a benevolent monarch. Ferdinand''s gaze was now out of Sofia and into the vast countryside. As early asst year, Ferdinand sent someone to Austria-Hungary to invite agricultural experts, and then the Ministry of Agriculture has done an initial survey. These experts developed his agricultural development n. Ferdinand also lowered his standards to ensure its sessful oue. As early as a thousand years ago, farmers recognized that they could use manure to improve the soil during the Warring States period. Early farmers applied fertilizer,post, and animal manure to their cronds. Scientists in the 19th century discovered the major role of nitrogen. Farmers began to buy sodium nitrate found in Chile''s natural deposits and apply it to their own fields. Bulgarian agriculture, in general, however, is still behind the times. Using chemical fertilizers is very irrational. The yield per acre is less than two-thirds of that in Western Europe. Irrigation projects are a mess. They basically rely on the sky to eat. If Bulgaria had not been ideal climatic and sparsely popted, it is estimated that there would be headaches for food. Ferdinand is no longer a middle-aged teenager; there is no intention to solve the problem at once. He is ready to pick the easy ones first. First of all, the agricultural experts were allowed topile the rational use of chemical fertilizers. Then they handed it over to the Ministry of Agriculture to spread it further down the line. After it produced the results first, then it continued to go deeper. Chapter 21: University Chapter 21: University Ferdinand''s agricultural reform program did not harm the interests of thendlord ss. Therefore, it was supported by the enlightenedndlords, while others mostly looked on with indifference, and the rollout to the extended rural areas went smoothly. Ferdinand was satisfied to see the progress. As long as this year can produce positive results, next year, they can go further. As he learned more about Bulgaria, Ferdinand did not intend to build irrigation projects until he had gained the authority to govern. The Bulgarian peasant ss is now living a tough life. It cannot afford to bear the burden of irrigation projects. Some would say that the government could pay for it or let thendlord ss pay for it. The fact is that it is no longer possible to do so. The Bulgarian treasury cannot afford it. On the other hand, the Bulgarianndlord ss had not yet adopted mechanized production on arge scale before the greatnd annexation. It was also not as rich as it might have been. And the Qing Dynasty is not the same. A hundred or eighty mu ofnd is called andlord. A thousand mu of goodnd is a majorndlord. In fact, an ordinary peasant family in Bulgaria has a few hundred mu ofnd, and it is normal. It is embarrassing to call it andlord without tens of thousands of mu ofnd. Thend is vast, and the people are sparse. There is no such thing as ecological protection in this era, and one can continue to reim the wilderness as long as one wishes. It is also the reason why Stambolov''s cab dares to raise taxes. When farmers are bankrupt, they can also run to the mountains and continue to open up thend, and the government can''t control it. Peasants will not revolt unless they are forced to do so. Historically, Bulgaria has raised agricultural taxes several times to develop industry, but peasant uprisings have been rare. After learning about the current state of Bulgarian agriculture, Ferdinand also takes up time to rest assured. Now the output of agricultural products on the premise of meeting domestic demand and for export abroad, the need to increase production in the short term is not very urgent. In June, the humble University of Bulgaria has beenpleted. As for the interior, in those days, who is still so picky? A concrete floor and ayer of lime hanging on the wall are enough. The historical Sofia University, too, was established this year. Built by the generous support of two brothers, Hristo Georgiev and Evlogi Georgiev, the main building waspleted only in 1934. There are naturally not anymore, and Bulgaria''s resources are limited. Thanks to Ferdinand''s intervention, the Bulgarian government took the lead and supported themunity. In just a few months, a manor in the city''s eastern suburbs rebuilt out as a simple university. The conditions are estimated to be simr to those of a rural elementary school 20 or 30 years ago. Ferdinand had to put his energy into the university where the history of Sofia University, and the title of the Red Cradle, could not be ignored by him. Although not very familiar with the inner workings of the Bulgarian revolution, there was one thing Ferdinand remembered. The massive unemployment of Sofia University graduatesid the groundwork for the spread of the revolution. Ferdinand decided to take the bite out of the situation. He just came to make a move with the guarantee of being assigned. Everyone will have a job, and there will be no time for revolution! On July 2, 1888, Ferdinand held a meeting with the university''s administration to decide on the number of students to be admitted to the first semester and the division of the faculties. "Mr. Minister, is it true that His Highness ising to the meeting?" Aleko Konstantinov asked in surprise (a famous Bulgarian writer and current literature teacher at the University of Bulgaria). Others also perked up their ears and expressed concern. Although all the people sitting here are renowned figures in the education sector, the biggest official they usually contact is from the Ministry of Education. They gave little thought to Ferdinand, the high-ranking rector, who was then elected only to secure funding. "Of course, His Highness attaches great value to education. Isn''t there half an hour before it starts, just be patient and wait!" Chekhov said with a smile. ... After a few polite words, Ferdinand waved a hand and spoke, "Well, let the meeting begin!" "Yes, Your Highness! Then let''s start with our Ministry of Education!" Chekhov said in a good mood. "This entrance test, the Ministry of Education began prepared three months ago. The preparations are ready, and now the main thing is to decide the number of admissions, and the number of students in each major!" Chekhov finished very concisely. Ferdinand liked his pragmatic approach to work, no rhetoric, no hint of bureaucratic style. "Well, let''s all express your own opinions below!" Ferdinand said with a satisfied nod. "We, the Faculty of Mechanics, want two hundred people! As we all know, Bulgaria is being industrialized and there is a shortage of this type of talent!" n, the head of the Faculty of Mechanics, said first. The crowd did not speak, clearly approved of n''s reason, but it involved a dispute over the quota, and did not speak. Ferdinand nodded and signaled his attendant to record. "The Faculty of Literature, we need three hundred people. Bulgaria was enved by the Ottoman Empire for a long time, and urgently needs to open its mind, but also to restore traditional culture, which requires a lot of manpower; we also urgently need excellent literature to enrich the moral life of the people!" Aleko said right after him. Next, Faculty of History... Faculty of Physics... Faculty of Chemistry... Faculty of Architecture... The small University of Bulgaria actually has more than thirty faculties, bothrge and small, with total admission of more than five thousand people. Ferdinand was all smiles and listened. Frankly, more than 5,000 people are very much? Ferdinand''s opinion is not much at all, but that depends on what kind of ce. There are tens of thousands of people in any random university in the future. But now, that is simply unlikely. It is estimated that the first batch of applicants in Bulgaria are not necessarily five thousand people. Ferdinand looked to Chekhov and asked, "What is your Ministry of Education''s estimate, my minister, of the number of the first applicants to the University of Bulgaria?" "Your Highness, through the initial survey, the total number of eligible applicants is expected to fluctuate between 4,500 and 5,200 people!" Chekhov said cautiously. Ferdinand said cautiously, "Well! All of you are the elite of the Bulgarian education sector, and now the situation is clear to all of you. Based on the current situation, everyone realizes that it is impossible for us to meet everyone''s demands!" "Then, for the sake of the greater good of Bulgaria, so many majors will have to make sacrifices!" The people''s faces changed greatly. In fact, they were also shocked by this figure. How many people were there at the University of Vienna? Less than three thousand, right? If the University of Bulgaria really wants to recruit five thousand students at once, it is estimated that everyone will be theughing stock of the education sector. They must cut the number of people, but it''s a question of which majors are cut more and which are cut less! Seeing the crowd still in deep thought, Ferdinand spoke again. He said, "We all know well that the purpose of creating a university in Bulgaria is for the development of the country, so the quality of university graduates must be ensured. Therefore, the number of students admitted to the first batch would rather be less than more than five hundred in principle!" "In fact it will only get smaller. The University of Vienna is now admitting the same number of students, and Oxford has even fewer! The well-known universities around the world have already given us a good example!" Chapter 22: Admissions Chapter 22: Admissions "Your Highness is right, our University of Bulgaria has just been founded and we have to ensure the quality of students! In fact, at the university''s staff, which also limits the number of students enrolled, the Ministry of Education estimates that the first session of students will probably be between three and five hundred people!" Chekhov added another stab to the hearts of the crowd. "We understand all these circumstances, and I agree that we should cut the number of people, but this is not even one tenth of the former!" said a depressed Akoko, the delegate of the Faculty of History. "No, Sir you are wrong, not one tenth. In order to save resources for education, some majors may not change much in number, while many more will be simply scrapped!" Chekhov let loose a harsh statement. "What? How is this possible?" The crowd was shocked. "Mr. Minister, this..." Ferdinand, seeing that things were going to go wrong, waved his hand and said, "Sir, please forgive me for interrupting. He didn''t want to do this, but he couldn''t help it, because we were poor! I can answer this question for him and give you an exnation!" "This is a critical moment in Bulgaria''s development, and all resources are to be poured into industrialization. That is why at this stage in the University of Bulgaria, it is all about industrialization!" "For the sake of Bulgaria, everyone must make sacrifices. You are all the elite of Bulgaria, tell me if you can make sacrifices for this country?" Ferdinand asked sharply. The crowd said in a mixed voice: "Yes!" "Yes!" ... Ferdinand is satisfied with the reaction of the crowd. It seems that everyone has to be dignified. At least on the surface, they are patriots. The specific majors that were cut, Ferdinand stayed out of the way and gave it directly to the Ministry of Education. He only gave a guideline to the Ministry of Education to keep all the science and technology majors. The government will pay for the free tuition and fees, and the graduation can be assigned. As for liberal arts majors, sorry, there is no money. The university has to cover all expenses. Financial allocations, including private donations and other ie, are not part of the liberal arts program, and the state is not responsible for employment issues. In fact, it was a clear message to the Ministry of Education to cut the Faculty of Liberal Arts or else education would have to fund itself. The reason is simple: most of the liberal arts students who graduated from Bulgaria in history are too weak in the eyes to find a job. This group of unemployed people, in the end, either joined the revolutionary party or anarchism to get back at society. Then the Soviet Union exported the revolution, and they became the sessors ofmunism. To keep his position, Ferdinand naturally had to drain the field in advance of these hidden problems. Without the involvement of these people, it was almost impossible to get the Soviet Union to infiltrate Bulgaria. The final result was not to Ferdinand''s surprise. The educationmunity still chose topromise, and most of the liberal arts majors were optional courses. Courses like history andnguage courses were fortunately made mandatory and not separately enrolled. As a result, everyone can ept, at least to retain the liberal arts major, and everyone keeps their jobs. Ferdinand was happy to do so and spent a few of his money to keep the schrs in the school to save him from adding to the mess. Those who are unlucky are only the students of the University of Bulgaria. They have no chance to experience the freedom space of future universities. There are many schedules of sses that Ferdinand had read, and in the future senior students will enjoy a treatment. The weekend is non-existent, which am the worst university student in the world. Not to mention Ferdinand''s sense of triumph, the news of the University of Bulgaria was instantly a national sensation. Everyone focuses on the school''s twelve majors, a clean majority of science and technology, which makes a difference. The media fights a daily war of words. Don''t look at the gang that fought for rights and argued to keep the liberal arts major before. Now, one by one, all turn into patriots. All of them take the initiative to do so for Bulgaria''s development and save educational resources. All of them dare to swear to God. They never contain a bit of selfishness, all for the country for the people to take the initiative to sacrifice. It looks like Ferdinand is somewhat impressed. They are so patriotic. If you do not retain your rights to treatment, it is estimated that it is now another scene. Bulgaria has a continental climate with four distinct seasons, influenced by the ck Sea in the north and by the Mediterranean Sea in the south. The summer temperature is not very hot. Studentse from all over the world ~ they are all in high spirits and vigorous. They are all full of self-confidence and a sense of self-esteem. The streets of Sofia are filled with them. In order to cope with this big test, several hotels owned by Ferdinand have opened early. At the Hilton Hotel in the east of the city, several young schrs were discussing. "Ram, you know what''s on the test this time?" Andrea asked. "Andrea, no shit, how could I possibly know! But I heard that this exam will be very strict. If you don''t study well, it will be a shame if you fail the exam!" Ram said. "Ram, you''re still so boring. This is Sofia, our capital, the number one city in Bulgaria, don''t you want to see it?" Andrea asked. "Andrea, I think Ram is right. We''d better study hard now. I heard that the number of admissions is very small this time, so if we are carelessly eliminated, how can we have the face to go home to see others!" Anabel said. "Oh, God, you all have a point! We will study, but how can we study if we don''t know what''s on the test? Bunch of bores!" Andrea growled. Such small stories are constantly staged in Bulgaria. Most of those who were able to graduate from secondary school smoothly were from good families. In those days, studying was not something that ordinary families could afford to spend. When theye to Sofia from all over the country, it''s only natural that some people can''t resist going out for a stroll, and it drives the spending in Sofia, but most people choose to study. University students in Bulgaria have always seemed to be a high-profile term. In the past, the only way to go to university was to travel abroad to study. The huge expenses are enough to break the bones of a wealthy family. Every year, only a handful of people can study abroad, and most of them are out of reach. This exam is a chance for many people. Don''t look at their mouths and say it''s easy. Almost everyone, in fact, is working hard. The date of the test is getting closer and closer. Influenced by the previous life, Ferdinand could not resist selling the information to make a profit several times. Finally, he forced himself to hold back. He was no longer the Taobao merchant who sold pirated goods. How much money can one earn from a mere few thousand points of information? A few thousand Leva or tens of thousands of Leva? It''s not as much as Ferdinand now earns in a day. If it affects the fairness of this exam, it will be a problem if many crooked people are chosen at the start. The first graduates are his future team. It is the future leaders of Bulgaria in all sectors. He dispelled this thought, but one can think of the future Bulgarian schrs who will indeed be buried by the information, which is always low in front of the interests of Ferdinand''s sense of modesty. Chapter 23: Prologue Chapter 23: Prologue On August 2, 1888, he opened the first admissions exams to the University of Bulgaria in grand style. Since then, the history of Bulgarian higher education exams has been started. The examsted three days, and the content was varied, with knowledge covering all aspects of the field. However, the major score is the main factor in the admissions process, ounting for 80% of the total score. If a student''s major score is in the top three, he or she will be admitted even if he or she fails in other subjects. Of course, now the candidates are still unaware of the three-day test. Each one is like a beaten eggnt, lost all confidence. Sofia seems to have be noisy, with people everywhereining that the exam questions are too difficult. Many people are secretly regretting that they have gained too little knowledge normally. On August 15, the entrance of the University of Bulgaria was already crowded with people. They are waiting anxiously for the final results. On the other hand, they are all happy and don''t have to worry about applying for a major or choosing the wrong major that will affect their future career. The university will choose the most suitable majors for them, and they can be assigned. As for the hobby, can you eat it? Sorry, this is the 19th century. There is no such creature known. Ferdinand is delighted with the admissions results, although there are many ws, but the first time and the overall smooth, at least no one made a fraud. Tomemorate that one''s career in learning, the opening date of school, was chosen by Ferdinand on September 1, a familiar date. The opening is Ferdinand''s speech recalling the history of Bulgaria... (skip 100,000 words, and you can attend your own opening ceremony) Four hundred and thirty-six students, with a cheer, thus entered the hall of the university. Looking at the bright and youthful students, Ferdinand felt a lot of emotion. They are his future generation. Thinking of the hectic ss schedule, Ferdinand mused gloatingly, "Rejoice! Now enjoy the freedom! Tomorrow you will find out what a horror it is to go to university!" It is worth knowing that the University of Bulgaria now uses a closed military system, with up to twelve sses a day, plus study time. From the time they wake up at 5:30 am to the time they leave school at 10:30 pm. Except for mealtime and a short break in the middle of the day, they have to be spent studying. Ferdinand''s study n references the work and rest schedule of his former senior year. Since it was the first time he ran a university, everyone was inexperienced and did as he told them. The management staff, hired by the Ministry of Education from the Berlin Military Academy at a high sry, directly copied that management style. In this year, the news passed unchanged, and the spring breeze of democratic freedom had not yet blown. Bulgaria was still rtively conservative, endowed with the tradition of strict teachers who then were adopted by highly respected educators. Ferdinand, who had just returned to the pce, received the bad news - the peasant movement had begun. After thest tax increase, Stambolov''s cab made another stupid move and passed the proposal in the National Assembly - to restore the tithes to be paid in goods. If they raised the agricultural taxst time only to damage the interests of the rich and poor farmers, thendlord ss could still make up for the loss throughnd annexation. Then the return to the tithes of the Ottoman period was a serious obstacle to the development of agricultural capitalism. To arge extent, it harmed the interests of thendlord ss. But it was the middle and smallndlords who opposed it most fiercely, which meant that government officials could plunder them in a new way. They set off a peasant protest movement that began to spread rapidly throughout Bulgaria. To Ferdinand''s relief, they were now mainly rallies and demonstrations and had not yet turned into a revolution. It also reinforces his resolve to topple the cab. However, after all, the Stambolov cab has made a great effort to support his throne. To remove the cab, Ferdinand must have a strong reason. Historically, itsted until 1894, when Stambolov''s cab was already furious when the original host personally stepped in and removed the cab. Stambolov, until then, had always held power. Although Ferdinand took political means, to a certain extent, divided Stambolov''s power and reinforced the ministries. However, he was unable to change the status quo of Stambolov''s control of the cab. Ferdinand thought that he would have to wait for the next parliamentary elections to seize power sessfully. Unexpectedly, due to his butterfly effect, the Bulgarian government''s financial crisis has intensified. The cab is going off the deep end toplete the Five-Year n sessfully. In order to raise funds, draconian taxes and levies areing out all over the ce. Ferdinand knew that the police terror regime was about to take shape. In just one year, the Bulgarian police establishment had been increased by fifty percent. Stam Borov also took the liberty of forming secret police. The intelligence agency in the hands of Ferdinand found out that there were more than three hundred people. Of course, there was no shortage of people sent to infiltrate it. If they don''t make a move, they will definitely know how to breakthrough. Ferdinand took the chance to stuff political goods, such as anarchists, the future head of the revolutionary party, radicals, etc. Preparing to use the knife to kill and settle future enemies once and for all is a final use of the Stambolov''s cab. ... "Your Highness, we have set up, and the fish are in the!" said Hoover (Head of Intelligence Agency). Ferdinand nodded with satisfaction and said, "Then prepare to close the!" ... Mihail knocked impatiently on the Prime Minister''s office and said, "Your Excellency, something big is wrong!" "Don''t rush, take your time. God is still watching, the sky is not falling!" Stambolov said slowly and calmly as he sipped his tea. "Oh, hell! You know, my Prime Minister, the sky is about to fall. After hearing this news, I don''t think you''ll ever be in the mood for tea again!" Mihail said anxiously. "Oh, what is it that could cause my Minister to be so rmed! Let me guess, is it that the Ottomans are calling, or is it that the Serbian scumbags are up to something again?" Stambolov joked quickly. "Oh, God! Mr. Prime Minister, don''t you read the newspapers? Our secret contracts with Britain and Austria-Hungary have all been exposed. Public opinion is now crying foul against the government!" Mihail retorted. "Bang", the hands of Stambolov shake, and the teacup fell to the ground. He eximed, "What? How is this possible? Isn''t this matter known only to a few of our higher-ups?" "Yes, there are no more than five of us who know the contents of the secret treaty! But now the secret treaty has been published in the newspapers. It''s exactly the same, not a single change in punctuation!" Mihail said worriedly. "Could it be that there is a problem on the British and Austro-Hungarian side? It shouldn''t be, there can''t be leaks from both sides at the same time! On our side, no more than ten people know about the secret treaty, and only a few of us in the cab know the contents. Even His Highness is not sure about the exact terms of the treaty, so who would leak it?" Stambolov said in confusion. Chapter 24: Police Government Chapter 24: Police Government "Your Excellency, it doesn''t matter how the leak happened. The key now is how to take care of the aftermath?" Mihail said eagerly. "Let me think!" Stambolov wanders a few steps and says calmly. A few momentster, the office door, once again, was knocked on the door. This time it was Ionas, Sava, and Wilson, who also came evenly aware. Stambolov scanned the three men coldly to find the leaker and then withdrew his gaze. He opened his mouth and asked, "You all know about it?" The three nodded their heads in agreement. "Your Excellency, this matter is tricky. The matter of our mortgage is now exposed, and domestic public opinion is very strong against us!" Ionas said in a slightly lowered tone. As Interior Minister, the control of public opinion in the country is the duty of Ionas, and now he is in trouble. "Not only that, but also within the government, there are many people who are unhappy about this matter. I also met Chekhov on the way just now, and he wants clearing up from our cab!" Wilson added. "I know! The mortgage of the tariff right of way was decided privately by our cab, which bypassed the National Assembly. If it had not been exposed, when the railroad waspleted and opened to the public, it would have created facts that were set in stone. It is still possible to ovee on the basis of political sess, but now I am afraid that many people in the party, are going to oppose us!" Stambolov said, depressed. "That''s right, Your Excellency, that was our initial n. Now it''s out of the question, the British and Austria-Hungary won''t let us change our minds, isn''t it time tounch emergency ns?" Sava said in a harsh tone of murder. "Ah, God! Sava, are you crazy? Emergency ns are for times of crisis, and it''s not that far along yet!" Wilson roared in protest. "Mr. Wilson, this is already a time of crisis. If it continues, the prestige of the government will be affected. Now that we are caught by the opposition party, they mayunch a cab reversal at any time!" Ionas said. "It''s not going to wait, this matter is too big. Once it starts, it''s a disaster! It will also intensify the conflict, then it is you die and I live, there is no more chance of peace." Mihail hesitantly said. With two no votes and two yes votes, it put the decision in the hands of Stambolov. "Well,unch it! The situation is beyond our control and can''t go on much longer. Mr. Ionas, I''ll leave the rest to your Ministry of Interior!" Stambolov said ruthlessly. "Don''t worry, Your Excellency. Everything is under our control!" Ionas said with a clear mind. "The army will remain neutral in this operation, and at the moment of needs, it can alsoe out to quell the rebellion!" Sava assured with confidence. Stambolov nodded with content, and as for the second half of Sava''s sentence, it had been filtered by him naturally. Are you kidding? If the army is really mobilized, it will signal the start of another civil war. Whether it wins or loses, the cab will be the loser. Now that the Liberals are the ruling party, a coup is no longer ~ the right toy for them. It did not wait for the government toe out to rify and exin for the opposition parties. Because that the police had alreadye to their door. The figures at the head have been jailed and have suffered a heavy blow. Along with many newspapers, they were also closed down, and countless schrs were implicated. The hustle and bustle of Sofia fell silent for a while. They opened the literal prison, and the White Terror began in Sofia and spread throughout Bulgaria. Prisons became overcrowded, and in just half a month, more than 10,000 people were arrested in Bulgaria. Among them were intellectuals, feudalndlords, workers, peasants, government officials, and even some members of the National Assembly whose butcher''s knives had been raised high in Stambolov''s cab. They had tantly trampled on the Constitution, and they had brought thew into disrepute. On September 15, Stambolov''s cab dered the Conservative Party an illegal political party and ordered it to be dissolved. In fact, the Conservative Party is now a broken mess, with almost all the backbone in jail. Despite the anger rushing through their hearts, there is nothing they can do in the face of tyranny. From now on, the time of freedom in Bulgaria is no longer there. Everyone has to be careful what they say, and if you''re not careful, you''ll be targeted by the secret police, and the prison gates will be open for you. Ferdinand is pushing the issue from the sidelines, such a big purge chance, but a rare event. And there is the Stambolov cab, which has taken the lead to take the me and attract hatred. How can one afford the selflessness of the cab if one does not make the most of it! Ferdinand admitted that Stambolov was a true patriot who could do anything for the rise of Bulgaria. But politics is cruel. It''s not about justice, and it''s about achieving a goal. The cab''s approach is a bit radical, but there is no excuse for the sake of national development. The biggest problem is that the cab holds a lot of power in its hands and wants Ferdinand, the Knyaz, to be a rubber stamp. Since it is in his way, it is natural to kick it away. He cannotpromise the power struggle. The previous Ferdinand has also been giving Stambolov many olive branches, but what is the result? If Stambolov were really superbly capable with high political skills and excellent ability to rule the countrypared to the Iron Chancellor, he would have been a great sess. Ferdinand is, of course, more than tolerable, but unfortunately, he is not even. And so, with Ferdinand''s covert help, the police were as efficient as they had ever been. Large numbers of anarchists, revolutionaries, and anti-governmentists, were exposed and then arrested. Ferdinand was well aware for: The main problem of modern Bulgaria is not that democracy is not sufficient and freedom is not active enough. On the contrary, democracy at the present stage in Bulgaria has long exceeded the actual need, and freedom has gone beyond the necessary degree... Bulgaria is located in the Balkans, surrounded by strong enemies. The most important thing at this stage is to focus on development. Only when the country is strong can they talk about freedom and democracy! At the same time, because nationalism is so strong in the Balkans, being Bulgarian has its own political ideas and can not help but contribute to the country''s development. That is, to the point of pointing fingers and blind xenophobia to national politics and development strategies! The two Balkan wars in history are proof that a strong nationalism creates a strong army. The same is true of creating diplomatic istion, where they can find not even a single ally in the surroundings! Looking through the history books, it is clear that Bulgaria has never developed a clear, long-term, constructive strategic goal. This group of politicians came to power to do this. That group of politicians came to power to do that. Who to choose as enemies and who to choose as allies? It is a pity that the Bulgarians never got it right and ended up so much that they were besieged. Then again, they were held hostage by nationalism and joined the Great War to get corn from the fire and make a miserable mess. Chapter 25: The Great Purge Chapter 25: The Great Purge In the evening, a man in green, looking scared, walked into a small alley and knocked on the courtyard door. "Oh, God forbid, Toma, you didn''t get caught! Quick,e in, this is not the ce to talk!" After that, the man in green was let in. He stuck his head out to look around for a while, then closed the door. "Don''t worry ~ Kulonov, I came here secretly, no one knows!" Toma said after taking a few moments to rx. "Oh, that''s good! Now the police in Sofia are going crazy, arresting rebels everywhere! Your newspaper was closed down and I heard that many people were arrested. I thought you were arrested too. It''s good to see that you''re okay, may God bless you!" Kulonov said happily. "Don''t mention it, I think only God knows what''s going on! The police suddenly seized the newspaper and took away the editor-in-chief. It just so happened that I was outside covering the story and escaped!" Toma exined. "Oh, God bless you! But how have you been living all these days?" Kulonov continued to ask. "Hiding at home, of course! You know, even if there was something wrong, a little mongrel like me wouldn''t qualify for a wanted notice and would mostly be forgotten." "I came over to see you tonight to get some information about what''s going on. Kulonov, you''re my best friend and you work for the government, you must know what''s going on!" Toma said first in a mocking way and then looked at Kulonov expectantly. Kulonov smiled bitterly, lowered his voice, and said, "I''m not really sure, the top suddenly ordered that the rebels be arrested! Many newspapers have been seized, I guess it''s rted to your reports some time ago!" "By the way, you''d better hide again ande out when the storm is over! There are so many arrests now that the police can''t take care of you when they are upied. You should leave Sofia tomorrow and go back to your hometown in the countryside to hide!" Toma jumped up in the thrill and said in disbelief, "Oh, God! How is this possible?" ... Following the actions of Stambolov''s cab, Bulgaria has entered a "lockdown period" and Sofia has been under martialw for more than a month. The police were constantly deployed, going around seizing newspaper offices and printing houses. Roadblocks were set up in the streets and alleys to check the newspapers being shipped to various ces. There are much more fish-like Toma who have been caught in the pool. Cullen is not wrong. Too many people were arrested. A small fish like Toma is too much for the police to take care of it. As long as they missed them on the spot, theyrgely forgot thetter, and Sofia''s prisons were already overcrowded. The people are too angry to speak out against the government''s rampage, and members of the outraged opposition parties have been forced to go underground. What Ferdinand did not expect was that the Stambolov cab had done such a quick job this time that the opposition parties had no chance to resist. The government quickly arrested the opposition and, at the same time, seized arge number of goods, which actually totaled hundreds of millions of Leva. Together with the previous loan, it met the funds needed for the five-year n in such a drastic manner. Ferdinand did not know whether to rejoice or to worry. The idea suddenly sprang up. Why not just let the cab continue to y? And then he dismissed this horrible idea. If the cab continues to toss and turn, God knows when the people will reach the limit of tolerance? If the situation gets out of hand, civil war breaks out, and then a wave of foreign invasion. Who the hell can survive but God! Although the n went well, Stambolov still had a headache. Many people within the Liberal Party have expressed theirints about the matter. It put a lot of pressure on him. Externally, he could kill and destroy, but he had to appease in the face of his own people. Because of the many people involved, there was an endless stream of people pleading for mercy to Stambolov. And the specific person in charge, Ionas, is now the face of the hitman. But the powerful Ionas does not care. He has surpassed the other three in the cab and is the number two person after Prime Minister Stambolov. At the new cab meeting, Mihail spoke up and said, "Your Excellency, the enemies have almost been cleared out. Isn''t it time to end martialw, the country needs to return to business as usual!" "Mr. Mihail, the enemy is almost cleared, but there are still missing fish. We must make further efforts to find them all and destroy them!" Ionas retorted in a stern voice. "Minister Ionas, you have already captured more than 20,000 people. That''s almost one percent of our poption, do you want to continue?" Wilson retorted. "But they''re all enemies, aren''t they? You do not just see the bad side, there is a good side! Although the economic impact is great, but our five-year n, the necessary funds have been put together, right? Clean up a bunch of state assholes, solve the financial crisis, a number of freebor, why not?" Sava said with optimism. Stambolov knew that the quarrel of several people also involved their own interests. Now the crowd is no longer warm-blooded patriots, corrupted by power, in a short time began to be more than a politician. Under the emergency policy, economic development was greatly affected secondarily. The main thing was to weaken the Ministry of Economic and Industry''s voice in the government, and Mihail and Wilson had toe out against it. Ionas and Sava, on the contrary, now hold power in their hands in this situation. Once the normal state is restored, it will surely make way for the country''s development, and it will greatly reduce their right to speak. For their own benefit, they need to extend this period. Stambolov could do nothing about it, and just because he was a politician himself didn''t mean he liked them. Opening his mouth to stop it, he said: "Okay, you guys stop arguing! The Great Purge is still doing a good job, which is worthy of credit! Likewise you all know that such a state cannotst forever!" "I''ll give you a month to get all those rats out, then lift martialw and the country will return to normal!" ... At the end of 1888, martialw in Bulgaria was finally lifted. No one expected that Sofia had just lifted the martialw when the opposition party made another big news. On Christmas Day 1889, Stambolov was attacked in front of his residence, and Stambolov escaped with his life. But three members of his staff died on the spot, and several others were wounded. What is more crucial is that after the shooting, five killers, except for one corpse left behind, actually managed to let the other killers getaway. Prime Minister Stambolov was furious, and someone else was going to be unlucky. At the same time, other high government officials have been taken care of as well. Minister of Defense Sava, one of the unlucky ones, was shot three times and was being treated. One of the shots hit him right in the balls and was scraped. Even more bizarre was Hristo Belchev, the Minister of Finance with little presence in the government, who met a firefight between police and assassins on his way home, was crushed over his body by a frightened carriage, and then died a heroic death. In the original time, Hristo Belchev was also an unlucky man who was wrongly killed by assassins as Stambolov in March 1891. He is now subjected to Ferdinand''s butterfly effect and received his fate in advance. This night was called "Bloody Christmas Eve". Dozens of high-ranking officials were attacked at the same time, causing hundreds of casualties and hundreds of thousands of Leva indirect economic losses. The peace of Christmas Eve was broken. The military and police of Sofia were out in full force, and the whole city was in turmoil because of the big sow. Chapter 26: Conspiracy Chapter 26: Conspiracy "Rotten to the core!" Ferdinand judged the opposition party. Under the perverse rule of the government, instead of organizing the masses to overthrow the government, the opposition party wasted its limited power on violent assassinations and countering violence with violence, which only provoked the public''s resentment. In 1888, the Sofia public was mainly sympathetic to the opposition parties and expressed discontent with the government. Then in 1889, it pulled everyone''s popr base to the same level - antipathy. The enraged Stambolov''s Cab once again dered martialw throughout the country. The secret police were once again expanded and assigned to various locations. There is revenge. There are grudges andints. The rapidly expanding secret police have be a mixed breed who abuse their power, retaliate, and fleece the people, causing public unrest. "What now? Stambolov''sckeys are going crazy and arresting people everywhere. At this rate, we''ll be exposed sooner orter!" Petko Karavelov (one of the leaders of the pro-Russian faction) "How about a coup d''tat?" Commander Trapani (a supporter of the Conservative Party in the army) suggested. "No, the government is going down badly, but the liberals still control the army. Our people are too weak?" Webber (a democrat) objected, saying. ... "Well, now we have no choice but to fight to the death if Stambolov wants us dead! May God bless us!" Petko Karavelov made his final decision. "Maybe the situation is not that bad?" Commander Trapani wondered. Seeing the fuming gaze of the crowd, he sneered and said, "Let''s not forget that Sofia still has a royal guard army! So far Ferdinand, our Knyaz, has been expanding it since he seeded to the throne. It now has more than three thousand men!" Webber said coldly, "Good, but so what? It seems that His Highness is not interested in politics, or else why would he let the Cab''s rampage go unchecked?" "The most crucial thing is, why would he support us? Don''t forget that among us, there are quite a few people who are his opponents!" Commander Trapani said calmly, "Not necessarily, the Cab has already turned against His Highness for the agricultural tax increase! Is it true that His Highness doesn''t hold any grudge at all?" "Moreover, gentlemen, in the past, we were against himself, Ferdinand, to seed as Knyaz, so naturally we were enemies. But now it is already given fact, we can not drive him out of power, and there is no need to oppose his session!" "The basic conflict between the two sides no longer exists, does Knyaz Ferdinand not want to hold real power? Then why did he expand the Royal Guard? No matter what, no one in Bulgaria is going to go crazy and attack the royal pce, right?" "Commander Trapani, you''re right! But if we let Ferdinand take power, won''t we have worked for nothing? I don''t think that by taking out the Liberals, he''ll let us take power!" Webber asked back. Milnavilov (People''s Party) smiled and said, "No, that would be up to our Knyaz! You should not forget that now in Bulgaria, except for the Liberal Party, whose party is ours, no other political power is yet in power!" "You, the People''s Party, naturally it doesn''t matter anymore. We, the Conservative Party, are the main force against Ferdinand, and it''s only strange that we are not suppressed!" Webber said grimly. ... The plots of the opposition were no secret to Ferdinand. Their internal disputes were soon passed on to Ferdinand through the inner circle. "Stupid!" Ferdinand sneered. It hase to this kind of time, but still fighting for power and profit. It is entirely a group of the rabble. Even if they want to share the spoils, but only after the overthrow of the government. If it fails, everyone will have to hang out. Now they start to fight for dominance in the future. If they were not necessary to attract the government''s attention, Ferdinand has sent his men to help clean up the first andst now. The opposition party would have been wiped out after all. The bunch of rascals who actually thought of counting him out. "The enemy of an enemy is not necessarily a friend, but most likely will remain an enemy." This phrase, which well describes the current situation within Bulgaria. The government of Liberals, the opposition of the Conservatives and the Democrats, are now the targets of Ferdinand''s purge. "There is no sin in the life of a man. There is a sin in the heart of a man!"1) Ferdinand has been staying out of the way because he intends to use the knife to kill people. So that the Conservative Party angered Stambolov''s Cab, forcing the Cab to open a killing spree. The reasony in the huge amount of property seized by the government, which the Stambolov cab intended to use toplete the five-year n, and Ferdinand was in line with it. If ites out now to fix the situation, then this huge amount of money seized will have to be sent back. What about the funds needed for theter five-year n? Ferdinand was not a saint and had no intention of paying this money himself. Then he could only devour this unexpected fortune! The only way he could legally confiscate this huge sum of money was to let the property owners all die. It is also possible to clear the obstacles to Ferdinand''s reforms pretty much. It is important to know that the arrested poption, the conservatives, democrats, pro-Russians, radical nationalists, and arge part of feudalndlords, agricultural capitalists. Throughout history, any reform is to bleed. The vested interests will certainly not willingly let go. Blood and rain are inevitable. Now it is possible to use the Stambolov cab to take the me. It is more than good. In 1888, Ferdinand benefited greatly from the purges of the Stambolov''s Cab, and his assets expanded rapidly. Ferdinand himself was frugal, did not act recklessly, strictly observed the aristocratic ethics, and did not bully the weak. However, hisckeys, Franz, conspired with the head of intelligence, Hoover, in order tobat rivals, nted evidence, and fueled the fire. Many capitalists had their family assets confiscated and strangely went to prison. And then, they acquired arge number of high-quality assets from the government at a low price. Of course, many others did this, just not as crisp and clean as they did, leaving no hidden problems. Arge number of capitalists went to jail without causing major turmoil in the market. Ferdinand''s industry is to be thanked for this. "Your Highness, we have now basically monopolized the food industry in Bulgaria. There are only a few small family-owned businesses left, and they are no longer a problem!" Wilhelm reported to Ferdinand with an excited face. Ferdinand listened to Wilhelm''s report and nodded in satisfaction, saying, "Good! But still, be careful not to let anyone find out that the market has been monopolized by us!" Wilhelm said with confidence: "Don''t worry, Your Highness! We still adopt the old method, the factories all over the world produce different brands. And in the open, we also created some fake friction sometimes, it won''t make people suspect!" "Well, good! You also have to keep an eye on the international market and what''s going on. Do a good job of technological innovation to increase ourpetitiveness!" Ferdinand once again said, staring at the orders. Thergest export industry in Bulgaria at the moment is the export of agricultural products. At the same time, with this stage, the most promising industry in Bulgaria. Ferdinand can not ignore it. The history of agricultural exports has been thergest source of foreign exchange in Bulgaria. In 1911 alone, Bulgarian agricultural exports reached 129.4 million Leva. The total export value of Bulgaria at that time, however, was only 184.6 million Leva, with agricultural exports taking up 70%. And now that the Bulgarian industry has not yet developed, the share of agricultural exports is even higher, ounting for nine-fold of total exports. In 1888, Bulgaria''s annual exports of agricultural products amounted to just over 40 million Leva, leaving plenty of room for growth. It is just the primary product, and the number can continue to increase if the agricultural products are processed and then invested in the international market. Trantor: 1)Its passage is from ''The Spring and Autumn Annals - The Tenth Year of Duke of Huan''. The meaning of this passage is that one can avoid disaster by not coveting one''s wealth and treasures, but it definitely does not mean giving away all one''s wealth and treasures to others without principle. If others covet wealth and treasures, they may be able to seed at first, but if they do not know how to satisfy them, they are bound to invite disaster. Itter extended this phrase to mean "the sin of having talent" and even "the sin of having beauty". Wealth, talent, and beauty are not sinful in themselves, but the wrong-minded people always want to destroy or snatch them. So if a person carries wealth, talent, beauty, etc., he should beat away those who covet them. Chapter 27: Undercurrents Chapter 27: Undercurrents "Your Highness, the Volvo supermarket has now spread to the major cities in Bulgaria. However, because of the economic downturn in the country, the turnover is not very high, and there are even a few small cities that are just able to keep their capital. The estimated profit is not evenparable to a Vienna!" Franz said, somewhat gloomy. Ferdinand smiled and said, "Oh, Franz don''t be anxious, we have to be patient! When Bulgaria''s economy is developed, the money wille!" "Yes, Your Highness! Don''t worry, I know what to do!" Franz put away his negative emotions at once and gave Ferdinand his word. "Good!" Ferdinand said with a satisfied nod and then turned his attention back to Khabit. Khabit said worriedly: "Your Highness, the machinery factory has just been put into operation, and now the problem is that we can''t find a market for our machinery. Apart from our own purchases, there are basically not many orders!" "Now Bulgaria is on edge, the capitalists have no desire to invest in building factories, and the future prospects are not optimistic. There are still a lot of people who ced orders, but did note to pick up the goods! But the spare parts sales are good, it is very popr!" "Well! In that case, let''s focus on the spare parts market! Take this chance that the international capital hasn''t noticed yet. First seize the market in the Balkans, and then expand to Eastern Europe!" Ferdinand said after thinking about it. Greed is indeed human nature! Originally Ferdinand was nning - to promote the industrial development of Bulgaria. Now it has turned into state monopolism. No amount of whitewashing can change the fact that he profited from it. From the point of view of resources, the monopoly is indeed the most suitable choice for Bulgaria. Especially the heavy industry, mineral-poor Bulgaria simply has no choice! "Yes, Your Highness! Please rest assured that we have nopetitors in the Balkans at the moment!" Khabit said self-assuredly. Ferdinand nodded to show his satisfaction, then said, "Yes! Tell me about the situation in Bulgaria right now!" Hoover said assuredly, "Yes, Your Highness!" "At the moment Bulgaria is under the surface ~ still calm. The Liberals have the upper hand and control the government. Under the government''s pressure, other political forces, such as the Conservative Party and the Democratic Party, have been pushed down." "This situation, however, will soon be broken! The Liberals have pushed the opposition to the limit and they have to fight to the death to survive!" ... "Mr. Petko Karavelov, how are rtions with the Russians going?" asked the anxious Trapani. "Don''t worry, gentlemen. St. Petersburg is so disgusted with the Stambolov dictatorship that they have promised to support us. And they have offered us an interest-free loan of one million Leva!" Petko Karavelov said calmly. Of course, it also omits unrted issues, such as the new government''s full diplomatic bacsh against Russia after the sessful coup. Another example is... In Petko''s view, it was too small and trivial to mention. He was a pro-Russian anyway and didn''t see anything wrong with it. No one here is a fool. Of course, everyone knows that there is no free lunch. The Russians are not charities. They must have their demands. Now everyone is a locust on a rope. No one can run. First, overthrow the government, as for what price to pay, there is no concern. "Great, with the support of the Russians, we don''t have to worry about international istion when our new government is formed!" Trapani said happily. "Commander Trapani, you''re too optimistic, let''s talk about these things when we seed! Now the hawks and dogs of the dictatorship are going around arresting people. One mistake and we''ll be exposed!" Dragan Traikov (Democrat) said calmly. "Perhaps, we can make another big move to divert their attention and create conditions for an uprising!" Vasil Radovov (future leader of the famous Radovists). "Oh, God! Are you going to do another assassination? But now as they are already scared, it doesn''t have any chance!" asked a surprised Commander Trapani. Vasil Radovov said confidently, "Commander Trapani, you are right! But out of the assassination, do we have any other way?" "Those cowards in the cab are almost like turtles, so naturally we don''t have a chance to do it! But what about their families? Isn''t their security so strict?" "Oh, God! Mr. Vasil, are you possessed by the devil! No, ask the priest toe and take a look, it must be a demon!" said Konstantin Slov (a democrat) in disbelief. Facing the surprised stares of the crowd, Vasil Radovov said ndly: "No, I''m fine! Don''t you guys think this is a good idea? Only if we provoke that dictator Stambolov, he will make a mistake and then retaliate wildly to provide cover for our next actions!" Konstantin Slov said hesitantly, "But, God! Toy hands on innocent people is just beyond our bottom line!" Vasil Radovov said with a certain sense of dignity, "Gentlemen, it is worth paying a small price for Bulgaria!" ... Early in the morning at the Sofia Pce, Ferdinand had just had breakfast when Chekhov, the Minister of Education, barged in. "Your Highness, there'' s something wrong with the university." Chekhov said anxiously. Ferdinand looked puzzled and asked, "Excuse me?" Chekhov said nervously, "The police have just surrounded the university to arrest anti-government members. They are now facing off with the security guards!" Ferdinand said in surprise, "How is that possible? Isn''t the university closed? How can there be anti-government members!" Chekhov said with a bitter smile, "Your Highness, it is true that the students stay in campuses every day. But the faculty members are free toe and go. Many of them have expressed their resentment against the government''s practices!" "Many people have published articles bashing the government. Plus, many of those arrested are their friends and rtives, and they should be able to do something about hiding suspects." Ferdinand nodded and said, "I understand! You take a toon of Royal Guards to go there first and tell the police: I''m taking over the school and I'' ll take care of the rest. If you have any problems,e and talk to me." "Yes, Your Highness, I''ll be right there!" Chekhov said happily and ran out as soon as Ferdinand spoke the words. Ferdinand knew that this is probably not less than the influence of this Minister of Education. Otherwise, even if they ask for help, they will not be so anxious. He did not intend to probe deeper. Ferdinand was still satisfied with Chekhov, the Minister of Education. His work was serious andpetent, and most of all, he had already joined him. Bulgaria is really not very big, and the number of literati and schrs is notrge. Although they have different political views, they all have a few friendships with each other. Now that Chekhov has friends involved, it is only natural for him toe to his aid. Chapter 28: University of Bulgaria Chapter 28: University of Bulgaria Aleko Konstantinov asked with a frantic look, "What should we do now? The university guards can''t hold them off for long?" "Sorry to have dragged you into this! I didn''t expect these hawks to have such a good nose, I''ll go out and turn myself in now. After all this is the only university in Bulgaria, as soon as they catch me, they..." Kavinlev said with regret. Aleko interrupted him and eximed, "No, my friend, you can''t go out there! If you fall into their hands, you''ll be finished! You''re right, this is the only university in Bulgaria, and those hawks won''t dare to do anything to us!" "You hide here first. I''ll go out and think of a way, I''ll be back soon! Don''t worry, my friend, don''t forget that the rector of the university is still the Knyaz. They wouldn''t dare to do anything!" With that, Aleko quickly walked out to find someone to discuss strategy. The same scene also happened in other areas of the campus. When Aleko arrived at the office, several people had already gathered inside. Apparently, many people had done the same thing as him and were now busy trying to figure out what to do afterward. "Aleko, you''re just in time. Come along and figure out what to do with those hawks out there!" His good friend Klinton interrupted his thoughts. At that moment, Adolf Kohl came in and said, "Well, gentlemen, please be quiet for a moment!" After seeing the crowd quiet, he continued, "The Sofia police have provided us with a list of suspects who have solid evidence and want us to hand over the hundred or so people on it! We will send it to you now to check it out and then we will talk about it!" Aleko looked at the list carefully with anxiety, and when he saw a name, he then turned pale. At the same time, the people''s faces were different. Some were grateful, and some were ashen. Seeing that it was about time, Adolf Kohl continued, "Okay, everybody''s done reading! Is there anything you want to say?" "Mr. Kohl, this is a total nder! How can they be a rebel party?" "Right!" "This is all nder!" ... The crowd gets agitated, the scene descends into chaos, and Aleko follows suit! "All right, gentlemen. For the love of God, be quiet for a moment!" Kohl scolded in a stern voice. "Whether they are nderous or not, that is a question we can discuss slowlyter! Now that the Sofia police are illegally surrounding the university, I suggest that we protest to them in the name of the university and tell them to withdraw immediately!" "In addition, for the issues raised by the police, our university should organize a self-inspection, and heavy fines will be imposed on those who vite university rules!" "As for how to deal with it, wait for the final investigation results are out. After reported to the rector, he will make a decision! Today''s incident, I have reported to the Ministry of Education." The faces of the people were flushed for a while and then paled in a pretty way. Aleko''s mood was also up and down, happy for a time and then worried. After a moment of silence, Adolf Kohl said, "Gentlemen, if you have no objections, then let''s go and protest to the police now!" The crowd reacted instantly. Everyone didn''t care how to deal with itter. They had to get through it first. They got up and rushed towards the entrance of the campus. What has happened in recent months, they are very aware that all the suspects taken away by the police have not been out. A few days ago, on Christmas Day, there was a horrific mass stabbing. Everyone knows that the police are busy catching the murderer. If they are bound to be rted to this incident, they must be in bad luck. Even those who are not involved are scared. Who knows if the police will take them in as aplices. Now the top government officials have gone crazy, perhaps putting everyone together directly with the raid. ... Seeing no response from inside the campus for a long time, one of the police officers in the cafe across from the main entrance, inside the private room on the second floor, poked his head in and asked, "Chief, should we send someone to rush in?" When he heard that, the middle-aged man''s face changed slightly, and he sternly scolded: "Shut up, Yakov, you stupid! Didn''t I tell you to keep it a secret. I am not here today, you are in charge here. If you shout like that, everyone will know I''m here!" "Yes, yes, you''re not there!" The officer named Yakov said as he bent over with a big smile and lowered his voice. The middle-aged man said solemnly: "Rush, my ass! You don''t see what kind of ce this is? The only university in Bulgaria, where the Knyaz himself is the rector. In case of sh with the suspect and kill a few of the precious inside, how can youpensate!" "Then we just surround it like this? However, it is not the way to do it. The superior has imposed such limits, and it is not good to submit a report!" Police officer Yakov said with a sad face. "Wait a little longer, if there is no result at noon, you will lead people to rush in. Be sure to instruct the people under your charge, be smart, don''t cause trouble!" The middle-aged man instructed. "Don''t worry, Chief! You can rest assured that I''ve done my job. When has anything ever gone wrong with me before? I''ll be careful, as long as the suspect inside doesn''t resist, nothing can go wrong!" Police Officer Yakov assured. The middle-aged man was satisfied with the officer''s behavior and promised, "Well, do a good job! After you get this done, you''ll be Sergeant Yakov!" "Ugh, someone ising out, they are all here! You go deal with it, remember to be polite. My teacher is also among them, I''ll leave first!" The middle-aged man said and left without waiting for Yakov''s reply. Seeing the middle-aged man exit the cafe through the back door, Jaime took a deep breath. Slowly went down the stairs and strolled toward the university. The corners of his mouth moved slightly, and he cursed angrily in a voice only he could hear: "Damned fuck off! I was born and died for you, and now I''m actually being used as cannon fodder!" "Heartless things, and knowing that your teacher is among them. God knows how many other big shots in the government with fellow teachers in the ranks. Is that gang of old men easy to mess with? Theye to lean on the old man, what can I do to them?" "Damn it, I should have known better to reveal something to them, I shouldn''t have taken this hard credit! It doesn''t matter if we can''t catch anyone, but we must not have a fight. If I hurt the Knyaz''s treasure by mistake, I''ll be in trouble!" "God forbid, there better be a secret passage in the campus, so that the rebellious party can all run away and let me go in for a smooth stroll. That way everyone will be better off if you are good!" A hundred or so meters, Yakov walked for ten minutes, and he also idly walked too fast for himself. When they saw Yakoving, an old teacher, who was about sixty years old, sternly and angrily cursed, "Yakov, you bastard, get over here! How dare you lead people to surround the university? Who gave you the guts?" Yakov just felt his legs go weak and had to run into someone he knew. He still has vivid memories of going to school more than ten years ago. When he was a student of this old gentleman, because of his family''s dire situation, he also received financial support from the old gentleman to barely finish secondary school and then became a police officer. He didn''t expect to meet again after more than ten years. Jaime''s eyes could not help but moisten up. He walked to the old man respectfully saluted, shouted: "Hello, Mr. Orsk!" Chapter 29: Handling Chapter 29: Handling When he saw his student, who had be a hawk of the dictatorship, Orsk was in a bad mood and did not ept Yakov''s greeting. He said with a cold smile, "I''m fine! You''ve brought people here to arrest me, how can it be bad?" Yakov is so uneasy. The current situation makes him very awkward. The angry older man across the street made him retreat. On one side is the task from above. The other side is his benefactor. Toplete the task, it will have to break with his benefactor that made his conscience uneasy. When he considers the favor, his career is finished, it will turn more than ten years of struggle into wasted time. Yakov''s uncertainty instantly stirred up the morale of the teachers. It turned out that these police officers were not as vicious as they were said to be. One after another, they cast their eyes among the officers and searched for a familiar target. Soon someone had achieved a battle result. Aleko then found a target and walked up to a young officer and cursed angrily, "Ralf, you son of a bitch. Now get your ass home right now!" Ralf said in defense, "But Uncle Aleko, I''m on a mission. If I leave now, it will ruin my job!" As soon as the words left his mouth, Aleko pointed a shaky finger at Ralf''s nose and roared in anger, "Son of a bitch, is the job the only thing in your heart? Are you still a human being? Do you know what conscience is? Do you have any sense of shame?" Ralf fell back from the scolding. Apparently, he did not expect that his exnation would make his uncle so angry. A few momentster, a few more unlucky people were caught by the angry teachers and scolded angrily. Yakov began to rush. He knew it was going to be a disaster. On the surface, he is indeed the highest person in charge of the scene. It is rted to the context of all the decisive sh. But Yakov simply did not have the power to order a retreat. However, he could not watch his men, being cursed with a loss of morale. He gritted his teeth and said in a shaky voice, "Mr. Orsk, I''m sorry to have disturbed you! I was ordered toe here today, and the police have concrete proof that the university is harboring suspects!" "Just give up your suspects or let us go in and arrest them ourselves. I promise I won''t implicate anyone else!" "Don''t get upset, I''ll be straight with you! This matter, is no longer in my control. I do not want to do so, all the above, I am really powerless!" Seeing that he almost did it, Adolf Kohl came out and said slowly, "So, Mr. Yakov was forced to do the same?" Yakov couldn''t help but nod his head, stating that he was utterly forced to do so. Seeing that Yakov admitted it, Kohl made up some crazy story in front of everyone and said, "Well, then, in that case, we won''t make things harder for you. Here is a protest letter jointly drafted by all the staff of our university, there are three copies. Please forward this one to your superiors!" Yakov took the letter of protest in a daze, only to see the cover written with a frown on it, "All members of the University of Bulgaria ~ a proposal to protest the illegal police siege of the university." Yakov instantly reacted, "Oh no! The rector of the University of Bulgaria is Knyaz Ferdinand, this is a big problem! What will happen up there, he does not know. Anyway, these small pawns under them, will definitely be in big trouble!" "Now we have no choice but to rush hard. As long as we catch the suspect and then do the actual crime, then even if the trouble is made, the burden will be much lighter." Yakov still decided to fight for it, try to make a big deal out of it, and said in a trembling voice: "Gentlemen, it hasn''te to that yet!" "No, it hase to this!" Chekhov said in a loud voice as he hurried toe. The crowd rxed when they saw Chekhoving, along with the Royal Guard. The police could not force their way into the campus in front of the Minister of Education! Besides, there is still a group of soldiers. The police now have no guts to mess up even if they flip out! The old masters now look at Chekhov very well, they think he is "smart, capable and courageous, and he rushed to help at the critical moment!" Many people secretly thought it is different to find a rector whoes from a big one. The police are recklessly arresting people outside, but they are still disciplined when they arrive at the university. Even if they catch the proof, they must follow the rules. If they break the rules, one can find the boss to sue them! When he saw Chekhov, Yakov''s sore head got even worse. What the hell, for a bunch of small people, a minister of yours havee out himself to do? And also, with a group of soldiers, is it necessary? What else can I do with you? Now is no longer a matter of thought about the task. The key is to think about how to aftermath. It would be a bad thing to hold this big minister and call the police department to catch people! Chekhov did not care what Yakov thought. A police officer, even the boss of the Sofia police, is far from his rank? Although he has the lowest real power among all government ministers, the level is not low enough! After looking around, Chekhov said directly to Yakov without any nonsense: "Listen carefully, take your people and get out at once. The university is taken over by us from now on. If there is any problem, you can appeal to His Highness!" Yakov was so startled that he nodded his head and said, "Yes, we''ll leave right away!" After saying that, the police sent a whistle, quickly led the people away. Chekhov ignored the response of the police and entered the campus directly with the crowd. The hearts of the people have just begun to fall and are suspended again. All know that this time things have gone too far to settle scores after the event. When they reached the meeting room, Chekhov''s face sank, and he calmly said, "Call out all the people you''re hiding! Don''t give me excuses! No matter what the reason is, you have all severely vited the university rules, and there is no choice but to punish you!" "Anyone of you who hides someone will be in charge of their custody and will have to sign a warranty statement! We will take our time to inspect. If it is indeed a criminal, you will be held responsible for the crime together, any questions?" "No problem, we''ll sign right away!" The people said in unison. When Chekhov heard the words of the crowd, he smiled bitterly and said, "Then it''s good to leave it to you, Mr. Kohl. Please record the list. Thispany of soldiers will be under yourmand and in charge of keeping the security of the university!" "In any case, all of you are serving as teachers. Think calmly about what you are doing today, is it in line with the code of conduct of a teacher?" "His Highness has said that the upright side of the pir should be passed down to the next! I don''t want you to pass on this selfish side to the next generation!" "For those of you who directly vite the university rules, the penalties are as follows: 1. No promotion for life; 2. Permanent deduction of half of your sry; 3. You will submit a profound report and recite it publicly in front of the entire campus!" The faces of the crowd paled. This sanction waspletely painful to the skin! In fact, Chekhov also resolved too far, but at that time to rush to save lives, there was no argument against Ferdinand. Intellectuals are upright. They have to show their uprightness, at least in front of outsiders. They really can''t say why they oppose the punishment in the face of painful consequences. Chapter 30: Konstantin Chapter 30: Konstantin Ferdinand did not read a lot in his previous life. The article that analyzes the weaknesses of human nature is now being used to live and learn, and it seems to work well. The teachers of the University of Bulgaria, who are now in tears, cannot yet refuse. One can only console oneself that this is a price worth paying for knowing oneself to oppose the dictatorship''s tyranny. It is indeed shameful to recite a review in front of the whole school. But if it''s to oppose government tyranny and to keep their friends, even if word gets out, everyone will just give them a thumbs up for their character! After decades, it would be another beautiful story, sacrificing their interests for the sake of fame, and they could not refute it. If you don''t see what Chekhov just said is powerful, his heart is weak because he also took a chance with the change of position and pushed a person over. It was the famous future Konstantin Stoilov, the future Prime Minister of Bulgaria, the leader of the People''s Party. Not long ago, Konstantin Stoilov, who the government wanted, sought out his old school friend for asylum. For the sake of friendship, Chekhov took him in. However, he hid him in the university, fearing that he might cause trouble. He was prepared to rmend him to Ferdinand when the storm was over to get rid of the crime. He didn''t expect to get on this ce again, and now Chekhov didn''t dare to dy any longer. He knew that now the cab had gone crazy, and with Konstantin Stoilov caught in the act, it was absolutely fatal. Since Christmas, no less than a thousand people have been executed by order of Stambolov''s cab. It was the main reason why Chekhov decided to defect from the Liberals and join Ferdinand. He has little hope for the future of the Liberal Party. After much time, he still thinks Ferdinand has the most potential. The cab can be a few years a term, but the Knyaz can not be changed at will. The base is always solid and immune. He decided to have an open talk with Konstantin Stoilov, an old ssmate whose abilities he recognized. However, the key to political figures is to take a stand. If Konstantin is willing to stand with himself, then naturally, it is good to talk. If not, then Chekhov can only leave him to fend for himself. Konstantin''s mood is very depressed recently. In order to be safe, he has been staying in a small room stacked with various things for a long time. Even the food is sent to him at night, and he has not gone crazy yet. He is already strong inside. Seeing Chekhoving, Konstantin, somewhat agitated and mixed with anticipation, said in rapid session: "Chekhov, my friend, what brings you here? How is it going outside? Has the storm passed? It must be good news, right!" Chekhovughed lightly and joked, "What are you thinking about, now the outside situation is even more chaotic! You know what happened on Christmas Eve. It''s not going to pass so easily, the police are busy going around arresting people!" Konstantin''s face paled, and he said with a bitter smile, "Ah, God! When will this shit ever end? Chekhov, you know, I stay in this hellhole every day. I don''t even have anyone to talk to, I eat and sleep here, do you smell something?" Chekhov only now noticed that Konstantin now looked like a rat. The beard and hair were unkempt, and there was a strong odor in the house. "Oh, God! You are so terribly unlucky! Then let''s talk outside, it''s terrible here!" Chekhov said with sympathy. Konstantin was so shocked that he grabbed Chekhov''s shoulder and said, "God! What do you mean? I can get out? Didn''t you say that the police are arresting me? Now it'' s time to go out..." "Stop, get off me, you fucker! Don''t you know how dirty you are right now?" Chekhov scolded. Konstantin let go of Chekhov and said, "Sorry! I''m just too frantic. You know this hellhole, I don''t want to stay a moment longer! But, can I really go out? In case someone sees you, will implicate you?" Chekhov came out of the house making a grief-stricken face and said, "Oh, God! Poor Konstantin, you must have been strangled in here, and now you are insane!" Konstantin darted out of the house, took a deep breath of fresh air, and then growled, "Chekhov you son of a bitch! Don''t give me the sarcasm, just tell me what''s going on?" Chekhovughed and said, "All right! For the sake of you being so pathetic, I''ll tell you! From today, the police can no longer enter the campus, so it is safe to say that you make your time!" Konstantin asked impatiently, "Really? Come on, tell me what happened in the meantime?" Chekhov smiled and said, "The police illegally surrounded the campus this morning. In a fit of rage, His Highness sent the Royal Guard to take over the campus, so it''s safe here now!" Konstantin said happily, "Great, finally we can get out of this hellhole!" After that, Konstantin went on a rampage in the courtyard, running and roaring madly! A few momentster, Konstantin recovered and went to Chekhov and said gratefully: "Thank you, my friend! I know you must have done a great deal of work in this! Really..." "Well, we''re friends aren''t we! You should go take a shower in your current state and get a good night''s sleep. I have things to do now, so I''ll leave and see you again in a few days!" Chekhov interrupted Konstantin''s grateful words. ... Having ended his conversation with Konstantin, Chekhov knew it was a done deal. Unless he still wanted to go to that shady life, he would never refuse. Ferdinand, who is still in the pce, does not yet know that Bulgaria''s next prime minister is about to defect over. He would have to be in a much better mood now otherwise. "The Conservative Party and the Democratic Party are all useless, it''s just that they can''t beat the Liberals! I can''t even provoke them, it''s been a few days and still no response!" Ferdinand thought in his heart with sorrow. In fact, Ferdinand is ready and waiting for the Liberals and Conservatives, and others to go to war to clear all the hidden problems in Bulgaria in one fell swoop. As a history lover, Ferdinand knows that a bloody crisis always follows every sessful reform. In two lifetimes, Ferdinand did not want to get his hands dirty. He who has experienced the great era of the Inte knows that now as long as the stain is tainted, they will surely scold himter. The gang of publicists does not care what the big picture is or is not. So for the sake of his own life and name, Ferdinand only allowed the dictatorship of Stambolov''s cab. Otherwise, he would have stepped in to stop it. At the end of the day, Ferdinand is still weak at heart. It involves the lives of tens of thousands of people, after all, and he doesn''t know if he should stop there. "Your Highness, the fish have moved!" Hoover came rushing in and said. "Well, you know of it!" When he finished theyout, Ferdinand calmly said, no emotion, no pain, as if he was beyond the world, where everything had nothing to do with him. Chapter 31: The Chaos Starts Chapter 31: The Chaos Starts In May, the wind blew into Bulgaria. It overflowed with smiling faces, exquisite flowers, knocked on the sleeping sky with the hand of hope, blew away the rottenness, blew away the rotten smell, and brought rity. In a sh, four months have passed, and time is the best medicine. The trauma brought by the bloody Christmas night slowly faded out of people''s lives over time. Bulgaria is slowly returning to its usual calm, and martialw has long lifted in Sofia. With arge number of oppositionists caught in the, the local level has be calm. The government has begun to rx the control of the private sector. On May 4, 1889, the peace of Sofia shattered with the sound of the "boom". The opposition parties, which had been quiet for a long time,unched a vocal counterattack against the government. This time, unlike before, the mastermind is a radical - Vasil Radovov. The opposition party enlisted dozens of volunteers and is now the strongest force they can muster! Vasil chose to y it safe and targeted the families of government officials. Stambolov got shot again, and as prime minister, his family focused on it. The Edburga Primary School, located in southeastern Sofia, is one of the best elementary schools in Bulgaria, where Stambolov''s eldest son - Uil - studied. At noon, Edburga Primary School was in its lunch break when two strange men suddenly knocked down the janitor and broke into the school. They were covered in dynamite and went straight to Uil''s ss and then set off the bomb. More than ten people got killed on the spot, and more than thirty has injured. Uil was among the wounded. It was hard to know whether to say that he had a blessed life or had a hard life. The people who came to hear the sound have rescued them at once. Perhaps knowing Uil''s identity, he could recover his life with the full help of the school doctor. But instead, he was hit by shrapnel in both legs and was forced to amputate them to avoid infection. For a child in his early teens, this was too cruel. Stambolov, who came to hear the news, saw Will''s tragic condition. His head "buzzed" and his heart burned with anger in his chest. He wants to kill the killer in pieces at once! Almost at the same time, other top government officials also received terrible news. For example, Minister of Interior Ionas himself, his wife was out shopping when someone killed her on the spot in a sudden bomb attack. Blood for blood, that was theirmon thought. Sofia''s police officers are out in force again. They are now all scared to death, afraid of offending the top and losing their jobs. In the evening, an emergency cab meeting got held. They saw only a few gloomy faces as they walked into the meeting room, with ranting soundsing from time to time from outside the room. Stambolov''s voice went from low to high as he gradually roared. His face turned crimson and then dark blue. His neck rose as if it were about to explode, he covered his head with beads of sweat, and his fist punched the desk with a "cracking" sound. He was furious, yet the other four, not much better. With a burst of mutual retaliation, their anger got even worse. Stambolov growled and roared, "The police are a bunch of losers! How dare they let these terrorists infiltrate Sofia! I''ll have them removed from their posts..." Sava said with a grimace, "Yes, they must be removed from their posts! Not only that, but they must be sent to jail! This is all because of their neglect of duty!" Mihail gritted his teeth and said, "We must retaliate viciously! Catch them all out and hang them all!" Ionas said viciously, "Not only that, they actually dared to do this. It''s time to show them what we are capable of! Do they really think we don''t dare to kill people?" Stambolov''s eyes red and said fiercely, "You''re right! Most of their leaders are in our hands, right? In that case, let''s execute the leaders! Let''s show them that the government can kill too!" Vasil Radovov''s n worked. The eyes of the Stambolov government were all focused on them. They ignored the subtle changes in the army! But the results may be beyond his control. The impact of the provocation has gone too far. The Stambolov cab is now not caring about the effects, and the butcher''s knife hase at them. The police were now arresting people, dead or alive. With the support of Hoover''s intelligence service, the police''s ability to perform their jobs began to rise to the top. The hidden opposition members were falling into the. Those who tried to escape got shot on the spot. Vasil is secretly celebrating the fact that the operation went well. However, sadly, as the dangerous one, he was one of the first targets removed by Hoover. When the police came to the door, Vasil did not know that he got exposed. He opened the door boldly, and without allowing him to speak, he came face to face with a bullet. He heard only a "phew" sound. The future famous Radovian got destroyed in the cradle. Yes, this is Ferdinand''s n to kill with a loan knife. The executor is, of course, the head of intelligence, Hoover. In two years, Ferdinand''s forces have prated into all areas of Bulgaria, with the police and military naturally being key targets. Compared to the army, the Bulgarian police were like a washing machine, full of loopholes. Whether by infiltrating or by coercion, Hoover was able to raise many people quickly. It''s time to put it to use today and set out to clean up the targets, which is only a small task. Hoover''s main target was manyndlords, capitalists, politicians, and extremists who got captured. Ionas came back to the Ministry of Interior with his cup shattered on the floor and papers flying around. After he finished venting, he gathered his men. He scolded viciously: "The rebel party is rampant like this, you are all a bunch of useless people! All day long..." (10,000 words omitted) Probably tired of scolding, Ionas angrily said, "You will go to the prison now and have the head of the rebel party publicly executed. Do you hear me?" The crowd was shocked and was about to open their mouths to ask for the exact list, but their desire to speak stopped when they saw Ionas'' stern face. Out of the office, Pavel Kochakin and others are confused about "execution of the head". Who is that? How to define it? But living under the shadow of Ionas for a long time, they did not have the guts to ask. Pavel Kochakin asked in wonder, "What do we do now? Do any of you know who the heads are?" The people all shook their heads, saying they didn''t know. Suddenly Khali tapped his head, smiled, and said: "I know, it should be in ordance with their status! The high status is naturally the head! As for how exactly to define, it is simply handed to the people at the bottom of the line." "And it doesn''t matter if you get it wrong, it''s his bad luck to kill the wrong fish. You can kill them againter! I think even if they are all dead now, Mr. Minister will not mind!" Several other people also reacted and looked at each other with a smile. However, the original political views are different. Naturally, there is no need to use torture. These people now got caught, and the top has personal enmity. The minister did not say directly, perhaps want them to kill some more! Chapter 32: Massacre Chapter 32: Massacre From top to bottom, with one level pressing the other, the decision of Stambolov''s Cab was passed on in such a confused and usible manner. However, Hoover, who had already been eyeing this chance, naturally would not let go of this golden chance. Ferdinand gave him the order to kill with a knife and remove the hidden problem. Now that the time was ripe, Hoover set in motion the intelligence agents who had been lurking in the police for so long with one mission, "to maximize the damage"! Lorunsvil is now annoyed. As the boss of the Sofia Police Department, few people dare to give him a hard time! However, thetest is an exception to the rule. Yesterday there was a major assassination in Sofia that shocked the country. As the Sofia Police Department chief, he has not been removed from his post, and God has blessed him, so naturally, his days will not be easy. He received another secret order from the Ministry of the Interior. His mood is even worse. The core meaning is that he should immediately "execute the head of the rebel party", but there is no specific list. Lorunsvil is confused. "Who exactly do you want to kill? Now I have arge number of rebels in custody, there must be a specific target! Do we have to execute them all?" Thinking about it, Lorunsvil got scared. It''s thousands of people! Lorunsvil, who did not understand, only wandered around the office. Just then, his secretary, Konstans, suddenly said, "I think I know what''s going on here!" "Oh, God bless! Konstans tell me quickly, what is it up there that you think?" Lorunsvil said with great joy. Konstans said with a bitter smile, "Mr. Chief, when you connect the dots between what happened in Sofia yesterday, you will understand at once!" Lorunsvil blushed bitterly and said, "Yesterday... ah, God! I''m in big trouble, and it''s not a good job! It could be a big mess. No wonder the Ministry of the Interior is afraid to say it straight!" Konstans said with a grudge, "Yes, Mr. Chief! The people up there want revenge and don''t want to carry the name of the butcher. The Ministry of the Interior doesn''t want to carry the name of butcher either, although they have a bad name to begin in the first ce!" Lorunsvil growled, "Goddamn you fuckers, this is making me a scapegoat! So what do we do now?" Konstans proposed, "Mr. Chief, in that case, why don''t we also take a lesson from the Ministry of Interior and leave it to the people below!" Lorunsvil''s eyes lit up. He pped the table and eximed, "Good idea! Let''s do it! At least it will reduce our me. By the way don''t forget to give some hints to the people below, otherwise those stupid people, I guess they can''t do anything!" Konstans immediately agreed and said, "Yes Mr. Chief, it''s best to have the people below do it tonight to avoid a long night!" "Okay, I''ll give the order right away!" Lorunsvil said after a moment''s thought. Lorunsvil did not know until now how much of an impact his order would have. How much blood would be spilled in Sofia this night? Obviously, Konstan gave him a bad idea. Together with the push from Ferdinand''s intelligence officers, everyone knew that the Cab wanted revenge and bloodshed, and the massacre began! In fact, there are quite a few people who were blinded at the same time. All those who received the secret order are now in a simr mood. Just then, someone alwayses forward with a n that reminds people of the assassination case. Many smart people think they understand. The boss wants to avenge the hatred. Naturally, the more you kill, the better! From the initial n of the Cab, the execution of a dozen head figures. The Ministry of the Interior, the target has been expanded to dozens of people. After the push by intelligence people, it has been interpreted below to kill as many as possible. Even some people to please the Cab directly kill the rebel party on their hands! An ambiguous decree, misinterpreted by his men, led to an idental massacre. It was the "Secret Order Massacre" that had severe consequences for Bulgaria! Since those responsible for the details were not sure who should be killed and who should not be killed, they raised the butcher''s knife in a confused manner, also called the "Bulgarian Confusion Massacre"ter times. Ferdinand has managed to cover himself behind the scenes. There is no trace of the flow, and he is still unaware of it on the surface. The ck pot must fall on the head of Stambolov''s Cab. From the "dictatorship" to "police government", and now there is a "butcher government" hat. It was also chosen as the worst Cab in Bulgaria by the media inter years. On the other hand, the opposition parties, who are still in blind, are also unaware that the butcher''s knife is about toe at them. On May 5, a revolt wasunched by the officers, led by Commander Trapani. It happened at the barracks on the outskirts of Sofia. Due to theck of strict control over the group, it was exposed just before it wasunched and was suppressed by themander of the Sofia garrison, Sava Mutkurov, who led and stopped it, and Trapani was killed on the spot. At the same time, the opposition party''s bases in various ces have also been exposed. The enraged police officers simply killed them at the door, and the whole opposition party was almost wiped out! The Stambolov''s Cab, where everything was going well, did not know that the death bells were ringing for them. They are in the joy of crushing the rebellion or basking in the thrill of revenge! ... With a gunshot on the outskirts, the Bulgarian prison cell, which gradually ceased to be as noisy as before, became empty again. After this night, the Stambolov government has finally wiped out the opposition party, wholly and physically. Even if there are still fish in the, there is no longer a chance to be a threat. It is because their supporters no longer exist. ording to the statistics afterward, more than twelve thousand people were killed that night in the whole of Bulgaria. "Blood flowed into rivers, bones into mountains, the sky was miserable, and the earth was pale. Dark years, a tragedy!" The famous Bulgarian writer ofter times, Niky Haytov, described the tragedy with such lines. At the end of the 19th century, the Bulgarian capitalist strength was still minimal. Those who dominated it were, on the contrary, by thendlords themselves - the agri-capitalists that had evolved. The power of the emerging industrial andmercial capitalist was fragile. The main supporters of the Stambolov government were exactly this part of the emerging industrial andmercial capitalists, who had close ties with Austro-Hungarian and British power. Now the Stambolov government has seeded in wiping out its rivals while losing its fragile ruling base. It turned out that the vast majority of Bulgarian peasants, the small and medium-sized rural middle ie, and most of the clergy and intellectuals were pro-Russian, opposed to the government''s policy towards Russia, and showed very little support for the Stambolov government. With the reign of terror of Stambolov''s Cab, it was displeasing to the people, and now the horrific massacre, which was bound to provoke popr rebellion. The time Ferdinand had been waiting for days hade. Chapter 33: Countermeasures Chapter 33: Countermeasures In Sofia Pce, Ferdinand is taking a leisurely drink of tea. It has be a habit of his life, and it has the rhythm of "the country can not be without the king, the king can not be without tea"1). At this time, a maid of about 16 or 17 years old came over. With a round goose egg face, dark eyes, and a lively youthful aura all around. "Your Highness, Mr. Hoover is here!" "Oh, Alisa, bring him over here!" Ferdinand saidzily. Alisa said cheekily, "Yes, Your Highness!" Those familiar with Ferdinand know that he is very easy-going and has little or no arrogance in normal life. He can even joke and chat with the maid as an equal, and the young and youthful Alisa is not afraid of him at all. In a sh, Hoover came in front of Ferdinand. Hoover said with a firm and calm voice, "Your Highness, the fruit is ripe!" It was evident that he is now in a very excited mood. Although he has tried very hard to put on a calm look, but the change between his eyebrows still betrayed him. Ferdinand said happily, "Good! Mr. Hoover, you have done a good job this time. You can proceed to the next step!" "Yes, Your Highness! We are now bargaining with the contractors for a price!" Hoover said cautiously. Ferdinand''s eyebrows changed slightly, then stretched out again and said with a smile, "Then go and do your work. I''ll wait for your good news!" The situation in Bulgaria was already dangerous, and at this point, Ferdinand had to be careful. He was afraid of a moment of negligence that leaks out so that the Stambolov cab is aware of it, and all work is lost. From the news reported by Hoover just now, Ferdinand knew that he hadpleted the initial n and the Stambolov government would soon be finished. But the lure to the military is only partiallyplete. It is normal to think that the news of the massacre has not yet spread, and the military is not in a hurry to take sides now. It is assumed that when the news spreads, everyone else will make the right choice unless they are loyal. After all, not many people want to be buried with the Stambolov government and have to stand against the Bulgarian poption. In fact, the Stambolov government did not have a very tight grip on the army. Middle and lower-ranking officers and ordinary soldiers were mainly hostile to them. It created chances for Ferdinand to talk to junior officers about their ideals and to talk to ordinary soldiers about their treatment, both of which were given routines and often without fail. The army is a self-contained system that is difficult for outsiders to ess. However, this is not a problem. Ferdinand still has a Royal Guard that has been under his control in name only. Almost two years in a row of brainwashing, now nearly for the army are Ferdinand''s loyalists, and the stubborn elements have long been retired. They are the sharpest weapon Ferdinand can pull in the military. He had well paid the Royal Guard. In times of financial trouble, Ferdinand had also paid his own advances, so the morale of the officers and men was always high. It was often the publicity for Ferdinand without even thinking about it, which increased his prestige in the army. Since Ferdinand assumed the throne, the Guards are the envy of the ordinary Bulgarian soldiers. Although the military pay is the same, but the food standard is a higher grade. Ferdinand also sank a promise of retirement cements. When someone was wounded in training earlier and forced to retire, they were ced into the factory by Ferdinand. They enjoyed veterans'' privileges, received the same wages as ordinary workers, but only had to work eight hours a day and were paid overtime if they had more than that. In fact, Ferdinand also submitted a draft of "Preferential Treatment for Veterans" to the National Assembly and was mocked by Stambolov''s cab. The National Assembly represents the interests of the capitalist, which naturally did not hesitate to veto it. However, the top officers are content. They are treated well enough anyway. The ordinary soldiers have already cursed the National Assembly. Now Hoover''s target is themander of the Sofia garrison - Sava Mutkurov. If he is eliminated, then there is no doubt about the fall of Stambolov''s cab. Sava Mutkurov, who had just crushed a riot, was now busy thinking about the aftermath. What is more, an unwee guest came in and made his way in front of him, and the visitor was none other than Hoover. To solve thest hidden problem, Hoover decided to take the matter into his own hands. If Sava Mutkurov chose to refuse, Hoover would have to send him to God. It is, in fact, if it were not for the prestige of Sava Mutkurov in the military, killing him would quickly cause the military to wipe out the rest, and Hoover would have solved him long ago. Sava Mutkurov looked at Hoover and asked suspiciously, "Who are you? How did you get in?" Without waiting for Hoover to answer, he shouted again towards the door, "Guards! Guards! Get this insolent bugger out of here!" Hoover smiled and said, "Mr. Sava, please calm down. Since I cane in and sit here, naturally, it''s all taken care of!" "Who are you?" Sava Mutkurov forced down his anger. With a smile still on his face, Hoover said, "First of all, I would like to introduce myself, my name is Hoover. Ie to visit you, Sir Savoy, by order of His Highness Ferdinand!" "What? His Highness'' order? You are lying, if His Highness wanted to find me, wouldn''t he have sent someone to call me directly to the royal pce. There is still no need that you hide yourself!" Sava Mutkurov said with a cold smile. Hoover ignored his rudeness and asked in return, "Then who else in Bulgaria do you think can make the soldiers outside disobey yours, besides His Highness?" Sava Mutkurov thought about it. He was the voice of the Liberal Party in the army, and Hoover could not have been a Liberal Party man. If the opposition party men had been so powerful, they would have seeded in their uprising. "So Mr. Hoover, what does His Highness require my services?" Being sure of Hoover''s identity, Sava Mutkurov spoke much more politely. Still smiling, Hoover said, "I think Mr. Sava is aware that the cab''s recent actions are somewhat backwards and have lost the hearts and minds of the people!" Sava Mutkurov retorted, "Mr. Hoover is concerned. It is true that the cab''s recent actions have been somewhat wrong, but not to this extent!" Hoover looked at him and said thoughtfully, "Mr. Sava may not be aware that justst night, a terrible event took ce in Bulgaria!" Sava Mutkurov smiled and said casually, "Oh, isn''t it just the opposition riots? I have already crushed it!" Hoover said solemnly, "No, Mr. Sava, it''s ten times more serious than that!" After hearing this, Sava Mutkurov''s body stood upright and asked in doubt, "What is it?" Hoover said with a dark voice: "Last night, the cab ordered the execution of the arrested opposition party; we don''t know exactly who there are! But in the outskirts of Sofia alone, there are thousands of corpses!" Sava Mutkurov eximed, "What? Are you sure, Mr. Hoover? Has the cab gone mad?" Hoover affirmed, "Yes, Mr. Sava''s cab may have really gone crazy. To execute so many people directly without a court trial is already a tant massacre!" Sava Mutkurov, somewhat lost in thought, asked, "What... what does His Highness intend to do?" Trantor: 1)The quote is from ''Lao Tzu Thinking Notes'', without the quote ''tea''. The "Lao Tzu Thinking Notes" is a ssicption of the Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu. The phrase "a country cannot be without a king for a day" means that a country cannot be without a king for a day, and if it is really "without a king for a day", then the world will be in chaos. Chapter 34: Fallen Cabinet Chapter 34: Fallen Cab Hoover sighed deeply, looked at Sava Mutkurov, and said, "Now Bulgaria has reached the moment of life and death. There are strong enemies outside who are feeding on them. The inside is now like a powder keg that will ignite at the slightest point!" "His Highness is very worried about this and feels that the Stambolov''s cab is no longer able to control the situation. He is ready to dismiss the cab!" While already prepared, but Sava Mutkurov was still surprised, as if a bolt from the blue sky hit the head as well as someone poured a pot of cold water from head to toe and numbed the whole body. After a few moments of silence, Sava slowly came back to his senses. He barely raised a trace of his spirit and stared at Hoover with his eyes fixed on him, asking in disbelief, "What?" Hoover nodded carefully, showing that this was indeed the case. He then took out a box of cigars, lit one, and took a puff. He then said, "Mr. Sava, would you like one?" Not waiting for Sava Mutkurov''s answer, he lit another one and handed it over. Sava Mutkurov numbly took it and then took a deep smoke. It seemed so simple to smoke and quietly burned that one could do without thinking. Soon the short cigarette burned out, and Hoover looked at Sava Mutkurov, who was still silent, and said, "Do you want another one?" "Oh, thanks! No need!" Sava Mutkurov suddenly woke up and replied, still a slight panic. Hoover was not saying much, just quietly looking at Sava Mutkurov. He knew that now all that should be said had been told. There was no point in saying anything. As for threats and bribes, that is not even suitable for use here. At this level, it is clear what kind of choice to make and what kind of result to reap. He saw Sava Mutkurov stood up and wandered from side to side in the office. After a moment, he let out a deep sigh and asked with some concern, "What does His Highness intend to do with the cab?" Hoover knew that he was worried about being purgedter. After all, the Stambolov government had done an awful job. Countless people in Bulgaria wanted them dead. "The members of cab are diagnosed by doctors as having possible mental illnesses due to the stress of their work. They are unable to keep working for the government anymore. His Highness has already contacted a hospital in Vienna and intends to send them there for a period of time for treatment!" Hoover said calmly. Sava Mutkurov''s hangs heart dropped at once. He knew that Ferdinand was going to let them off the hook. After all, the fame of Stambolov''s cab is too bad. Once the power is lost, it is clear that it will have purgedter. It seems sending them out of the country is the best option at the moment. As long as the cab members are acquitted, they, the Liberals, won''t get a big purgeter! After watching what Stambolov''s cab is doingtely, he also doubts whether there is really a mental illness. If Stambolov had known what he was thinking, he would have wailed! That''s not how it happened at all, right? Who knew that the idiots under hismand had made this happen! "All right! Mr. Hoover, if His Highness has any orders, I will do as I am told!" After saying these words, Sava Mutkurov seemed too exhausted all his strength and copsed softly on the seat at once. ... After dealing with Sava Mutkurov, Hoover haspleted most of the tasks given by Ferdinand. The other military forces of the Liberal Party, all far away from Sofia, are simply out of reach of the whip. Once Stambolov''s cab has been removed, it will be difficult for them to move. Ferdinand is not a teenager. As long as they do not go to the extermination set, even if the senior officers want to move, the officers and soldiers below will have to cooperate to do so. When he received the news from Hoover, Ferdinand was ready to make a quick move and take the Stambolov cab by surprise before the news spread. Ferdinand changed his ns and directly sent people overnight to inform the members of Parliament and convene the National Assembly in advance. Although he also knows that now the National Assembly has been entirely controlled by the Liberal Party, he still intends to go through the motions. As Ferdinand dyed the news on purpose, Stambolov''s cab was only informed the next day. It made Stambolov, who was already in power, quite unhappy. But before he could vent, he was interrupted by the hastilying Ionas and no longer had the heart to bother. Ionas brought a piece of world-shaking news, a list of executed human prisoners. That''s right. The prisoners have executed the night before. Seeing the long list, Stambolov knew the sky was about to fall. His thick lips as pale, like two willows, leaves as faintly trembling as if anxious to have something to say. Mihail and Wilson, who then arrived, read the list and became pale. They all knew it was going to be over. The Cab members, who get lost in thought, somehow walked into the National Assembly. They were then seated in their seats, all dizzy, not saying a word, ignoring the greetings of the crowd. They did not change much, even when Ferdinand walked in. Ferdinand knew that he settled the big picture. After all, the news was too shocking. Stambolov''s cab had a hard time reacting in a short time, and it was toote to think of a solution. The National Assembly still convened, and Ferdinand spoke directly without going through the usual motions and said, "Gentlemen, I regret to have to tell you now the bad news!" "We have Mr. Stambolov and several other cab ministers, who may be suffers from mental illness and are now unable to continue to preside over the government!" The people below instantly burst into a frenzy of talk. "What? How is this possible?" ... However, looking at the cab members who are now fuming, it seems like they really seem like they are sick. Everyone went over to greet them just now, and they didn''t even answer. In fact, now Stambolov and the others were sober. They just didn''t know how to cope with the next questions. Since Ferdinand said they were sick, the few people decided to pretend to be sick at once. After all, the massacre had already happened. There was no way for them to exin it to the outside world. The execution of tens of thousands of people without a court trial was horrifying. Once the news spread, they would be known as rats in Bulgaria, where people shouted at everyone for their actions. Ferdinand''s im seems to be the only way to get them back in one piece. If they are mentally ill, thew will not hold them legally responsible. Karl, who got appointed as a Chambein, shouted, "Order!" After a few moments of effort, when everyone calmed down, Ferdinand continued: "Well, as you can see, there is really no way for them to continue working for Bulgaria in their current state. I have contacted a hospital in Vienna for them, and will send them there this afternoon. The guards will now send them home and pack up!" Chapter 35: Dissolution of National Assembly Chapter 35: Dissolution of National Assembly As he watched the guards send the cab away, Ferdinand also breathed a deep sigh of relief. After all, it was Stambolov who helped him to the top. Ferdinand really did not want to go this far if he did not have to. But politics was so cruel that he could not afford to take half a step backward. Even so, Ferdinand chose to show mercy. Ignoring the crowd''s surprise, Ferdinand continued, "Gentlemen, you can now withdraw your gaze. It is still clear that the cab led by Mr. Stambolov has made excellent efforts for the development of Bulgaria with the results of its earlier work. May God bless them with a speedy recovery!" "As for theter work, the cause of the hectic disease may have interfered with their sanity. Doing a lot of stupid things against their hearts! But I believe that people will not be bothered with the people who are sick. The Bulgarian poption is tolerant and will surely forgive them!" "ording to the Bulgarian Constitution, the cab now no longer exists. In order to deal with whates next, I have decided to form a temporary cab until the end of this term upon re-election!" The Liberals paled as Ferdinand did not give them a chance to re-form the cab, much to their dismay. Many people began to move, and the crowd suppressed by Stambolov for a long time could not hold back now. "Your Highness, isn''t it supposed to be our Liberal Party that forms the cab?" Holmes stood up and asked Ferdinand. Other Liberal members of parliament have also expressed their dismay as if they will not give up if they are not given a reason. Before Ferdinand could say anything, another member of parliament jumped out. Archbishop Kliment, a clergy member, stood up at once and argued, "ording to the Bulgarian Constitution, what His Highness did was perfectly legal!" "As a result of the previous cab''s numerous constitutional offenses, if it hadn''t been confirmed that Stambolov and others, had been mentally ill, they would be in jail by now! The Liberals have forfeited the right to continue forming the cab by their failure to stop the cab''s uwful actions." At once, it gained the support of a group of legitors, who had long been upset by the Stambolov government''s reign of terror. If they keep the Liberal Party in power, who knows if they will continue to purge the dissidents. Maybe one day they will be taken away by the police. It is better to choose to support Ferdinand, at least not the enemy, and cooperate. It is possible to get a position in the cab. The two sides argued, with the Liberal members of parliament outnumbered and the opposition holding up the banner of thew and arguing their case. Ferdinand instantly pped the table and roared, "Order!" "This is the National Assembly, not a market, so whoever makes trouble again, get out!" "I now decree that Liberal Party hereby revoked as the ruling party due to repeated abuses of the Constitution during its time in power! At the same time, due to the arrests of several legitors and the fact that the number of members of the National Assembly is below three-quarters, I have decided to dissolve the National Assembly and hold a new election!" After hearing this news, the following faces are different. There are happy and sad. Liberal members of parliament immediately paled. They all knew that it was over. Their names were already stinking in the streets due to the recklessness of the Stambolov government. There was no chance of winning. Just now, everyone was busy fighting for power and profit. How did they not expect Ferdinand would just pull the plug? They should know that the Liberal Party has been the main force supporting Ferdinand''s session to the throne. Most of the other political forces in Bulgaria are pro-Russian and were his opponents before. But politics is such aedy! Before Ferdinand seeded to the throne, the pro-Russian faction was against him. Now that the big picture is settled, Ferdinand is already the legitimate Knyaz of Bulgaria. The basis for pro-Russian resistance no longer exists. Instead, the Liberal Party, which previously supported Ferdinand, became a stepping stone on his path to power. The point is that the Liberals who did not wake up in time still used him as a rubber stamp, and now it will be tragic. The other MPs, on the other hand, exuded a victory gaze. The ruling Stambolov cab actually fallen together with the Liberal Party collectively. The Bulgarian politicalndscape is about to face a major reshuffle. To them, this is a godsend. If they don''t take action, they will be fooled in the head. After looking at the chaotic crowd, Ferdinand didn''t say anything else and left the meeting directly. He knew that when it exposed the massacre, the Liberal Party was truly finished. The news could not flow out from him to avoid suspicion, but he had to go with the flow and let it spread freely. A street tabloid in Sofia, which has long been in print, was forced to close its doors some time ago due to a government crackdown. It was lucky to be targeted by Hoover and then absorbed and made a timely escape by having run away. Now it''s time to show its value to the new boss, and the reveal of the massacre is the first bullet. The workers were hesitant at first. However, after seeing the photos of the massacre, they stirred up the anger against the government in them, and they got to work right away. Like the new boss said, to expose the news, the Knyaz saw the need to dissolve the cab. The arrogant and bossy police officers have to follow the bad luck, and everyone can live a good life. The former members of parliament, who had just left the gates of the National Assembly, received this shocking news, and many were stunned! Those who were still skeptical are now saying that the cab members are really crazy. Otherwise, who would dare to do this? Killing tens of thousands of people at once, and none of them are ordinary people. One can think about it. The news that Ferdinand dismissed the cab and dissolved the parliament can reap a big wave of prestige. Back at the pce, Ferdinand''s tense heart finally rxed. Just now, he was distraught that there was a scandal of a member of parliament violently beating the monarch. Well, it''s a good thing nothing happened. Now it''s safe to take stock of the harvest. The Liberals have reached the point where everyone is crying out for help. The opposition surely won''t mind and put thebel of the butcher party on them. The big trouble is that each of them is left to their own devices, and now they have no effort to seek Ferdinand''s lousy luck. "Bitter hatred year after year to embroider the golden thread, for others to make a wedding dress.1)" This line is a good way to exin Stambolov''s current mood; the effort to fight to carry the me, while Ferdinand sits back and enjoys his sess. On the road to Vienna, Stambolov had a feeling of "wandering for five miles2)". He knew that if there were no idents, he would never have the chance to set foot on thisnd again in his life. It is not so easy to end things, so many people have died, and the government always has to exin. The cab has been sent away. Although Ferdinand gave it a name of mental illness, it is not thought to be over. With so many government officials, there are always a few to be thrown out in the charge. There is also that huge amount of property, and there are not a few people who want to take note. Trantor: 1) This poem is from "The Poor Girl" by Qin Taoyu, from the Tang Dynasty. The poem recalls those schrs who spent all their time offering advice to their superiors, yet they were reduced to the lower ranks - perhaps the poet''s selfment. The poem is sad and sorrowful, reflecting the anger and injustice of the weak and poor schrs in feudal society when the world does not need them. 2) The whole line is "The peacock flies southeast and wanders for five miles". The poem is from Han Dynasty. It means someone is very sad to be left and has a very longing feeling. Chapter 36: Interim Cabinet Formed Chapter 36: Interim Cab Formed When he looked at the newspaper in his hand, Kliment said in disbelief, "How is this possible? Has the cab gone crazy? Have all the officials below also gone crazy? This ispletely insane!" No one answered his question, and everyone around him was as stunned as he was. The opposition party, which had thought it was going to make aeback, was now baffled by the bad news. The main figures are dead. The roots are gone. The remaining two or three small dogs and cats are already destined to be reduced to spectators. It is a big battle of fire between the Liberals and the opposition party to the outside world. The Liberals felt that the power was gone and simply dragged the opposition party down with them. Now everyone is pretty much the same. The Liberals are in disgrace, the opposition is thin, everyone has lost their popr base, and no one can wipe out the other. It is precisely the result Ferdinand wanted. After this battle, for at least twenty years ~ the Bulgarian political parties will not be able to be a trend. And the people are already sick of political parties. The Liberal Party''s massacre, the opposition''s mass assassination, it''s scary to think about it! Ferdinand thought about it but still decided to beat the dog and said to Hoover, "Your next priority is still to continue to guide public opinion and make the party the focus of propaganda!" Hoover asked in doubt, "Is Your Highness trying to abolish political parties?" Ferdinand red at Hoover with discontent and, after a moment of silence, said, "What? You think there''s something wrong?" Hoover knew he had slipped up. It was beyond the scope of his job, and he quickly said, "No, no problem, I''ll get right on it!" Ferdinand waved his hand and signaled for Hoover to leave. He thought to himself, "Hoover has so much power in his hands that he is now a little forgetful. It seems that power must be divided!" At that moment, Alisa came up to Ferdinand and said, "Your Highness, Minister Chekhov is here." "Let him in!" Ferdinand said as he calmed down. ... Afterpleting and polite greeting, Chekhov began to report to Ferdinand. "Your Highness, I rmend a man to you who is very capable and can assist you in your political affairs!" In a surprise, Ferdinand asked, "Oh! Who is it?" After the fall of Stambolov''s cab, except for leaving a huge sum of money, it also left a pile of tough messes. The interim cab has not yete to form, which needs Ferdinand to deal with it. He now urgently needs help. Chekhov did not shy away from saying, "My old ssmate Konstantin Stoilov. A former high ranking member of the People''s Party, with strong personal skills... He has no obvious bias in diplomacy." Ferdinand''s heart is shocked. Another famous person seems to be the next Prime Minister of Bulgaria in the original era. Konstantin Stoilov, who became prime minister of Bulgaria in 1894, pursued the economic policy of the Stambolov regime with the most enthusiasm among the various governments and promoted the industrial development of Bulgaria. In diplomatic terms, he reached apromise with Russia and normalized Bulgarian rtions. But in dealing with its political opponents, the People''s Party often hired assassins to murder its opponents. Moreover, soon aftering to power, party officials engaged in gray deals and corruption and soon became infamous. Ferdinand thought about it and then rxed. The situation now was very different from the historical one. A single Konstantin Stoilov could not make any big waves, and it seemed a good choice to let him handle the internal affairs. "Oh, since you hold him in such high esteem, I''ll meet him!" Ferdinand said with a smile. Chekhov said in a certain tone, "Don''t worry, Your Highness, he will never let you down!" Ferdinand nodded and said, "Hmm! By the way, the interim cab will be formed soon. Among them I have reserved a position for you. You should be prepared!" Chekhov''s heart was delighted that his efforts were finally not in vain and had been rewarded so quickly. He said with happiness and emotion, "Please rest assured, Your Highness, I will try my best to do a good job!" Ferdinand nodded with content. He has been running the business in Bulgaria for too short a time. There are actually not many suitable candidates in his hands. Chekhov was the first senior government official to join him. Although his ability was average, he was good at obeying and enforcing his orders. Moreover, the Minister of Education has already taken care of this. It is not too abrupt to promote him to the cab. ... Time passed quickly, and after two days of wild rumors, the news had spread all over Bulgaria, and everyone was talking about it. The media, which they had just rxed, now acted like they were being held back. They bit the Liberals and the Opposition in a frenzy of criticism. The intellectuals who escaped the attack and the educators responded in unison. Thanks to the Stambolov government''s reign of terror, many ordinary people who are not concerned about things, it is to reduce the pressure on Ferdinand. He sent the Stambolov cab away for mental illness, but the call for their death sentence was still very loud. However, Ferdinand was quick to deal with the matter andunched a Revision Committee, which diverted public attention with the reversal of the case not to cause chaos. On May 15, 1889, Ferdinand formed a low-profile interim cab with the prime minister left vacant. The cab was nowposed of only three members: Minister of Education Chekhov, Minister of Agriculture Yakov Petrinov, and the pro-Russian Archbishop Kliment. When he established the new government, the tithe and the harsh taxes imposed under the Stambolov regime were abolished. Ferdinand was then assigned to Archbishop Kliment and formed a delegation to St. Petersburg to calm the pro-Russian faction in the country. After he did all this, Ferdinand breathed a deep sigh of relief. He stabilized the chaotic situation in Bulgaria in the short term. It was only now that Ferdinand had the energy to deal with the mess left by Stambolov''s cab. He could not stop the ongoing five-year n. The chaotic system of government needed to be sorted out. Most of the suspects who had been secretly executed and were still in prison needed to be newly identified. Konstantin Stoilov passed Ferdinand''s test and was assigned to the post of Minister of Interior. He was in charge of keeping the administration on a day-to-day basis. Chekhov personally takes charge of the Revision Committee. It began to identify the crime, and of course, he directly ignored those involved or implicated in the assassination case. The unlucky ones that got now exterminated also leaned back. It was a great sess. Even so, they could not do the rehab of tens of thousands of people fast enough. It was Ferdinand''s idea that all be handled by legal procedures. Ferdinand also invited the Bulgarian judicial sector, the famous veteran - Boris Christoff, to form the anti-corruption bureau. The purge of the government has begun, and the former cab is also under scrutiny, with arge number of officials facing dismissal. The first to bear the brunt is the police department as a direct party to the massacre. The public is crying out for help. Ferdinand took this chance toplete the control of the police system quietly. Ferdinand and the interim cab were busy for most of the year before the administration was on the right track. Chapter 37: Domestic Affairs Chapter 37: Domestic Affairs After the forming of the interim cab, Ferdinand purged the dissidents in the name of anti-corruption. He greatly nurtured his cronies and tried to dilute the influence of the Liberal Party, in which Boris Christoff was instrumental. The credit goes to Boris Christoff! Boris Christoff, who is the head of the anti-corruption bureau, takes all the credit. Christoff, who is now busy every day, is happy and bitter. His ideal has been realized, but the life of leisure is gone. He was a great hero in the eyes of the people, a butcher in the eyes of the officials. Ferdinand gave Boris Christoff full trust. As long as his eyes were on them, not many could get away. He is iron-faced and selfless, no matter who pleads for mercy without selling face. Ferdinand is no different. Even the intelligence officers under Hoover were also caught in the crossfire. He sent a few unlucky people with dirty fingers to jail. Hoover simply goes along with it. They can go to prison to lurk and monitor the criminals and serve the crime. As Bulgaria is now in the midst of building arge infrastructure, these criminals will most likely be sent to work as hardbor. The anti-corruption bureau led by Boris is now sending people to the court every other day, and the efficiency is shocking. It has caused the Bulgarian courts to organize a special temporary court to judge corrupt officials. The media also gave him the nickname "official butcher", and Boris Christoff became the most famous person in Bulgaria. Christoff became the most popr person among Bulgarian citizens. The effort of Boris Christoff was not in vain. In addition to the arrest of many corrupt officials, the public has once again regained trust in the government. To better develop the economy, Ferdinand merged the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Economy. The promotion of local officials and economic development had be important indicators. Ferdinand merged the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, which was created in response to the actual situation in Bulgaria. The water sector, which was under the Ministry of Interior, was transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture. It resolved thanks to the huge legacy left by Stambolov''s cab, Bulgaria''s chronic financial crisis. It gave Ferdinand sufficient strength to elerate the industrialization of Bulgaria. In agriculture, due to the "confusion massacre", arge amount of unownednd was nationalized. At the same time, a part of the cache ofnd was seized and forcibly seized by the government. Thendlords'' ss has been in ruins ever since. The government is now in direct control of one-third of Bulgaria''snd. Ferdinand set a maximum rent tax on thend to relieve ss conflicts, which could not exceed thirty percent. The owner of thend was charged with paying the agricultural tax. Ferdinand decided to promote the upgrade of agricultural industry technology by gradually creating farms and adopting mechanized operations in the in areas. ... During the ministerial meeting at the end of 1889, Konstantin Stoilov said with a flushed face: "Your Highness, the domestic economy is now doing well. 50 million Leva of new investments were made in six months!" Ferdinand smiled and nodded, gesturing for him to continue. Secretly, he thought to himself, "Great shit, arge part of them are my own investment or government investment. The real private capital is tiny!" Konstantin continued, "Since June, up to now, there have been 1,035 new factories of all sizes in the country. Among them, there are twelverge factories with capital over one million and employing more than one thousand people!" "The government invested a total of twelve million eight hundred and fifty thousand Leva, mainly in the Great Railway Project as well as in the construction of supporting roads, and part of the infrastructure! So far, the overall progress is going well!" "Next year, we will continue to promote industrialization. We are also prepared to continue to increase investment in government infrastructure projects. The main project is to continue toplete the railroad program, as well as urban supporting construction, to create favorable conditions for industrial andmercial development!" Ferdinand knew that he wasying the groundwork to secure the budget for theing year, smiled, and said, "Good, the government are working to be sure!" After Ferdinand finished, he turned his attention to Minister of Defense, Sava Mutkurov. To control the military power, Ferdinand carried out a major restructuring of the army. He promoted most of the former senior generals in the military to the Ministry of Defense. Sava Mutkurov became the Minister of Defense under old seniority plus the early to defect. In Ferdinand''s view, a Ministry of Defense officiales out of the military. How civilian-born should be experts? It is considered waste! Sava Mutkurov is still grateful to Ferdinand. Don''t look at him as a liberal, but civilians always filled the position of Minister of Defense. There is no part for him at all. When he understood Ferdinand''s meaning, Sava Mutkurov said, "Your Highness, our army has just undergone a major overhaul, and the current problem is that the weapons and equipment are mostly outdated. Forget about the European powers, evenpared to Greece and Serbia, there is still some distance in firepower!" "At present, our military industry is still slowing down. The arsenal machines and equipment have fallen behind and need to be updated urgently. Moreover, they can only produce guns and ammunition and small-caliber artillery. Ferdinand said cautiously after thinking about it, "The problem of the arsenal does urgently need to be solved. It can be given priority in next year''s financial budget. But the issue of army training, you must hurry up and create an elite division as soon as possible!" "Don''t worry, Your Highness! We will do a good job with the issue of the drill and discipline!" Sava Mutkurov assured. Aware that it was his turn to speak, Yakov Petrinov spoke up and said, "Your Highness, due to the unrest in the first half of the year, this year''s agricultural production has been affected somewhat. The area under farming has decreased by 3 percentage pointspared to previous years." "But with the spread of new agricultural techniques, there has been an increase in yields per acre. Even yields in some areas have increased by more than 8%! Overall, it''s on par withst year." Ferdinand smiled and said, "Good! Keep up the good work and try to take it to the next level this year!" Thest person to stand up and speak was Chekhov. Although the Minister of Education had the lowest authority, the cab ranking was the opposite. It is Ferdinand''s art of power. The biggest real power, Konstantin, could not even enter the cab. The smallest real power, Chekhov, was instead ranked highest in the cab. Chekhov cleared his throat and said, "Your Highness, this year''s education is progressing rapidly. The second year of university students also enrolled sessfully. Also five new higher education institutions in the country have started enrolling, including two teacher training colleges, one medical college, and the remaining two are general technical colleges! Basically, we can meet the educational needs of Bulgaria." "The literacy education promoted to the society is also progressing very well. The total number of illiterates has dropped by ten percentage points. It is expected that within ten years, illiteracy can bergely eliminated!" Ferdinand nodded in content. Chekhov''s ability to make his own decisions wascking, but his ability to execute was excellent. Chapter 38: Diplomacy Chapter 38: Diplomacy During the summer and fall of 1887, Bismarck and Salisbury extended the Mediterranean Pact as far as the Balkans. In December, the British, Italians, and Austrians renewed their agreements. They formed the Second Mediterranean Agreement and a coalition against the Russian issue in the Near East. It was an adjustment of the alliance system made by Bismarck, which resulted in a pattern of mutual restraint between Britain, Italy, Austria, and France and Russia in the Near East while keeping France and Russia out of the alliance and ensuring Germany''s position in the European continent. From thete 1880s, the League of the Three Emperors broke down, but Germany established alliances with Russia and Austria. This period was the peak of Bismarck''s foreign policy. In March 1890, after the fall of Bismarck, his sessor made a change in foreign policy, and the alliance went to an end. One of the most important aspects of Germany''s new foreign route is that the German-Russian Reinsurance Treaty is not being extended. After Germany tore up the German-Russian Reinsurance Treaty, Russia''s diplomatic situation became harder all the time. Russia was forced to draw closer to France. From 1891, the two countries opened talks on an alliance, which they did not formally establish until 1894 due to mutual distrust between France and Russia. In July 1890, the British-German Treaty of Helignd-Zanzibar was signed under the "New Course". It settled the dispute between the two countries over the colonies. It was considered at the time to be a major concession on the part of Germany to draw Britain into the Triple Alliance. Between 1890 and 1894, Germany pushed Britain to expand its position in the Mediterranean Agreement. It took German actions in the Mediterranean to demonstrate to the world the "Concert of Four" position. In this context, Ferdinand sent Archbishop Kliment to Russia with the main purpose: First, to soothe the pro-Russian faction in the majority; Second, to improve Russian-Bulgarian rtions to hold the major one without paying the price of a visit. Time is running out. Bismarck will step down in a few months, and Germany will tear up the German-Russian Reinsurance Treaty. It would be logical for Russia to break the diplomatic blockade and bring Bulgaria on board. In fact, since the founding of the League of the Three Emperors, there have been many conflicts. It is especially between Russia and Austria, which are difficult to reconcile. In 1885, there was a revolt in Eastern Rumelia, when the public expelled the Turkish Ottoman officials from the country and dered a union with the Principality of Bulgaria. Knyaz Alexander was crowned as the monarch of the merged state. What was meant to be only a move towards Bulgarian national independence, the crisis in Bulgaria, whichsted two years, was caused by the European powers'' meddling to gain control of Bulgaria. The Principality of Bulgaria was the main position in the Balkans after the Russo-Turkish War of 1878. The agreement on the unification of Bulgaria was made in 1881 in the League of the Three Emperors. Still, due to the changes in Russian-Bulgarian rtions, Russia could not continue to control the Bulgarian puppet regime. Knyaz Alexander, a descendent of the aristocracy of the small German state, was the nephew of the Empress of Russia and became the monarch of the Principality of Bulgaria in 1879 with the Tsar''s support. After his reign, Knyaz Alexander slowly expressed hisints about the arrogance of Russian officials in Bulgaria with numerous fruitless talks between the two sides. Knyaz Alexander''s anti-Russian action became obvious to get rid of Russian control. Although Austria-Hungary was allied with Russia, they didn''t want to see Russia''s monopoly on Bulgaria. They started to lean on each other with Alexander in a bteral manner. After the breakdown of Russian-Bulgarian rtions, Russia, seeing that it could not continue to control the Bulgarian government, began to hinder the unification of Bulgaria and threatened to withdraw its officers and dismantle its military forces. At the same time, they asked the other great powers to put pressure on Bulgaria together and force the Knyaz Alexander to dissolve Bulgaria. At the meeting of the Great Powers, Austria-Hungary sided with Russia under the influence of German mediation. Still, it was opposed by the British, as the German and Austrian positions were not firm. They reached apromise, and Knyaz Alexander became the governor of Eastern Rumelia, whichpleted the de facto unification of Bulgaria while Turkey retained its nominal sovereignty. That''s not all. The union of Bulgaria caused the prying eyes of small countries such as Greece and Serbia, hoping for territorialpensation. The King Mn of Serbia visited Vienna in September, hoping that there would be support for the territory from Austria-Hungary. And when he saw that at the meeting of the great powers, he could not get support. In November, Serbia invaded Bulgaria, but the end was a surprise. The Serbian army, which had absolute strength, was defeated by Bulgaria. The Bulgarian army took the chance to upy some important Serbian towns and pushed to the capital. Austria-Hungary intervened in the Bulgarian-Serbian War to preserve its interests in the Balkans. It forced Bulgaria to withdraw its troops but kept Russia out of the picture. At the same time, the defeat of Serbia led to the rise to power of the pro-Russian faction, whichid the basis for the Russian-Austrian conflict. Russia, not willing to lose, nned a coup d''tat and overthrew the rule of Knyaz Alexander. However, due to the Anglo-Austrian interventionter, the situation was beyond Russia''s control. Ferdinand was installed as the new Knyaz, and the Russian-Austrian rtions worsened. German-Russian rtions were also not as good as expected, and a conflict broke out between the two sides over trade issues. The cheap Russian agricultural products entered the German market, which affected the interests of the Junker aristocracy. After their intervention, they imposed heavy taxes on Russian agricultural products. Russia also retaliated by imposing hefty tariffs on German industrial products, and German-Russian trade conflicts broke out. In November 1887, the German market was closed to Russia when Germany banned Russian stocks of domestic banks, which prompted Russia to turn to France, and the German-Russian alliance came to an end. At the end of November 1889, the Bulgarian diplomatic mission arrived in St. Petersburg. The following month, Alexander III received Archbishop Kliment, and the Bulgarian-Russian diplomatic deadlock, which hadsted for four years, began to lighten up. At the same time, Ferdinand, who was familiar with the faces of the Great Powers, was forced to ept the signing of secret treaties with Great Britain and Austria-Hungary during the Stambolov government. The British and Austrians gained special rights to Bulgaria''s foreign trade. Both sides had to pay a very low tariff, which was unfair to Bulgaria, given the industrial gap. At the same time, as a result of the mortgage of tariffs, the British and Austrian presence began a pration into Bulgaria. After paying a heavy price, Ferdinand''s government gained the support of the British and Austrians, and it further developed the rtions between the two sides. In the long run, the British and Austrians, with their industrial superiority, dominated trade with Bulgaria and hit the growth of the national capitalist of Bulgaria. Fortunately, Ferdinand was prepared to develop state capitalism from the start under the bias in policy, integrated resources, andpetition with the great powers. There is no n to rely on capitalist power. Otherwise, Bulgaria will be difficult to develop. Chapter 39: Relationship with Russia Chapter 39: Rtionship with Russia In March 1891, Archbishop Kliment became lively upon his return from St. Petersburg. It was clear that the trip to Russia had gone well, and he was in a good mood. Three dayster, he was pushing the idea of the merits of United Russia. Now the cab members had to go around when they saw him. They didn''t have the guts to decide without Ferdinand''s nod. After seeing that the official route did not work, Kliment now set his sights on Ferdinand. He was no longer content to ease rtions with Russia merely. Instead, he wanted to make rtions between Russia and Bulgaria go further, at best to establish a strong alliance. "Your Highness, Russia is Bulgaria''s natural ally. We have been helped by Russia since the War of Independence. Although there have been some shorings, those were issues during the Stambolov''s cab. For the sake of Bulgaria''s better future, an alliance with Russia is a must! Believe me, I can swear on God''s name!" Kliment spoke with great passion, trying to infect Ferdinand with words. They can see that Kliment does not grasp politics. If not, he would not have brought it up in such a big way at the ministerial meeting. The conflict between Bulgaria and Russia during Stambolov''s time gave rise to Ferdinand''s rise to power. Anyone with a bit of political sense would have chosen to avoid it not to embarrass Ferdinand. Although he spoke with great passion, but the crowd did not have much reaction. It was too vague, and there was no real substance to it. Of course, it''s important for Russia, but what about the actual benefits for Bulgaria? How to get the support of the crowd if you can''t see this! Ferdinand took over and said, "You''re right, Your Eminence. It'' s true that rtions with Russia are important! The problem is the rtions between Russia and Bulgaria, which involve both us and Russia, and are not decided solely by us!" "At the same time, we must consider international ties in full, as well as the attitudes of the other great powers! At least the stance of Britain and Austria-Hungary will have to be taken into ount!" It turned out that Kliment really did not know much about politics and was a mere pro-Russian, which was too much for him in terms of international rtions. His position in the cab was given only by Ferdinand to ease rtions with Russia and show the sincerity of Bulgaria on his visits, with almost no specific powers. At this time, the knock on the door "thump thump... thump thump " sounded. "Come in!" Ferdinand said, aware that no one would disturb a cab meeting unless something big happened. The Chambein, Karl, hurried in, went to Ferdinand and said, "Your Highness, the international situation is about to change radically! News has just arrived from Berlin that on March 17, the Russian ambassador to Germany, Pavel Shuvalov, offered Berlin a six-year extension of the German-Russian Reinsurance Treaty, which was rejected by the German government!" The crowd was shocked that the German-Russian alliance was just about to end. The international situation was about to face a major shakeup. Even the apolitical Kliment knew that Bulgaria''s foreign policy would have to be revised. Ferdinand thought about it and said, "It was expected, but I just didn''t expect it toe so quickly! Some saw iting from the start of the German-Russian trade conflict, and then the dissolution of the Three Emperors League. No one expected that Bismarck made another reinsurance treaty. Now that the old chancellor has stepped down, Wilhelm II, who desperately needs to prove himself, naturally can''t wait!" It''s preaching to the cab about international issues. For a long time, they messed up Bulgaria''s foreign rtions. The main thing is that the eyes were limited to the Balkans and failed to understand the international situation clearly. "Your Highness, so what should we do next to adjust our foreign policy?" Metev, who is in charge of foreign affairs, asked tensely. Ferdinand asked in return, "What do you all think?" Konstantin thought about it and said, "Your Highness, until the international situation is calmed down, it is not proper for us to get directly involved. Bulgaria is only a small country and does not have the ability to influence the international crisis, so it is better to improvise!" Ferdinand nodded in approval. Ferdinand would have made the same choice if he hadn''t known where it headed in history next. After all, Bulgaria is only a small country. One wrong step, there is a risk of disaster; even if you win the bet, the harvest is limited. So it is better to make the right move. Historically, from the beginning of Konstantin''s policy, Bulgaria has flexibly exploited international conflicts to the left and right. It worked well at first and got pulled in by various countries. But in theter years, when the two major blocks of the international arena founded, Bulgaria, which attempted to y left and right, paid a terrible price. In the Second Balkan War, Russia, discontent with Bulgaria''s indecision, choose the moremitted Serbia. Likewise, Austria-Hungary had doubts about Bulgaria''s position and left Bulgaria behind in the end. Kliment was anxious. He also knew that the next international foreign affairs would be very difficult for Russia. The value of the Russian-Bulgarian alliance, too, would be greatly reduced, which was difficult for him to ept. After a few moments of silence, Ferdinand knew that the cab should take note that it is too difficult for them. After all, they are suddenly promoted in a hurry and have no experience in this area. "Now the international situation has changed greatly, it''''s not for us to meddle in where it goes next. Hence the general policy is to maintain stability and continue to keep rtions with Britain and Austria stable. At the same time, we must pay close to Russian rtions and continue to promote rtions between the two countries. We also need to ease rtions with the Balkan countries as much as possible toy the foundation for the next economic development!" Ferdinand made a surprising decision. Although Kliment''s politics were not mature enough, his political side was a bit stunned that Ferdinand, who had previously opposed the alliance with Russia, had now turned to support it. Konstantin was the first to react. He smiled faintly, followed by the crowd who understood and nodded in content. Bulgaria is poor in mineral resources. Therefore, toplete industrialization, it is necessary to bring things in from abroad. In terms of cost, Russia is the best choice. The mineral-rich, poorly developed Ukrainian region and the ck Sea coast can provide Bulgaria with resources and a vast market. Therefore, Russian-Bulgarian rtions will be the next most crucial diplomatic task for Bulgaria. By now, Ferdinand still had some headaches. Moreover, the foreign affairs of the Balkan countries were quite shocking and a mess. Initially, Serbia was pro-Austro-Hungarian, Greece and Romania were pro-German, and Bulgaria was pro-Russian. After the outbreak of World War I, Bulgaria, which was pro-Entente, joined the Central, and the pro-Central countries joined the Entente one after another. "I think you''ll have to make another trip to St. Petersburg, Your Eminence. We will strengthen the mutual rtions between the two countries in the name of cultural and religious affairs. Is there any problem?" Ferdinand asked in a manner that one could not deny. Kliment said at once, "No, no problem!" Although he did not figure out Ferdinand''s foreign policy, the result is what he wants on the line. Chapter 40: Labor Issues Chapter 40: Labor Issues From 1888, Bulgaria started the five-year n, and the railroad was the top priority. Both in the era of Stambolov''s government and Ferdinand''s era, no matter how the situation in the country changed, they did not interfere with the standard construction of the railway. To ensure the smoothpletion of the railroad n and save money, during the period of Stambolov, they began to send criminals to work sites as hardbor. Stambolov''s Cab let the police run amok at first to crack down on rivals. Then, inter stages, to raise funds, and not without the intention of finding a group of cheapbor. With the start of the vindication work, many wrongful and unjust cases of the Stambolov era were investigated and cleared. As a result, many innocent people were released. However, the railroad works were now facing the dilemma ofck ofbor. Although Bulgaria is not called a vast area, but it is a fact that the poption is sparse. Before, many farmers went bankrupt, but due to the progress of industrialization, it has almost been absorbed. In the case of the options avable, few people are willing to work on the railroad, even though railroad workers give a better deal. However, the railroad project in thete 19th century is equal to the death project. It is normal to get killed in a workce ident. Even if someone is forced to make a living, they are not doing it and have a slight chance to find another way to make a living. Konstantin is now worried. There are not enough workers. Even though he has sent all the criminals to the site, the gap in manpower is still serious! Without machines, the era when it was all on the shoulders and backs, hardbor was essential. To bepleted on time, the engineers gave a shocking figure of at least 50,000borers. When they reported this number, Konstantin was stunned. It meant that there was now a shortage of 40,000borers. Bulgaria now has just over three million people. It isn''t easy to put together so many railroad workers. But, since there is no way out, it will have to continue to be reported. Chekhov, who was on duty in the Cab, received an unexpected guest. Konstantin came and brought the engineer with him. It was confusing for Chekhov to see Konstantin and his group and asked in wonder, "Konstantin, what is going on?" Konstantin couldn''t care less about bringing up the family business and got straight to the point, saying, "Mr. Chekhov, the main reason I came to see you today is the railroad issue." Chekhov asked seriously, " Is there something wrong with the railroad project?" "No!" Konstantin affirmed. Chekhov''s suspended heart rxed and said, "God forbid, it''s good that nothing happened!" "But it''s worse than that!" Unfortunately, Konstantin''s next sentence confused Chekhov again. "What is it?" Chekhov asked. "It''s better to let the engineer talk to you!" said Konstantin with trouble. Chekhov said glumly, "Well, it''s the same for anyone who says so!" Chief Engineer Lorun Kholman said with a stern face, "Your Excellency, the railroad project is going well, but we have a big problem!" When Chekhov heard this, he was even more confused. Since everything was going well, what kind of trouble could there be? So he at once asked, "What big trouble?" Lorun Kholman replied tly, "Weck enoughbor!" Chekhov''s heart dropped, and he asked, "How much iscking?" Lorun Kholman calmly said, "To ensure sessful finish, at least another 43,000borers are needed. At the same time, the project budget should be increased by fifty percent!" "What? How is this possible? Is this too far from the original n?" Chekhov said with disbelief. "Mr. Chekhov, please trust our expertise! These are the results of our actual calctions after the actual measurements by our technicians!" Lorun Kholman said cautiously. Chekhov, who still couldn''t believe it, asked in confusion, "Sorry, Mr. Lorun, I''m not questioning your expertise, but this gap is too big!" "For this, I can only say sorry. At that time we had not estimated the situation of transportation in Bulgaria enough. While we were building the railroad, we had to put a lot of manpower to build the road first. Also, the work of construction in the R Mountains was more difficult than imagined!" Lorun Kholman exined. After hearing Lorun''s words, Chekhov''s face turned pale. He knew that this was really a big problem, a big problem that was beyond the Cab''s ability to solve. Only Chekhov said with a bitter smile, "God forbid! Konstantin, you have really brought a big trouble!" "Chekhov, I don''t want to either!" Konstantin said with a dilemma. The trouble is too big, so big that they will notplete the five-year n. It is also an important factor in whether Ferdinand can reshuffle the interim Cab. Chekhov thought about it and decided to report it to Ferdinand. He was now no longer optimistic that they couldplete the railroad n sessfully. With the current situation in Bulgaria, in any case, it is impossible to get together so manyborers in a short time. Ferdinand, who had just had some time to spare, enjoyed the dance in the royal pce. Several maidens of beauty were showing off to their heart''s content with costumes that Ferdinand himself designed. It was clear and transparent, rippling on the top, the bottom swept the long legs and tempted by the full measure of beauty that Ferdinand didn''t mind a daytime erotic. However, it was not the first time Ferdinand had caught a dancer and was about to go further. Of course, Alisa came in with a shy face and said, "Your Highness, Mr. Chekhov and Mr. Konstantin are here. They brought three strangers with them!" Ferdinand said with some displeasure, "I see, I''ll be right over!" Ferdinand let go of the woman in his arms. When he looked at the shy Alisa, he suddenly smiled badly, scaring Alisa to run away. Ferdinand was still decent in his previous life as a bachelor just after traversing, though the aristocratic life soon corrupted him. While not yet to the point of abuse. At least, there is at least the meeting of the aristocrats who have no protection. Ferdinand, who is afraid of the disease, has not involved, and of course, there is nock of women around him. When he thought of the business, Ferdinand decided to let Alisa go for once and hurried towards the main hall. When he saw Chekhov and the others, Ferdinand, who was in a bad mood, did not give them a chance to speak. Since Ferdinand''s men had invited Lorun Kholman in the first ce, he had met him once, so he knew what was going on as soon as he saw him. He asked directly, "You are all here, but what is wrong with the railroad project?" Chekhov, seeing Ferdinand in a bad mood, dared not pretend and at once said, "God willing, everything is going well with the railroad project, but now we are short ofborers!" "Oh!" Ferdinand answered and waited for the details. Of course, theck ofbor to build the railroad was typical and not surprising. But it was not normal toe to him with this bit of problem. Chekhov thought about it and went on stiffly: "ording to Lorun''s engineer''s calctions, we now need at least another 43,000borers to finish the project on schedule smoothly!" After hearing this figure, Ferdinand said in disbelief: "What? Are you kidding me? You still need that muchbor?" Chapter 41: Introduction of Laborers Chapter 41: Introduction of Laborers When he saw Ferdinand''s anger, Lorun Kholman spoke up and said, "Your Highness, I can answer this question!" "Oh, then Mr. Lorun just give me a reason!" Ferdinand said with ack of temper. Lorun Kholman didn''t care about Ferdinand''s mood and calmly said, "Your Highness, the railroad project has proceeded so far that we have actually done a lot more than the railroad itself!" "Oh!" Ferdinand gave a somewhat surprised sigh. Lorun Kholman continued, "We actually had to build the roads first along with the railroad. And of course there was the tendency to underestimate the difficulty of construction due to ack of estimation of geographic conditions at the time! These conditions add up to the currentbor shortage!" Ferdinand realized it, and his face became normal as he calmly said, "I understand. What Mr. Lorun means is that in addition to the railroad project, we have added a roadwork to apany it. Also isn''t it true that the budget of ten million pounds will also be increased greatly?" Lorun Kholman said bluntly, "Yes, Your Highness! It is estimated to increase by about fifty percent. Of course the cost could be lower if only temporary roads were built, but that would be rather inefficient." Ferdinand, knowing the situation, instantly turned gloomy and said, "Hmm, well, I understand this matter. Thank you, Mr. Lorun, the Bulgarian people will not forget your painstaking efforts! The government will solve this problem as soon as possible. You can rest assured of the progress of the construction!" "Yes, Your Highness, that''s all I should do. Since there is nothing more for me to do here, I still have work to do on the construction site, so I will leave first." As if he could see that it was not appropriate for him to get involved in Ferdinand''s next matter, Lorun Kholman chose to take his leave and leave. After seeing Lorun Kholman leave, Ferdinand turned his gaze to Chekhov and Konstantin and asked, "What do you think?" Chekhov shook his head to indicate no. Konstantin thought about it and said, "How about we buy ck ves! Although there are some moral problems, but as long as we can ensure the smooth running of the railroad project, it is all worth it!" Ferdinand rolled his eyes and thought: terrible idea. What era is still buying ck ves, which is too simple for Bulgaria''s ethnic problems? Just look at the skin color to know that a hundred yearster, there is no way they can assimte it. It seems that he also sensed something wrong. Konstantin said sarcastically, "Oh, this doesn''t seem to work, the price of ck ves is too high!" Ferdinand almost burst outughing, so all he knows is money! After half a second, Ferdinand cleared his mind and said: "Since we do not have enoughbor in Bulgaria, we will target outside the country! We can bring in our neighbors. We can also go to the world''s most populous countries to find them! But two principles must be ensured: firstly, no nationalists, and secondly, no zealous fanatics!" Both Chekhov and Konstantin realized that the Bulgarian factories were springing up. The government was investing heavily in infrastructure construction, and there was a naturalck ofbor in the country, and it raised workers'' wages. But other countries have, ah, the Balkan countries are not very populous, and the freebor force is estimated to be small, but there are many other regions around the world. The distant Manchu is too far away. In addition to Ferdinand''s guess, it is estimated that not many people will feel that they have the best use of workers there. The Eastern European region alone, with the Russian and Austro-Hungarianbor force, is greatly abundant. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people are deported and emigrate to America. If only half of them coulde to Bulgaria, it would be enough. At this point, Ferdinand thought of another way to increase the poption and said happily, "By the way, Chekhov, your Ministry of Education has something to do again. We still need some teachers ofnguages." "For foreign workers, the basic wage is set to be a little lower than the national workers. If one learns the Bulgariannguage, add a part of it, and if one is willing to join Bulgaria then it is the same as the national workers." Chekhov asked in wonder: "Your Highness, does this not increase the expenses? And if the work ispletedter, if they turn back and leave Bulgaria, aren''t we working in vain?" Konstantin had the same expression, obviously not understanding Ferdinand''s suggestion. Ferdinand smiled and said, "I don''t intend to let them all stay either. There are bound to be people who will leave. Now that the economy of Bulgaria, although not as good as the Western European region, it is better than our neighbors in any case!" "Also, our construction is going to bepleted in the short term. We are going to face ack ofbor for at least the next ten years. If they stay in Bulgaria for a few years, many of them will choose to stay!" Konstantin suddenly remembered something and looked at Ferdinand with surprise and said, "Your Highness, is the n to deal with the national problem by economic means?" When he saw that Konstantin saw it, Ferdinand did not deny it and said with a smile, "Not bad, this is just an experiment. It is good if it seeds, but it does not matter if it fails, it is just an additional expense. As long as one tenth of the people stay, we are not losing!" A phrase is given from above, and the bottom runs out of legs1). Ferdinand has given a great strategy to choose from it. Even if it''s done, he will continue to go and discuss life with the girls. But the introduction ofbor is definitely not as simple as one might think, and the number is still so huge. Even in those days, governments did not regte the private sector closely enough to require a visa. The effort required to get tens of thousands of people to travel to a foreign country alone is not small. There is also the meticulous organization of food, clothing, housing, and transportation all the way. When Konstantin took over the task, the government ran around the matter and was so busy that it canceled many people''s vacations. Even the Ministry of Education, which has been rtively idle, has now started to go out in all directions to find teachers. The cultural level is no longer required, as long as they know a few morenguages. Even so, it is like looking for a needle in a haystack, and it all depends on luck whether they can get enough. Minister Metev, now in a bad mood. Since Ferdinand decided to bring inborers, first, the government organized the recruitment of people, and at the end of the day, rogue capitalists joined in. There were all sorts of tricks and deceptions. Austria-Hungary and Russia did not feel it yet, but the surrounding neighbors suffered first. Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, and the Ottoman embassies in Bulgaria, all sent to protest. Fortunately, in this era, everyone does not care about the death of the poor, or diplomatic pressure alone can be enough to Ferdinand''s headache. Minister Metev had to apologize for the wrong side, plus arge amount ofpensation to offer. After paying a lot of effort, it was barely settled, and now something has happened. Trantor: 1) The original line is "The above move the mouth, the following run off the legs." It means that a certain leader moved his mouth to issue an order, and his subordinate will work harder to achieve the target like crazy. Usually, the orders are the unrealistic target and the same kind. Chapter 42: Bulgarian Labor Protection Act Chapter 42: Bulgarian Labor Protection Act Not long ago, a Bulgarian capitalist - Bilkiev - went directly to Romania to "relocate the factory", but he was detained for making too much noise, unluckily. The son of Bulgarian capitalist Evlogi Georgiev (one of the founders of Sofia University), Bilkiev is bright and clever plus daring. In his poaching spree, Bilkiev didn''t put up a hiring sign, as others had done. He felt that would have been too inefficient. When he entered Alexandria, Romania, Bilkiev set his sights on the Weber paper mill, bribed his way into the ground, and found two local men who worked at the mill, the Niks brothers. "Brother, is it true what Mr. Bilkiev said?" asked young Nikolsted with concern. "How should I know, but these eight hundred Lei can''t be fake!" said a casual remark from old Nikolsted. "Well! Anyway, now our family is like this. Without money to pay the debt, we will also be killed by them all!" said young Nikolsted helplessly. "No, at worst, they will turn us into their ves. If they kill us, who will return their moneyter!" said old Nikolsted reassuringly. Since their father, the elder Nikolsted, fell ill three years ago, the family has had a tough time. They were forced to borrow from loan sharks, and the elder Nikolsted still didn''t make it through. Then the Nikolsted family began the debt repayment journey, from the initial thirty Lei to the current five hundred Lei, in which the brothers paid off one hundred Lei. "Forget it, as long as Mr. Bilkiev is willing to pay, we''ll do it. Anyway, that vampire Drac is no good!" said young Nikolsted fiercely. "That''s right, my brother. That vampire Drac hates to deduct every Lei from us. Going to Bulgaria to make a living might be a good way out." said old Nikolsted expectantly. The unified thinking of the Nikolsted brothers began to help Bilkiev persuade around, and everyone did not believe much. As seen in the past friendship, the crowd still met with Bilkiev. Bilkiev yed his tricky tongue and soon fooled a group of workers, then issued a month''s sry in advance as a deposit. Drac, as a proper capitalist, is naturally also a greedy vampire. Obviously, he just had the workers gutted by Bilkiev and then ran away with the crowd secretly. If only that would be enough, as long as you run fast when found that he has run back to Bulgaria, who will take him can do nothing. Although there was no way that Bilkiev would stop after he had tasted the sweetness of the business. He took on the nature of a capitalist and went straight to work asbor brokers, luring workers from all over Romania and taking his own profit. As it turns out, the capitalists of the 19th century were not to be messed around at all. Bill, who had only done a few jobs, was targeted and unluckily exposed in the Caracal region and held by the local capitalists. Bilkiev managed to stay alive with his sharp tongue, and now the other side is demanding ransom from Evlogi Georgiev. Fearing for Bill''s safety, Evlogi Georgiev approached Minister of Foreign Affairs Metev. There was no choice, who told Metev to marry Evlogi Georgiev''s daughter and had to step in to rescue this... The ransom of one million Lei, which Evlogi Georgiev apparently did not intend to pay, was not ready for a short time even if he wanted to pay! Metev had a headache, used personal rtions, and found the other side, and the two sides negotiated very smoothly. They can guarantee the safety of Bilkiev. There is no need to worry about the treatment as long as the ransom is given. Anyway, the money cannot be less than a big one. In the end, Metev managed to find a way to get Bilkiev out, with a bunch of favors owed and arge sum of money lost. It was, sort of, the end of the poaching. Since then, the capitalists of all countries have raised their guard, and Bulgaria can no longer poach with reckless ease. Ferdinand''s easy days were over, too. The massive influx of people to Bulgaria brought benefits and a whole lot of trouble. The crime rate rose sharply, the conflict between locals and foreigners intensified, capitalists started to be wicked again, recklessly deducting wages, andbor disputes emerged. Some capitalists even used a lot of foreignbor and reduced the number of national workers to save money. Various government ministries have been exhausted by one after another To mediate the dispute. It is also thanks to Ferdinand''s industry, which dominates in Bulgaria, has been careful to keep to its ways so that there is no major chaos. Looking at the problems reported around the country, Ferdinand knew that it was time to introducebor protectionws. Otherwise, if they dragged on, it possible that a working-ss revolution would break out one day. On September 18, 1890, the first Bulgarianw was passed, which dealt with solvingbor disputes - the Bulgarian Labor Protection Act. Thisw, which Ferdinand referred to as thetestborw, such as the British Factory Act. To a certain extent, it favored the working ss, and the penalty forbor disputes was severe and stunning. Future generations believe that this was the first realbor protectionw. The articles clearly stipte that the working hours of heavybor shall not exceed ten working hours. They must be paid overtime wages in excess and one day of paid vacation each week for recovery. A minimum monthly wage has also been set, which must not be less than 7.5 Leva (equal to about 3). When split into an hourly wage, this figure is simr to the current average wage in Bulgaria. In the case ofbor disputes, if a capitalist fails to pay wages in bad faith and withholds them recklessly, the maximum penalty is direct confiscation of the factory, whiches with a hefty fine. By the same token, if a worker is a vicious troublemaker, who nts false evidence for extortion, he or she will face life imprisonment if found guilty. All offenses will be severely punished. However, thew does not protect all people, and many articles are aimed only at Bulgarian citizens. For example, theck of freedom to reduce sry is only for Bulgarian citizens. There is also the minimum wage level, which is a privilege for the citizens of the country. If a foreign worker can speak Bulgarian, the minimum wage protection is only eighty percent for national citizens. If not, then they have only fifty percent of the minimum wage protection. It includes the most rest days, working hours, and different treatment for citizens of the country and outsiders. And for each factory, the number of native citizens must not be less than sixty percent. It''s almost as if the capitalists are not clearly saying that they are recklessly oppressing foreigners and showing mercy to their people! When the Bulgarian Labor Protection Act was introduced, there was a public sensation. Naturally, it was praised in the media as a major step forward in Bulgaria''s democratic progress. There was also a great deal of satire by some schrs who imed to have disrupted the free market of capitalism, and no one ever came back to it except for a few capitalists who supported it. There are also a small number of Virginists1) who believe that the government has not done enough to treat all people equally. s, the outcry is too weak even to bother publishing in the newspapers. Trantor: 1) Simr to baizuo, or Blessed Mother of Bitch. Chapter 43: Reform 1 Chapter 43: Reform 1 Ferdinand knows very well that capitalists are greedy. If they are beaten to death with a stick, God knows what they will do. At the same time, the capitalists are also flexible. If you cut off the door, they willpromise. In just six months, Bulgaria was flooded with no less than 100,000 foreigners. The shrewd Ferdinand, naturally, chose to sacrifice their profits in exchange for the interests of thepromised capitalists. At the same time, it does not forget to create the door to encourage outsiders to learn the Bulgariannguage and join Bulgaria. The main purpose, of course, was to promote national integration and increase the poption. The Labor Law, which did nothing but collect a wave of popr support for Ferdinand. Another benefit could not be seen in the short term, discouraging the working-ss movement. The Bulgarian Workers'' Social Democratic Party, which had not yet been established, was already dead in the ground. Although its founder, goev, was killed off by the Stambolov cab in 1889 under the butterfly effect of Ferdinand. Thanks to Ferdinand''s traverse, in 1890, the number of employed Bulgarian workers had reached as high as 480,000, of which foreign workers upied a quarter. The economy was developing much faster than at the same time in history. The rapid development of the Bulgarian economy has been boosted by the government''s strong investment in infrastructure, increasing jobs, and boosting domestic demand. Although the number of Bulgarian workers increased greatly, it still did not change poor industrial development. In addition to Ferdinand''s own industry, Bulgaria''s factories, most of them are still small workshop model, poor technology andck ofpetitiveness, and dispersed distribution of non-scale, the ability to deal with risk is inferior. To change this situation, Ferdinand decided to pursue deeper reforms. A small country with a poption of only 3.2 million, with more than 1,000 factories of all sizes, wasted too many resourcespeting for this small market. On September 20, a big debate is taking ce at the Royal Pce in Sofia to determine the future direction of Bulgaria''s economy. In addition to government officials, a few Bulgarian economists are invited. At Ferdinand''s hint, Konstantin submitted to the government a n of "Industry Admission Standard". In other words: set an industry standard to eliminate a part of weak capitalists and artificially restrict the entry ofter ones. In disguise, it supports the merger and reorganization of enterprises and promotes the development of monopoly capitalism. If this n goes through, it means that within the next five years, more than seven-fold of the more than 1,000 existing factories in Bulgaria will be merged and reformed or closed. Obviously, there is not much of a market for this n now. Liberal capitalism was most popr at the end of the 19th century, and the major powers of Europe and the United States were struggling to counter monopoly capitalism. In 1890, when the United States had just introduced the Sherman Antitrust Act, the pursuit of monopoly capitalism had, in any case, a sense of reversing the current. Konstantin opened a rhetorical mode, "Gentlemen, you know the current dilemma of Bulgaria. We are only a small country with a poption of about three million and ack of mineral resources. Industrialization hase so far that we rely on imports for many industrial raw materials. Many factories are poorly managed and technologically behind. Our products are seriouslycking in internationalpetitiveness and we have to rely on the domestic market with a deficit of 60 million Leva in import and export tradest year! In the future, how can our economy develop healthily?" "But Mr. Konstantin, the Industry Admission n destroys the free capitalist market. This excessive state intervention in the economic order of the market destroys the fairness of society, with unimaginable consequences!" Economist Velen Soma said. "Mr. Viren, you are too frightened! The state intervenes in the market economy for the sake of the normal development of the Bulgarian economy and to eliminate hidden dangers in advance! If we really leave it alone, on what basis will the domestic capitalistspete with international capital?" Konstantin asked. "Mr. Konstantin, we all know that withoutpetition there is no development. What we need to do now is not that we should promote monopolism, but that we should raise tariffs to protect the development of national industry!" Minister of Industry Kamev said. "Mr. Kamev, what is the size of the Bulgarian market? Is it possible to support industrialization with just three million people? If we can''t do that, we will have to depend on the international market. What is the use of raising tariffs other than to take us out of the international market?" Konstantin asked rhetorically. When no one answered, Konstantin, took full advantage of the moment. He said, "Gentlemen, now we have no choice but to abandon industrialization. If we continue it, we have to implement monopolism. It will reduce internal consumption, force the capitalists to innovate technologically and improve thepetitiveness of their products!" "Konstantin is right, monopolism is not a good thing for the powers, but it is the most suitable for Bulgaria right now!" Chekhov said. "What do you mean by most suitable? It''s nothing more than serving someone''s interests the best!" "Nonsense!" ... The two sides argued with each other, expressing their own views. The supporters of monopolism seemed to have a better reason, while the opposition was overwhelmed and soon turned sour, with the smell of gunpowder getting stronger. Ferdinand stopped the fierce bickering in time, "Stop it, be quiet! Please behave yourself and refrain from personal attacks! Only once, if anyone does it again, he will be removed from taking part in the meetings!" When they saw Ferdinand get angry, both sides took a seat at the table and started to talk. "Fortunately the Congress is dissolved, otherwise it would be more lively!" Ferdinand thankfully thought and made up his mind to make sure that the controversial bill was introduced as much as possible before the election of the National Assembly. On the one hand, monopoly ys a barrier role in technological progress, as many examples have shown. However, on the other hand, it also contains factors that contribute to the progress of technology. Under monopoly capitalism, the progress of science and technology, the improvement of the quality ofbor, the expansion of the scale of production and storage, the development of social integration of the production process are rted to the progress of the monopolisticpetition, the concentration of production, the joint system, and the professional division ofbor. Ferdinand knows very well that the most suitable for Bulgaria at this stage is monopolism. But when Bulgaria develops and grows to a certain extent, monopolism will again be an obstacle to economic development. The resistance to reform, somewhat beyond Ferdinand''s imagination, the opposition within the government alone, is so strong. After a few moments of silence, Ferdinand decided to adopt a devious strategy and learn from the American tycoon''s protagonist, Scrooge McDuck. Having thought of a strategy, Ferdinand hurriedly ended the government meeting, leaving Konstantin alone. Konstantin is now a little anxious in his heart. From the viewpoint of the meeting just now, it seems that Ferdinand''s ount of the matter is considered to have failed. Ferdinand looked at the absent Konstantin and asked, "Mr. Konstantin, do you think the Industry Admission n is feasible?" Without hesitation, Konstantin said, "It will be feasible!" Chapter 44: Reform 2 (Food Safety Controversy 1) Chapter 44: Reform 2 (Food Safety Controversy 1) "But Your Highness, the resistance is too great. It will be difficult for us to gain the support of the public, and the government will be very pushed," said Konstantin with some hesitation. Ferdinand nodded in approval and spoke again, asking, "What about picking up the n in smaller parts? For example, find a sector first, as your starting point." With a shock, Konstantin said, "If it''s just one sector, then we''re going to face much less resistance, but ~~." Ferdinand interrupted what Konstantin saidter, "There are not so many "buts"! Your government can first find a sector to check, find out the problem, collect enough evidence, then create public opinion, then reform!" After a few moments of thought, Konstantin said, "Your Highness is wise!" Ferdinand was very ttered, although this ttery is very enough to hold. He smiled and said, "Don''t tter. It is not your style! By the way, you have to be busy next. Reform is reform, but the Five-Year n must not be affected. The government has a great responsibility!" "Don''t worry, Your Highness, we at the Ministry of the Interior will do a good job!" assured Konstantin. ... After leaving the Sofia Pce, Konstantin had a headache. Don''t look at the fast promise he just made before; in fact, he didn''t have much of a clue. The Five-Year n takes up most of the government''s energy. In his heart, Konstantin is opposed to reform now and is too busy to do so. At the same time, he also agreed with Ferdinand''s reasons for reform. It is now the time of least resistance to reform. After being cleaned up by the previous government, the interest groups have been greatly wounded, and they are sensible people who have survived. The new parliamentary elections have not yet started, and the power is still all concentrated in Ferdinand''s hands. As a result, the government can still carry out reforms if they are forced to do so. The bacsh will not be powerful. After all, the butcher''s knife during the Stambolov period has scared the capitalists, and they do not dare to fight the government in the short term. But where to start is another tricky question. As the first target, it must be iconic and widely recognized by the public. The wind is crisp after autumn; The rain is cold after autumn; The weather is cool and good. The earth presents a delightful scene of harvest, which makes people feel happy. Facing the autumn breeze, Konstantin could not help but walk down the street. From time to time, he heard several shouts of selling goods. The street was full of goods stalls, from the beginning to the end of the street, and the colorful goods on the stalls dazzled people. It filled even the air with the tasteful aroma of belly soup, canned meat, cheese, roast meat, yogurt, and cucumber soup.... A sudden idea struck Konstantin: what better sector than the food one? "Food safety" is an issue of concern to all people, and it is crucial to crack down on lousy business and solve food safety concerns, so no one can say there is a problem. Looking at the flurry of activity in Sofia, who knew, except for Konstantin, that a government crackdown would being here shortly? The issue of "food safety" has been around for a long time. In the 19th century, the golden age of capitalism, capitalists were reckless in using various additives to maximize their profits. As for food safety, as long as they are not taken as a problem by eating, they dare to market and sell. No matter if it is dead beef or rat meat, it is a small matter. Arge amount of mercury is used as a chemical to preserve the meat, which is simply murder. On October 15, the Bulgarian government introduced the Food Safety Regtion, which mandated a deadline for food processingpanies to reform. After a few days of waiting and watching, the capitalists saw no further action by the government, typically "thunder is loud, and rain is small"1). And then everyone will be doing what to do nothing, who are not blind, who will not want to get along with the money. Of course, there is an exception, at least the Shuanghui Food Group is in a major overhaul. Wilhelm, who has insider sources, naturally knows that the government will get real this time. Before that, Shuanghui Food Group has various brands of the same product, and there is a vast price gap between the lowest gear of ordinary goods and the most high-grade noble exclusive more than ten times. Even so, the aristocratic goods sold very well, and the customers, in addition to the aristocrats who loved saving face, the capitalists were the primary consumers. Why do European aristocrats eat the food produced by their own estates and the eager capitalists who erupted to buy estates? They are not stupid, mainly because people know that there are problems with the food sold in the market. Obviously, Ferdinand is also an eligible capitalist. The goods sold to the public are profitable to the maximum toe how to be cheap. At the same time, the aristocrats are exclusively supplied. Ferdinand can guarantee that it is absolutely safe, without any additive chemicals, mainly because he is also eating it. Anyway, the cheaper it is, the more insecure the quality of the product. It is almost the same as the international one. As for whether it will poison people, it is not within Ferdinand''s concern. Now that Ferdinand is in the position of a monarch, Bulgaria needs to increase its poption. Food security is an urgent issue. What Konstantin intended, one might say, coincided with him. As for the reform of the food sector, it will not affect Ferdinand''s business. They can only say that they are nothing but worries. No matter how to reform, people have to eat! It will not reduce the demand on the market sharply. It will not be the first to suffer from technological innovation and rising production costs, only small capitalists. Within a few days, the Bulgarian Daily reports a news story. There was a mass food poisoning incident at the Ultra Hardware factory in Sofia. They sent a total of more than eighty people to the Salvation Hospital of Mercy for food poisoning. ording to reports on the news, the main cause of the poisoning was the high amount of mercury-based preservatives added to the food consumed. Actually, this kind of thing was not new in Bulgaria at that time, or even the whole of Europe, or even the whole world at that time. It was just a group of poisoned workers, and it wasn''t any big shot that was poisoned, so what was the big deal? What''s the big deal about poisoning and containing it? Moreover, these people are not all dead, even none of them are dead. Not even one person died and was sent to the hospital for rescue. It is something that happens every day, and how can this be considered big news? Well, this kind of thing, indeed, would not have been regarded as news. In the past, when food poisoning happens, the workers were left to fend for themselves. But now, the capitalists are sending them to the hospital for rescue. However, they are forced to do so by theborw, which is also great progress. The news media didn''t bother to report it because the workers were primarily poor and wouldn''t bother to buy a newspaper. But this time, the situation is very different. The Bulgarian Daily actually published the news in the most crucial position. Trantor: 1) A Chinese phrase that means a person who speaks with great passion without having much ability. Chapter 45: Food Safety Controversy 2 Chapter 45: Food Safety Controversy 2 If only formon news, it would have been nothing. Anyway, in the past, although the media reported less, it was not wholly absent. The point is that the Bulgarian Daily has actually followed up the story, pointed out the purpose of adding mercury to food and the extent of the problem, and detailing its dangers. It also listed dozens of goods such as cheese, sausages, canned goods, etc., containingrge amounts of mercury chemicals. As a result, the Bulgarian people, who were in a state of "happiness", suddenly found that their good life, it seems, is no longer untenable. Vicki entered the house with joy and said excitedly, "Irina, look what I got back! Good Spanish sausage!" "What? Vicki, have you read today''s paper? Do you know what mercury is? That''s heavy metal! Think about it. We''re eating the metal inside our stomachs! God, that''s really horrible! Will it cause irreversible damage and even affect our children? Why do you still want to buy..." Irina said tensely. The same story constantly yed out in countless families in Sofia. At one time, the whole of Bulgaria''s food that needs to be preserved for a long time is not sold well. The streets of Sofia were filled with a strange scene, with slightly wealthier familiesing out of their homes and throwing away all the food they had bought for long-term stock. A garbage dump, now a food concentration camp, was cheap to the street beggars. Naturally, such a story hampered the fortunes of the capitalists and would usher in retaliation. After a few days of throwing feces at the newspaper''s door and sending bullets to the editorial office, all of which were considered small stuff, another big story soon urred. In the early morning of November 1, an unknown man threw a bomb into a Bulgarian Daily. However, since it happened early in the morning, there were no casualties. However, this move did not scare the Bulgarian Daily but rather outraged them and angered the public. When they got the news, the Sofia police provided security for the Bulgarian Daily at once and arrested the suspects. They also began to send people to focus on spying on the capitalists whose interests werepromised. The next day, the Bulgarian Daily newspaper had a front-page headline with an article "Come on terrorists, we''re waiting". In the article, the editor of the Bulgarian Daily recalls the events leading up to the incident. It is from the initial throwing of feces on the doorstep to the final bomb attack. The bomb attack is again highlighted, which equates rogue capitalists with terrorists. He went on to say that he and his colleagues are also afraid of death, but at the same time, full of love for life. The Bulgarian Daily will neverpromise on the safety of the lives of the Bulgarian people, on freedom of speech, on the moral character of a journalist. With the release of this article, the entire public opinion was outraged, and they have expressed their support to the Bulgarian Daily. And at the same time, to show their social responsibility, they have joined the campaign to denounce such events. The issues that have been disclosed have grown, from the earliest mercury content, has expanded to the pigment extracted from coal tar - Aniline Violet, and so on, dozens ofrge and small types of additives have been revealed. The issue of food safety has been expanded from the dozen initially listed by the Bulgarian Daily to cover every goods on the market. Experts and schrs from Bulgarian universities, who suddenly found themselves in a new ce of use, havee forward to provide their theories to support these reports. Some schrs even shouted that Bulgaria''s life expectancy could be increased by ten years if they solved the food security problem, adding another fuel to the fire of public opinion. In the meantime, the Bulgarian food processing business has be a target for everyone. All sectors of society demanded the government develop measures tobat rogue capitalists or "terrorist capitalists", as it were. Since the Bulgarian Daily newspaper equated terrorists with food capitalists, the term "terrorist capitalists" was born and became used as a synonym for rogue businessmen. During a call to arms, the snowy winter came for food processing businesses. Many products were made, could not find a sales outlet, and were piled up in warehouses waiting to get rotten. At the same time, thanks to thebor protectionw, the capitalists cannot reduce the number of workers without approval. Under the pressure of public opinion, no one dares to report to the government now. Suppose the workers are not satisfied with the government when the government investigates and leaks out the situation of the factory. In that case, they will not be treated as typical by the government. The Bulgarian Daily, which the capitalists hate to the teeth and the main mastermind of the bombing trouble, was to be hatred to the bones. Powerful capitalists are fine. They can bear the loss. However, a bunch of small capitalists suffers. They can only grit their teeth and survive. The sensible ones are already looking for a way out. They know that things are now so big that if the government doesn''t find a few scapegoats, they can''t exin to public opinion. udia Ivan is a capitalist who runs a ughterhouse in Sofia. He has been on the edge of his seat since the food safety crisis broke out. "God, this is so bad! Damn Bulgarian Daily! They''re all sons of bitches! I didn''t offend you, so why bother yourself! And that idiot who dropped the bomb, is he full of shit? Better not let me know who you are, or I will definitely make you regret..." He may be heard more than once a day now. He is ranting at the Bulgarian Daily for meddling, and of course, at the idiot who dropped the bomb! Still, udia Ivan had a sharp mind. However, the first thing he did was to appease the workers and then start looking for a way back. udia Ivan knows very well that the government will definitely have to impose a strict crackdown after such a big incident. It will definitely not be that simple to get through quickly. As for food safety, udia Ivan is also a capitalist, and, naturally, water-injected meat is standard. Besides, how can the meat in the ughterhouse be sold out every day? Not a few synthetic additives are applied naturally, and that''s what everyone does anyway. udia Ivan started his entirework of connections, no matter what price he was willing to pay. It was a pity that no one in the government just dared to take up the offer. udia Ivan knows that this time the trouble is big. If he does not deal with it quickly, he fears that it will be difficult to get outter. He began looking for a buyer right away and didn''t care about the price. As long as someone was willing to take over and could take care of the back end of the problem for him, it was all good. However, it is now impossible for everyone to get out of the situation in Bulgaria because they are toote, they will jump into the pit! After all, the food capitalist = terrorist capitalist, the sector can''t take care of themselves. Even if someone outside wants to take this bargain, they must also take the "terrorist capitalist" reputation into ount. Chapter 46: Food Safety Controversy Ends Chapter 46: Food Safety Controversy Ends It is not that no one dares to take over. At least the Shuanghui Food Group is very interested. udia Ivan is very good at things. Although the business is not very big, thework is vast. Through a friend''s connection with an executive of Shuanghui Food Group, udia Ivan sold the ughterhouse for a super low price of 10,000 Leva after some bargaining. Of course, the business that has been merged is far more than just Kloo Ivan''s ughterhouse. At about the same time, the Shuanghui Food Group has merged more than a dozen nts,rge and small. The basis for the monopolistic group''s capital is already in ce. As the food sector is wailing in Bulgaria, Shuanghui Food Group is living a good life. There is still room for growth. Thanks to nning, several inferior products were called off and de-stocked. Even if there is stock, it can be sold out overseas through Volvo''s channel. Now the products in hand are qualified. Wilhelm also openly invites the public to monitor the sector and wees experts and schrs to test them. Also, after shifting down the low-grade goods, the sales of middle and high-end food products are rapidly increasing. At Ferdinand''s behest, Shuanghui Food Group adopted "cheap is not good" as the core of its propaganda andunched a campaign everywhere to instill this concept in the Bulgarian poption. The frightened middle ss, at once, became a loyal fan of Shuanghui Food Group. The products, especially the "aristocratic exclusive", be a hot product instantly. After all, the 19th century was still the era of the aristocracy. No one dared to mess with the goods that supplied the aristocracy. The influence of poisoning a thousandmoners is no better than one poisoned aristocrat. Shuanghui Food Group also advocates asking the government to enact a food safetyw to regte the safety and hygiene standards of the food sector. The food processing business led to asking the government to legite, which instantly attracted public opinion. For a while, Shuanghui Food Group became a synonym for a conscience business. Taking the chance, Wilhelm simply stripped all the inferior products from the group''s business and got a few outsourcingpanies to produce them. From now on, the nts of Shuanghui Food Group worldwide, all the food produced is qualified. Itys the foundation for the future food empire. The food safety controversy is heating up, and people know a storm ising. Just after udia Ivan sold the factory, the police seized more than fifty food processing businesses,rge and small. They arrested dozens of rogue people in business in just half a month. Since Bulgaria does not havews rted to food safety, their conduct bes problematic. If they need to pay a little money to set things right, ording to the usual way, it is not necessary to seal the nt and arrest people. But now, under the pressure of public opinion, no one dares to put down gently! The government soon introduced the draft Food Safety Management Act under popr demands. However, the specific standards ofw enforcement were again controversial. The standard is set too high, which food processing businesses can not do. Even if they barely meet the standard, the price is not eptable to ordinary people. The bar is set too low, and the people are afraid that they can not ept. The capitalists in the food processing sector are not stupid. Now, they are naturally "all the eight immortals are showing their skills"1). They buy experts, schrs, and newspapers to guide public opinion and spend a lot of money on public rtions for the government in a vain attempt to lower the standards. The capitalists, who are deeply involved, are trying to get away with all sorts of tricks. They are trying to lower the penalty use in an attempt to get away with it. But clearly, they thought wrong this time. Konstantin, who was looking for a chance to enter, could not let go of this opportunity sent to his door. ... To calm public opinion, Ferdinand instructed the government to hold public debates. Relevant experts, schrs, and the press were invited to participate, and they selected several representatives from various sectors. During the public debate, Konstantin, on behalf of the government, read out a draft of the newly enacted Food Safety Management Act. "Mr. Konstantin, is this standard too high? Can it really be achieved? If most businesses can''t meet it by then, what will we do?" A reporter asked puzzledly. Konstantin said confidently, "Don''t worry, these standards are made after we conducted a market survey. There are already some businesses on the market that can do it. It is technically doable, and at the same time, the cost will not increase greatly." Kobiev (the capitalist) objected, "But most businesses can''t do it!" Konstantin replied firmly: "What does it matter? We aim to provide the public with safe and secure food. If mostpanies can''t do it, let''s give the market to the powerful ones! It is thew of nature!" "But what about capacity? We cannot build our business in one leap. It needs to be improved gradually to be able to meet the market demand!" Kobrev said, thrilled. Konstantin smiled and said: "This is absolutely nothing to worry about it. Most food processing is not very hard in terms of technology. Expanding the capacity will only take a few short months. I believe that the short-term loss for the quality of life is fine with the public for the sake of life safety. As for gradual progress? Sorry that the people can''t wait any longer. Our government can''t continue to let everyone eat chronic poison!" Just as Konstantin''s words ended, it greeted him with a thunderous round of apuse. Kobiev saw this and went on feebly arguing, "But it would create a terrible monopoly! Think of the entire Bulgarian food market being monopolized by one or a few businesses. When the market is dead, what a terrible scenario!" Before Konstantin could speak, Aleko jumped ahead of him and angrily questioned Kobiev: "No more terrible scenario could be worse than the present! You greedy devil! At least the food we eat is safe. Our lives are guaranteed. We don''t have to worry about going to God as we do now at any time!" Once again, thunderous apuse rang out as Aleko''s words spoke to the hearts of everyone. Somehow someone shouted, "Get out of here, greedy devil!" It was then echoed by the crowd, chanting in disarray, "Get out of here, greedy devil!" Seeing the severe anger made, the frightened Kobiev fled and did not care about the purpose of today''s visit. The rest of the course went smoothly. It was when everyone was terrified by the news reports and felt unsafe with whatever food they had except eggs. Rich people are okay. They simply go to the countryside to buy raw materials for their own processing or go to the Volvo to buy food for the aristocracy. Some even merely changed to eat eggs so that the price of egg food soared. But the suffering of themon people, who can not afford to buy high-grade food, eating ordinary food, is like eating poison for a long time to have lost appetite. After the introduction of the Food Safety Management Act, Bulgariapletely banned substandard food from the market. The police became busy, seizing substandard goods and arresting rogue traders everywhere. To meet the poption''s needs, the government also purchased arge batch of raw materials from the countryside and pushed them to the market. The general public had to do their own homemade food processing for the safety of their lives. The good thing is, Shuanghui Food Group was prepared in advance to stock arge number of qualified food to be marketed to calm the storm. Taking a chance to reorganize the food processing sector, Ferdinand haspleted its de facto monopoly on the Bulgarian food business. Trantor: 1). It contains a positive meaning. Sometimes used as a negative; to express sarcasm. It is often used as a metaphor for a group of people who have their own way of doing things or have their own skills to aplish amon causegenerally used as a use or predicate. Chapter 47: Reform 3 (Population, Agriculture) Chapter 47: Reform 3 (Poption, Agriculture) "Food for the people, food for the safety!" It solved the food safety problem. On the surface, it was a crackdown on rogue people in business and provided the basis for the development of monopolism. Only Ferdinand himself knew that the deeper reason was to elerate poption growth. A country with a poption of more than three million people cannot be a powerful country. Although no one has counted, Ferdinand can be sure that the Bulgarians spread worldwide, even if added together, will never exceed 10 million. And the entire Balkan region, the Bulgarians are now roughly in the range of six million to eight million. Compared with the European powers at the same time: France has a poption of more than 38 million, Germany has nearly 50 million people, Russia is 120 million people. The poption of Bulgaria is only three and a half million, less than a tenth of the above the great powers. So the poption problem is the most severe core issue for Bulgaria to develop and grow in the future. For Ferdinand, every Bulgarian is precious. Ferdinand thought long and hard about how to grow the poption. He conducted another survey on the ground in Bulgaria. Due to the stability of the situation, the rapid development of the domestic economy, and the poption''s stability, the birth rate in Bulgaria has been greatly increased. The birth rate in Bulgaria in 1885 was 4.07%, and in 1889 it gradually increased to 4.25%. From the statistics of the first half of the year, he can assume optimistically that the birth rate in 1890 will be between 4.36% and 4.39%. And the mortality rate of the Bulgarian poption: in 1885 it was 2.65%; in 1889, it was 2.78% (including those secretly executed); in 1890, the mortality rate of the poption counted in the first half of the year was 1.01% (not including foreign workers). As things stand, the Bulgarian people are rtively conservative. The motivation to have children is still very high. As long as the economic conditions allow, everyone is still willing to have more children. Ferdinand knew that this figure had many potentials to be found, and it was far worse than Russia''s counterparts: in 1864, the birth rate was 5.29% and had remained around 5% for many years. The death rate was also simr. Compared to the Great Powers, Britain and Francergely kept it to about 2%, a figure that was even lower when it did not take maintenance casualties in the colonies into ount. But the survival rate of babies, Ferdinand could hardly believe it when he saw the survey data (and neither could the author). Not too low, but too high. In 1889, the survival rate of Bulgarian infants was 85.7%. In the same period, it was 74.4% in Austria, 82.6% in France and 77.4% in Germany. The countries with the highest survival rates were Irnd and Norway, both of which exceeded 90%. Ferdinand, before traversal, would not believe that these data are valid. However, he had to ept this fact after the actual statistics in Bulgaria. (The above data are from the International Historical Statistics: Europe 1750-1993 by Palgrave) For raising the poption, there is no good way for the traversers but to encourage childbirth. Ferdinand was not a medical student in his previous life, so he could not open up on medical treatment. Medical talent is now still being studied in schools. To improve the level of medical care in Bulgaria in the short term, Ferdinand said, the traversers are not omnipotent. He really can not do anything. Before Ferdinand traverses, the poption of many areas has entered into negative growth. Many people are not interested in having children. There is only one group that tries to get the best out of it. In Sofia Pce, the Minister of Agriculture Yakov Petrinov is caught by Ferdinand and sprayed: "Is this what your Ministry of Agriculture has done, in two years? Idiots, fools..." Yakov Petrinov looked at the furious Ferdinand with a baffled look on his face and thought, "What''s the problem? Isn''t that how it''s always done! Howe His Highness is so furious today, not ~~." Fortunately, Ferdinand did not know what Yakov was thinking, or the consequences would have been unknown. After looking at the documents lying on the floor and at the confused Yakov, Ferdinand had just subdued his anger, and it bubbled up again. He snapped, "Humph! Yakov, you stupid bastard! I ask you, what has been done with the money allocated to your Ministry of Agriculture specifically?" Now in a cold sweat, Yakov said fearfully, "Your Highness, some of it ~ we used to publicize and promote the new technology. Most of the money was allocated directly to local governments to increase food production!" Ferdinand said with a sneer: "Oh, Yakov, you idiot! Apart from promoting new technologies, does your Ministry of Agriculture have results? What happens when you allocate funds to localities? Is it used to build water projects, or is it used for agricultural industrialization and reform?" "None of it! Look at what it says? For repairing the river and reinforcing its channels? The Danube, the Maritsa, and the Struma, don''t you know the location of these rivers? What does Montana have to do with it? Did the river flood the Stara Mountains?" "You idiot! Even if you want to manage the river, there are financial allocations. Have the local authorities made any reports? They just devoured the funds for the construction of the water projects. What''s even more ridiculous is that my minister of agriculture came out to endorse the assholes below!" Hearing this, Yakov has cold sweat. Such an obvious problem, he did not find, only as usual disposal. The reports below were actually approved directly without check. Several million Leva of huge money was wasted by themselves. Yakov trembled and said, "Your Highness, this ~ is my ~~ failure of duty! Please remove me from my ~~ position!" When he finished, Yakov let out a deep sigh of relief. Initially, he had little real power as a member of the cab. In addition to the Ministry of Agriculture for other jobs, Ferdinand did not let him be in charge, and Yakov was still a bit resentful. Now, all that remains is to be thankful, "So I really am a loser!" Ferdinand looked at the depressed James and knew that what had just happened had hit him a little too hard. After all, he was less than thirty years old and could not withstand such great pressure. It has been given a chance to withdraw, but Ferdinand now can not let Yakov resign. He is not Chongzhen Emperor1), change the cab like changing themp. It is only a few months after the removal of one cab already. Ferdinand will not change anyone until a new cab is elected, as long as no major problems ur. "Just, it seems that the Ministry of Agriculture is not suitable for you. The government is going to set up a Ministry of Information. I heard that you used to be in the propaganda area, and you are the perfect choice to be the minister!" said Ferdinandfortingly. Yakov looked at Ferdinand gratefully. He knew that this was to take into ount his honor. The main task of the Ministry of Information is to oversee the newspaper. He is the only minister who can be exempted from all the rules of work, which is basically an idle position. After thinking about it, Yakov''s schrly spirit exploded and said emotionally, "Your Highness, I am really not suitable for politics. The University of Bulgaria is more suitable for me. It would be more meaningful to pass on my knowledge in the agricultural profession to the next generation, or to go into scientific research!" Ferdinand looked at the cynical James, who had no ce to send his anger, and said helplessly, "Fine! If you want to go, go! It happens that Bulgaria alsocks experts in agriculture. The position of the cab is kept for a while. You can not think of yourself as an ordinary researcher who wants to organize scientific research pairs and in-depth rural fieldwork! I hope that you are now in the field of scientific research to contribute to the development of Bulgaria!" "I will, Your Highness, don''t worry. I swear by God, I will try my best!" Yakov said proudly. Trantor: 1) Chongzhen Emperor was the 17th andst emperor of the Ming Dynasty before Qing Conquest. He has the habit of changing ministries and generals in a short time because of his impatience. He executed 7 military governors and 11 regionalmanders. He reced his defense ministry 14 times and appointed 50 ministries to the Grand Secretariat (simr to the cab and chancellor). He hanged himself on a tree after killing all members of the imperial household because of the siege by Shun rebels. Chapter 48: Agriculture - Inspection Chapter 48: Agriculture - Inspection After dismissing Yakov, Ferdinandy helplessly in the chair. Alisa was kind enough to rub his forehead lightly. "The temple is small, the demon wind is big, the pool is shallow, and the king is full!"1) This sentence fully depicts the current situation in Bulgaria, which is still the result of arge group of worms that have been cleaned up in front. The problems in Bulgarian agriculture are far from being as simple as they appear. It is just corruption or embezzlement of public funds. The core problem is that agriculture has moreover not attracted the attention of the bureaucrats. The "Five-Year n" has been in progress, and the "Railway n" is the most difficult and the most important. Up to now, there have been no major problems. Even the most chaotic phase of the Stambolov period has not been affected. All local governments are doing their best to support the construction of the railroad. Demolition ofnd acquisition, material transportation, many local governments is organized workforce without the usual go to help. Anyway, Ferdinand has not found anyone who dares to drag their feet. Ferdinand could not think of a way to change the mindset of bureaucrats in their heads for a while. After seeing Ferdinand in a bad mood, Alisa, who is also the secretary''s attendant, was also troubled to put in ce. It suggested: "Your Highness, why don''t you go out for a walk?" "Go for a walk, yes! It''s time to go for a walk!" Ferdinand said with great joy. One sentence woke up the dreamer. The confused Ferdinand found a way at once. In the history of the original time, the Soviet Union has also faced this problem when implementing the first five-year n. It was not until the first half of 1929, when Stalin personally inspected the countryside and supervised the work, that socialist collectivization of Soviet agriculture was in full swing. In just two months, 10 million Soviet farmers joined collectivization, representing half of the country''s farming households. Although there were problems in between, the Soviet agricultural reform was generally sessful. The problems in Bulgaria are not as serious as those in the Soviet Union! Ferdinand only intended to carry out agricultural reforms but did not touch the private ownership ofnd. There was no harm to the interests of the ss. ... The sky is snowing heavily. Everywhere is a white, only the pine trees are still as bright green, dotted with snowkes drifting down on it as if it is a white flower. In February 1891, Ferdinand set out from Sofia on a three-month tour of the country in the bitter cold. Ferdinand set off along the northwest in great numbers with a thousand guards, with the first stop being Vratsa Province. Vratsa is a city in northwestern Bulgaria, the capital of Vratsa Province. It is located on the northern slope of the western part of the Balkan Mountains, where the Leva River flows into the in. It is located in a good location and has various industries such as natural gas, chemical industry, cement, cotton textile, silk textile, cast iron, copper refining, fertilizer, wood processing, etc. In agriculture, wheat and oats are produced in abundance. He cannot deny the importance of the Vratsa region in Bulgaria. In 1974, Vratsa ounted for 96 % of the total Bulgarian production of urea, 24,8 % of pulp, 23 % cement, and 19 % of cotton. In agriculture, the state already has the thirdrgest production of wheat and oats, the fourthrgest production of poultry eggs, and the country''s eighthrgest production of milk. What deserves special mention is the "Kozloduy" Nuclear Power Station in Bulgaria, built near the vige of Kozloduy in the Vratsa Province, which was the first nuclear power station in the Balkans and the whole of Southeast Europe. Ferdinand can not help but pay attention to it, but now Vratsa is not as glorious as inter times. Industrial development is just starting, and agricultural development is seriouslygging down. Ferdinand''s surprise visit stunned the bureaucrats of Vratsa, who had little time to prepare for it, given that Sofia was only a few days away. This time, Ferdinand is not to go to seek their bad luck. All the way around, the speed is naturally not fast. In each ce, he will send someone to inspect the factories and personally walk around the countryside, and when he encounters a problem, he will directly raise it and order the local government to solve it. What are bureaucrats? In his previous life, Ferdinand did not have to look more petite. Without pressure, there is no motivation, of which meeting the political demands of their superiors is the primary motivation for their behavior. The Governor of Vratsa Province, dimir Ivanov, is a modernist bourgeois bureaucrat. Since he came to power, Vratsa Province has seen rapid industrial development, maintaining an annual growth rate of over 10%, and has been honored by the government several times. So even though he came from the Liberal Party and was a staunch supporter of Stambolov, he was not removed from the new government. ... dimir Ivanov said in a stern voice: "All right, gentlemen, now go and get ready! His Highness will be here in a few days, and I don''t want him to see a dirty Vratsa. If something goes wrong, no one will be lucky!" "Don''t worry, Governor. We''ll get it done!" The people replied in unison. If Ferdinand had seen this scene, he would have shouted "hilltopism(2)"! On February 18, Ferdinand arrived in Vratsa with arge group and was warmly weed by the poption. The first impression he had of the city was its cleanliness and neatness. Ferdinand would not be surprised if it were the 21st century in Vratsa. But this is the 19th century, the world''s cities are the same, dirty, messy, poor. There is also the saying that "London smells like a car and wine", cleanliness and hygiene are not yet taken seriously by the people. It has to be said that this is the right kind of ttery by dimir Ivanov. Ferdinand has given the order for policy cleanliness and hygiene several times since he seeded to the throne, and so far, only Sofia has been fully implemented. Ferdinand pleasantly met with dimir Ivanov and attended the wee party they had organized. Of course, it only went to show a face, said less than ten words, and left in a hurry. After all, the identity gap is too big. It isn''t easy to y nicely together. "You have done a great job, dimir Ivanov!" Ferdinand calls a separate meeting with dimir to say it. dimir Ivanov even said, "I don''t have the guts to do so! I just followed Your Highness''s orders and simply did my essential job!" Inter times, Westerners were confident and showed a blunt dislike for modesty. In the 19th century, however, their self-confidence had not yet be immense, or at least they remained in awe when faced with people of higher status. Ferdinand smiled and said, "To be able to carry out my orders perfectly, you are a talent! But what I see now is only part of it. I''m looking forward to your performance in other areas!" dimir Ivanov is first joy, then a shock. By the orders of the central government, dimir thought he was still doing a good job! But it is hard to say whether it can meet Ferdinand''s requirements. There was also some secret regret in his heart: "If I had known earlier that His Highness wasing to make his rounds, I would have done a better job myself." ... Howe there are so many leaders in thetter days to visit around? Stay in the office is not good? Before he traversed, Ferdinand did not understand it very well and thought it was simply for show. After more than two years as leader, Ferdinand found that there is a need to show off, at least to give enough pressure below! Trantor: 1) This word was spoken by Mao Zedong. It means some counter-revolutionary and capitalist problems can only be understood and solved by people in the unit and the department, not by the "task force". Now mainly used to describe things are tiny but mixed with wicked influence, yet it can not be ignoreda derogatory meaning. 2) "Hilltopism" refers to theck of internal party politics in some ces. The loopholes in the monitoring and restriction mechanism of the "leader" of the party. The "collusion" reveals that some ces have many problems with the cadre selection and appointment mechanism. The "small corruption" and petent corruption" reveals that the current power of the grassroots rent-seeking opportunities, space,ck of supervision has seriously damaged the personal interests of the voters/people. In some cases, they prefer to be paternalistic figures, equating the individual with the organization, making major decisions neither scientifically nor democratically, and engaging in "one voice". Some of them work separately, treating their areas of responsibility as "private territories", turning subordinates into their own "vassals", with severe internal conflict and no synergy. Some are only held personally responsible for leadership and not for the organization, turning subordinate rtionships into personal dependencies. Chapter 49: Visit Chapter 49: Visit Ferdinand did not stay long in the city of Vratsa and set out on his journey again the next day. The vige of Koynare, Vratsa Province, is still just an ordinary small mountain vige with poverty and ack of a trace of the first Bulgarian vige in the future. Ferdinand hid his identity and arrived quietly with a few guards. It was noon, and Ferdinand arrived at the only hotel in the small vige, which also serves as a general store and tavern. By talking to people, Ferdinand knew that the owner''s name was Kartr Dilov, a middle-aged man in his forties. He saw that he was optimistic, even though the business of the small store was not very good. Ferdinand asked the guards to order their own food. He ordered a yogurt, a piece of bread, and a local sd made of onions, green peppers, celery, and spring asparagus, which was considered lunch. It tasted, forget about it! Ferdinand can only be barely swallowed. The only voring is salt and sauce, except that he can assure that it is original, a hint of gourmet taste he did not find. After barely eating a few bites to feed his stomach, Ferdinand couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. Kartr, isn''t there anything else here?" When Kartr Dilov heard Ferdinand''s question, he hastened to say, "Oh, God! Dear Guest, of course! You see, my son brought all these snacks from Vratsa! What can I get you? Here are ham, sausages, canned food, and fries..." Ferdinand asked in doubt: "Wait a minute! Kartr, you have so many items, why don''t you take them out and sell them? Just write a few more names on the board. It''s easy!" Kartr, the owner, immediately replied, "Oh, I am sorry! Dear Guest, you are far seen enough to know that some time ago, the whole country of Bulgaria had a severe crackdown on food safety. Now the prices of these goods have gone up!" "Our vige, Koynare, is just a small ce. Everyone is a bunch of poor people, and not many people could afford it originally. Now everyone can''t afford it even more." "This batch of goods is still more than three months ago I just into. Give them to exin the price increase. They do not believe, saying that I am cheating. In a fit of anger, I took them off the shelves!" "Kartr, you''re lying again. How can prices double at once? I went to Vratsa when I was young. There are poor people in the city. Their life is no better than ours. ording to your prices, they are going to starve to death!" An older man of about 60 years old among the guests spoke up as the older man was in high spirits, looking at his clothes slightly aged but clean and tidy without patches. Ferdinand could see that his life should be considered good. Kartr, the boss said with a face like I was wronged: "You know, Master Frank, when did I ever lie! It is the price. If you don''t believe me, ask this gentleman!" The old man called Frank rolled his eyes and said, "Of course I know how you used to be, but it''s not the same anymore! How many businessmen don''t lie when you''re in business?" When he saw Frank deathly unconvinced, Kartr, the boss was anxious about it. Ferdinand understood the cause and effect. He took a can of beef and looked at the production date. Ferdinand smiled and said, "Mr. Frank, this time, you have indeed wronged Boss Kartr!" Frank looked at Ferdinand with a puzzled face. He was helping him. How did he say he was wrong. Ferdinand continued: "From the date of production on this, it was produced six months ago. If Boss Kartr had bought it three months ago, it would have been more than worth the price. At that time, many inferior goods were seized in the market and were out of stock everywhere, so the price was a little high." Frank still had some doubts and asked, "Sir, ording to you, the prices outside have really increased so much now?" Ferdinand said calmly: "No! I''m talking about three months ago. Now that the market has returned to normal, the overall price increase should not exceed ten percent!" Boss Kartr said happily, "Master Frank, now you should believe it. I really didn''t lie to you!" Frank''s head tilted, and he said with disdain, "Oh, God! Kartr, you''re such a dumbass! Didn''t you hear this gentleman? Those were prices three months ago, and now they''re back to normal! You''re still selling at the same price as then, doesn''t that tell you something?" Boss Kartr said thrilled, "But my purchase price is so high! If the price is lowered, I will lose money!" Frank smiled and said, "That''s your business. It''s normal to lose money in business, isn''t it? By the way, you better find a way to sell it quickly or keep it for yourself, or if it expires, it will be bad!" Seeing the conversation between the two men, Ferdinand understood that Frank did not have anything against Kartr but simply hated the merchant. Although his words were not pleasant, he still reminded Carter to sell the goods quickly. Ferdinand smiled and asked, "Mr. Frank, how was your vige''s harvestst year?" Frank smiled and said, "Guest, you''re joking! It''s still the same. You can get over it!" Ferdinand asked in confusion, "Isn''t it a new agriculture technology that is being promoted? Howe there is no increase in production?" Boss Kartr snaps: "How did not increase production? It is just seeking some people who are not in trouble, did not go to learn, so ~ ~." Frank seemed to be caught in the footsteps, "Screw it, there s nothing for you here, Kartr!" "Our Guestughed at you. You know that agricultural technology innovation is not a one-time event. I am a timid old man, and the technicians sent from the top are not exined clearly, so I intend to wait and see!" Ferdinand smiled and said, "Understood, you''re old-fashioned! By the way, I have read that your side seems tock irrigation channels. How do you solve the problem of agricultural water?" After hearing Ferdinand''s question, Frank said with a helpless face: "What else can we do? With God''s blessing, we''ve had good weather here in recent years! Guest, what you said about building ditches is not that simple! Don''t look at our good conditions this time. But to solve the water problem, the amount of work alone is not something we can afford!" Ferdinand nodded cautiously and continued, "If the government steps in to organize it, are you willing to participate?" Frank smiled and said, "The Guest is joking! If the government is willing to take the initiative, how can we refuse? I''m not sure about other ces. In our vige alone, if we solve the problem of agricultural water, we can at least reim a third of it!" Ferdinand nodded in satisfaction. Since the people were willing to support it, the water project n that followed could be started. Frank suddenly blushed and asked in surprise, "Is the guest a man of the government?" "What? Does it not look like it?" Ferdinand asked rhetorically. Frank said in a rush, "Yeah! So? There is a rumor that the government is going to organize the construction of a water project, and this thing is true?" Ferdinand nodded and said, "There is indeed this n!" Frank asked with great joy, "By the grace of God, can we start on our side?" "What''s wrong old man, not timid? This time not to watch and see?" Ferdinand said with a teasing smile. Frank eximed, "God, oh, no! What''s the risk of building a water project? We won''t lose out anyway!" "Besides, in thest year or two, we''ve had a much better time! His Highness has done an excellent job. Taxes are much lighter than before, and when we had to contributebor to build the railroad, it was actually abolished and turned intobor recruitment, so naturally, the pressure on everyone is much less!" Ferdinand smiled and agreed, but in his heart, he was delighted, thinking: "This is all made by me, of course I know! You think I don''t want to use freebor, but it''s because there is a water project behind! It''s better to let you voluntarily participate than to be forced to conscript!" Ferdinand said with a smile: "But Frank, this time, you can not get away. This time the principle of the construction of water projects, the government provides explosives and some machinery. The rest of thebor can only rely on your own efforts!" Frank''s face stiffened, then smiled again and said, "There is no problem with this one. The entire Bulgarian water project requires an astronomical amount ofbor. I can''t think of any other way but to have everyone on board!" "Good, the Ministry of Agriculture estimates that toplete the country''s water projects, the number of workers needed to use up to hundreds of millions. Even if the country''s young and strong people are all on board, it will take several years of work. In this regard, in addition to your own efforts, the government can do not do much!" Ferdinand said cautiously. "That much?" Kartr eximed. Frank red at Kartr and said, "What a fuss! Our ce is considered good. If everything goes well, I guess it will take a year or two to repair. If the conditions were bad, it wouldn''t be surprising if it took ten or eight years to repair!" After finishing the chat, Ferdinand thanked Frank for the invitation and left straight away. In a way, Bulgaria and the Chinese are somewhat simr in that they are both rather sentimental and also value thend very much. Inter times, they would not have left their hometowns to work if they had not been forced to do so. After people in business became rich, many people love to return to their hometowns to buynd. Frank is the epitome of small Bulgarianndowners and wealthy farmers. Chapter 50: Opening of Sobu Railroad Chapter 50: Opening of Sobu Railroad "The streets run with colorful open, four-wheeled carriages. The warehouses of the rich have mountains of grain. The entertainment venues are filled withrge color photographs of ''beautiful women'' and... The untold misery of the folk who have nothing on their tables, who have nothing to eat, and who rarely get a meal of white bread for many years..." Does it look familiar? Yes, this is the original depiction of the Shanghai Bund (adapted a bit by the author). It is the current situation in the Balkans, as well as in Bulgaria two years ago. Thanks to the purges of the Stambolov period, which cleared away arge ss of the rich, Ferdinand was able to umte enough to rx the exploitation of the poption and give themon people a sigh of relief. Along the way, Ferdinand found that most of the former ces of entertainment were closed for business. It put on the people''s faces a glow of hope, the taxes returned to normal levels, and the mountain that was weighing them down was taken off again. The bottom line is that there is no need to pay back the usury owed. The dead won''te to collect, and many of them are still grateful to the Stambolov government on this point. Do not lose sight of the notoriety of the Stambolov government. In fact, its contributions to the country are still at the top of the list of all Bulgarian governments. Bulgaria''s varied and undtingndscape is characterized by mountains and hills, which ount for about 64% of the territory. (Note: This was the topography in 1891. After the Second Balkan War and the sessive defeats in the two World Wars, Bulgaria lost arge part of its ins, and inter times the mountains and forests rose to seventy-nine percent.) The railroad was still under construction, and the automobile was still being developed. Ferdinand, even if he was the monarch, could not be an exception. He had to rely on carriages and suffered from bumps and bruises. As for why not to ride a horse, before Li Mu traversed, that Ferdinand is a standard knight. However, the current Ferdinand would be unable to not fall off on horseback! Fortunately, after traversing to Ferdinand''s body, it is good to be able to withstand. If it is the past life of Li Mu, he would have vomited and suffered from nausea. Along the way, as Ferdinand expected, the industrialization process everywhere is not bad. In agriculture, new technologies are spreading quickly in the ins, but mostly slowly in the mountains. Of course, there is another benefit Ferdinand did not notice. Wherever he passed, they created a road in advance. This ordinary road, which became the first connected road in Bulgaria, was called "Imperial Avenue", and was also called "Chama Road"1), meaning: the road where the monarch visited. By now, Ferdinand has reached the city of Burgas in southeastern Bulgaria, which is located on the west coast of the ck Sea and is the capital of Burgas Province, near the Burgas Bay on the ck Sea. It is the secondrgest city in Bulgaria''s future economicplex, the central metropolis on the southern coast of the ck Sea in Bulgaria, with an important position in industry and transportation. It can trace its history back to the ancient Greek period. In the medieval period, the city began to develop. It is also a tourist area to the Bulgarian ck Sea coast, an important transit hub, and also has industries such as oil, chemicals, salt tanning, and iron mining. Nowadays, Burgas is still just a small, ordinary port. Ferdinand wanted toe over the main reason was the opening of the first mainline in Bulgaria, from Sofia to Burgas, a total of five hundred and eighty kilometers. (Parts of it, which had been there before, were just connected.) Ferdinand knew that with the railroad opening, Burgas would enter the fastne of rapid development in the future. In parallel time, the port of Burgas is responsible for 60 percent of Bulgaria''s national maritime transport. It has a well-developed petrochemical industry, with thergest oil refinery in the Balkans located here. It is also the fishing center of Bulgaria, which is influenced by maritime climate and temperate continental climate with humidity, suitable for the development of agriculture. In addition to grain crops such as wheat, corn, and barley, there are also cash crops such as grapes, apples, almonds, and cherries. The opening of the railroad from Sofia to Burgas is definitely a big event for Bulgaria. The railroad passes through several cities and runs through the east and west of Bulgaria. Ferdinand no longer remembered the original name of the railroad, simply per his habits, taking the first word of the two cities named. It is how the anachronistic name "Sobu Railroad" was born. "The Sobu Railroad" is the main artery of Bulgaria. It is crucial for its military and economic value. If the branch lines are connected, it will realize the entire Bulgarian transportation. The opening ceremony of the "Sobu Railroad" was solemn. Ferdinand attended the opening ceremony in Burgas, while Chekhov, on behalf of the government, presided over the opening ceremony in Sofia. The two trains, which left Sofia and Burgas in the same time frame, took twelve and a half hours to reach their destinations safely. In fact, to ensure a smooth opening, it has been tested many times before, and now it is just a walk in the park. All the Bulgarian newspapers of that day reported the happy news to the poption on the front page. Ferdinand was not much felt that he was used to seeing the speed of high-speed rail. It is tough to make him think surging for the railroad speed below fifty kilometers per hour. In fact, at the end of the 19th century, the "Sobu Railroad" could only be described as ordinary. The only advantage of using the mostmon steam trains was their technical maturity and safety. Although Ferdinand knew that soon, it would be obsolete and the railroads would have to be drastically remodeled, there was nothing that he could do about it. Nevertheless, it does not affect in any way the status of the "Sobu Railroad" in Bulgaria. From now on, it can reach Bulgaria from the east and the west. Economically, the cost of materials shipping has been significantly reduced. People''smunication has be more convenient, and economic development has been promoted. In military terms, the pressure on national defense is greatly reduced, and a regiment can be put into most of the country in one day. Within three days, they can erge this number to a division. The premise is that the branch lines everywhere are also linked. Otherwise, logistical supply will certainly be the first problem. Ferdinand still underestimated the impact of the opening of the Sobu Railroad. All over Bulgaria, the poption has organized their own celebrations. Of course, the usual protests inter times, which do not exist, are an obstacle to public transport and would be an illegal act. Most of them are three or five friends gathered together. They brag about each other, think about the future, and talk about the present. Some businesses take the opportunity to engage in promotional activity. All in all, people in Bulgaria are still very conservative at this stage. Not only are they living a simple life, but they are also conservative and follow traditions in their daily behavior. The spring breeze of democracy and freedom has not yet reached their hearts. Ferdinand was enjoying a good time when an unexpected visitor interrupted his trip. Trantor: 1) This word is just ''english'' way to the Chinese word "Ch m". Ch means to observe, and m is the horse. It can mean that person who observed from the horse or any transport. You can say that author makes the name from the Chinese perspective andnguage, not from Bulgarian. Chapter 51: Nikolais Visit Chapter 51: Niki''s Visit Since its crushing defeat in the Crimean War in 1856, Russia was dealt a heavy blow in the international struggle for control, forcing it to shift its focus of expansion to the Far East and the Pacific. While Britain, the United States, Germany, and other countries also hoped to lure Russia to the Far East pastures and pushed on the other side. Before the Sino-Japanese War broke out, the Great Powers did not see the weakness of the Qing Dynasty. They hoped that Qing Dynasty could take advantage of its geographical superiority and stall the expansion of Russia. At that time, there was a trend of chauvinistic reverses in Russia. The Orientalists in the academic and cultural circles advocated: "Russian culture is more closely rted to the East than it is to European culture. And they felt that it was Russia''s historical mission to merge the East into the Russian Empire." Motivated by his student, the Orientalist Ukhtomsky, Niki, at that time Crown Prince, traveled from 1890 to 1891 to Greece, Egypt, India, China, Japan, and other Eastern countries. Probably because Russian-Bulgarian rtions have eased, or perhaps because of the change in German policies on the continent, Russia has be more isted than ever in Europe. Desperately in need of allies and intending to strengthen rtions with Bulgaria, Niki added Bulgaria to the list of countries visited. Since Russia threw an olive branch, Ferdinand stated without any hesitation by saying that he does not care. Oh, that''s all pure joy. Ferdinand immediately stopped what he was doing and hurried back to Sofia for fear of missing the time. The above is purely based on a hobby. Mainly Ferdinand had high expectations for Niki''s visit. Geopolitically speaking, Russia is still the first diplomatic target of Bulgaria. Ferdinand could not afford not to pay attention and had to be prepared in advance. In the capacity of the Crown Prince of Russia, Niki''s visit is certainly not just a simple tour. As for what purpose, Ferdinand is still roughly clear. There are only two points, and you can say one point, to further improve Russian-Bulgarian rtions. It depends on the price given by Russia whether they will form the alliance or not. "Once you enter the political arena as deep as the sea, from now on, the modesty bes the road!" Ferdinand ended his three-month national tour early and repurposed a train, which served as the monarch''s special train, and returned to Sofia. Sitting on the bumpy train, Ferdinand is leisurely sipping tea while looking into the distance through the window, with a pleased look on his face. It is now April. Spring has returned to the earth. Everything is revived, another year of green grass and a spring flower red. In the wilderness, the grass has changed into bright green clothes. The earth is full of life. Alisa came over gently, seemed to feel Ferdinand''s good mood, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, just now Sofia sent a call that Crown Prince Niki has arrived in Ukraine. He will arrive in Burgas in three days and then take the railroad to Sofia!" Ferdinand spewed out a mouthful of tea and asked in surprise, "What the hell? Didn''t he say he was going to Greece first? Why did he suddenly change his route?" Alisa threw a wink at Ferdinand and said with a smile, "The telegram said that it was the work of Archbishop Kliment. After hearing about the opening of the Sobu Railroad, he convinced Crown Prince Niki to change the first stop to Bulgaria!" Ferdinand returned to his senses, realizing that he had lost his temper, and immediately regained his usual calm. He red at Alisa, who was snickering on the side, and covering up his anxiety, said, "Oh! Archbishop Kliment is anxious to show Niki the results of the modernization of Bulgaria." Alisa looked at Ferdinand will smile as if to say that you are at liberty, of course, no outsider here. Ferdinand knew that he had no deterrent effect in front of Alisa. With that, his left hand pulled Alisa into his arms, and his right hand began to roam her body again, looking at Alisa with a bad smile. Alisa was frightened. She was still very conservative. Although she had fallen into Ferdinand''s clutches, she still did not intend to have daytime sex with him. Seeing that she couldn''t break free, Alisa said, "Your Highness, please stop it. I have work to do, and Sofia is waiting for a reply." To Ferdinand''s sense of decency, Alisa is not convinced, especially in beauty. The pile of dancing girls in the royal pce is proof. Ferdinand smiled smugly and said, "Am I that scary? It''s not like I''m going to eat you!" Alisa was quick to say, "Your Highness, what is the next step of our journey? Should we continue back to Sofia or return directly to Burgas?" He thought, "You won''t. If I had been a little more rxed, I would have been by now ~~." Ferdinand let go of Alisa, pondered for a moment, and said, "The route remains the same, continue to Sofia!" As soon as the words left his mouth, Alisa fled. Only Ferdinand was left there alone toment, "Am I that scary? No, Alice must have been too stupid and wrongly understood what I meant. It must be!" Bulgaria is a small country, and by the early morning departure into thete afternoon, Ferdinand had made it back to Sofia from Burgas. Despite Ferdinand''s exhaustion from the train ride for most of the day, he held a meeting at the royal pce at the temporary ministerial level. Time is running out before Niki''s arrival and what position Bulgaria should take towards him or how to face the ensuing Bulgarian-Russian rtions. Chekhov and Konstantin were at the Sofia Pce and smiled at each other when they met by chance. Chekhov looked at Konstantin and said, "Konstantin, how do you think we should face Russia next? Should we ally with them?" Konstantin said calmly: "I''m afraid it depends on the sincerity of St. Petersburg, brought by Crown Prince Niki!" Chekhov nodded with some concern. Now in Bulgaria, the pro-Russian faction has taken control of the majority. At the top of government, only he and Yakov, who slowly faded out of the government, are left as the anti-Russian faction. Chekhov has always been deeply wary of Russia. He felt that Russia was not kind to Bulgaria and that even if they were allied, they would merely be used and not trusted! But he had little power, a view that had few supporters in the government. Ferdinand, who dragged his somewhat tired body, concluded, "Well, everyone has agreed to strengthen rtions with Russia! Then the next step is to leave the talks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs!" "The specific projects involved, which need to be decided by the government in thest few days, are in principle based on economic growth, such as importing mineral resources from Ukraine, introducingbor, etc.!" "Today''s meeting is ssified as S-ss confidential. No one is allowed to leak it to the outside world! I will punish vitors for treason!" Chapter 52: Nikolai II Chapter 52: Niki II Niki II Aleksandrovich was born in St. Petersburg on May 18, 1868. He was the eldest son of Aleksandr III and Tsesarevna Mariya (Princess Dagmar of Denmark). He was thest emperor of Russia and reigned from 1894 to 1917. Niki II came to the throne at a time of rapid change. From the end of the 19th century, the industrial system of Russia, centered on heavy industry, was perfected. The capitalist economy and the decadent and backward Russian political system created a conflict that he could not ovee. And the gap between the rich and the poor in Russia widened, many peasants went bankrupt, and social conflicts intensified. Faced with these conditions, he continued internal repression and external expansion from the point of view of maintaining his rule. In 1891, while attending the opening ceremony of the Siberian Railway in divostok, Niki was invited by the Japanese Imperial Family to visit Japan and was attacked in tsu, which is known as the ''tsu Incident''. After the Meiji Restoration, capitalism developed rapidly in Japan, and the country grew in strength, bing a power in Asia by the end of the 19th century. At that time, Japan was determined to be the dominant power in Asia and be among the world powers. The Japanese government was panicking in the face of Russia''s aggressive expansion in the Far East. Strong Russophobic sentiments were also rampant among Japanese nationals, and organizations such as Kokurykai emerged among the people. Thus, before Niki''s departure date, anti-Russian organizations had already started nning the assassination of the Russian Crown Prince. During Niki''s visit to Japan, he was touring the streets of Tokyo when a Japanese samurai rushed up to him and swung his saber at Niki. Fortunately, Niki''s entourage reacted quickly and pushed him away to save him from being a victim under the sword, but was still the de cut off at the forehead. They took the Crown Prince to the hospital at once. Although he escaped, Niki II has been left with a visible scar on his head and suffers from a severe migraine, a memento of his trip to the Far East. Niki said that the tour influenced him and made him interested in the Far Eastter on his return from the Far East. Although the Japanese officials quickly arrested the murderer, apologized to Niki, and paid a hefty price, the matter was set right. This matter is not so easy to finish. Niki''s heart is not so open-minded, and the mere capture of an assassin cannot satisfy him. After the Sino-Japanese War in 1894, the conflict between Japan and Russia in the Far East became a more open one. In 1895 he joined forces with Germany and France to interfere with Japan''s efforts to regain Qing Dynasty''s Liaodong Penins. Itid the seeds for the Russo-Japanese War. In 1900, after the outbreak of the Boxer Rebellion, Niki sent troops to join the Eight-Nation Alliance, which invaded Beijing and upied northeastern China. During the expansion activities in the Far East, there were violent conflicts with Japan in Korea and Manchuria, which led to the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. At the beginning of the war, the ill-prepared Russia surprised Japan and took heavy losses. Later on, although they slowed down because of their strong national power, they could not support their counter-attack due to the poor ess and logistics in the Far East, and they have been in a stalemate. Niki, probably eager for revenge, had his head in the clouds and sent the Russian Navy to the Far East. It was a suicidal campaign that killed the world''s secondrgest Navy at that time. "Russo-Japanese War" saw Russia lose and Japan win. In 1905, after the capture of Lushun by Japan, the revolution broke out in St. Petersburg, which became known as the Bloody Sunday. It was temporarily ovee by the Stolypin reforms but was plunged into moreplex Balkan problems, which continued to drain the empire''s energy. Due to the hemophilia of Crown Prince Alexei, Niki II spent most of his time in retreat in the Imperial Estate of St. Petersburg as well as in the ck Sea, staying with his family. As the Empress favored the ''evil monk'' Rasputin, which caused discontent among the young nobility and the officer corps, Niki II gradually lost the support of the military, bureaucrats, and capitalists. In 1914, when Russia had just restored its strength, Niki II led Russia into the Great War and gradually lost popr support due to poor war conditions,ck of supplies, and capitalist hoarding. In 1917, Germany gave support to the Soviet Communist Party, and Lenin returned home from Switzend through German territory via Find to start a revolution to get Russia out of the war. In March 1917, the February Revolution broke out when the citizens of St. Petersburg staged anti-hunger protests. On March 15, 1917, Niki abdicated and passed the throne to his younger brother, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, but he refused, so the Romanov Dynasty fell. After the abdication of Niki II, the British government refused to ept his family''s asylum in Ennd. After the outbreak of the October Revolution, Niki II''s family was killed by the Bolshevik army. Of course, this is all in our time, and now Niki is in his prime. As the crown prince of one of the most powerful empires in the world now, it precisely is what he wants. Three dayster, in the port of Burgas, Niki and his entourage left the warship and stepped into Bulgaria. "Oh, there you are, Archbishop Kliment. I''m sorry I haven''t had a chance to congratte you on the opening of the Sobu Railroad!" Niki said with a smile. Kliment said excitedly: "Your Imperial Highness, you are too kind! Compared to the great Russian Empire, our achievements are not worth mentioning!" Niki smiled and did not say anything as he obviously thought so. In 1891, the total railroad mileage in Russia was already up to 30,723 km. And what about Bulgaria? Even by Ferdinand, the traverser who opened the door, the total railroad mileage is now only a thousand kilometers. Niki did not seem to be in a hurry. When he arrived at the port of Burgas, he did not rush to Sofia but began to tour the mountains. Ferdinand received a telegram from Kliment and knew that Niki was not as bad as the future reviews of the world had made him. Any emperor who can hold real power is not to be underestimated. The "tour of the mountains" mainly was to observe the strength of Bulgaria. He then decides what attitude to take towards Bulgaria. Except for political naive like Kliment, basically, all can see the purpose of Niki. Niki directly uses the foreign plot that Ferdinand cannot do anything even though it is clear. Ferdinand is very upset about this situation that is beyond control. It has been going on for more than a month. Niki traveled all over the road, stopping and wandering around, probably bored, or maybe it was the right thing to see. By May, he finally arrived in the city of Sofia. Chapter 53: Nikolais Visit to Bulgaria Chapter 53: Niki''s Visit to Bulgaria When Niki toured Bulgaria, Ferdinand held a grand wee ceremony at the Sofia Pce. It is the rule in Europe to curtsy to a person of higher status than oneself, who has a royal title. With one leg crouched at the knee and the other foot half a step back, the body remains upright, and the eyes may look at the one being saluted, or the head may be lowered as a sign of respect. In order to show respect for Niki, the top officials of the Bulgarian government were all present, led by Ferdinand, and went to greet Niki with respect. Ferdinand could have done without personal action, but sadly, he could not send enough royal family members now. In order not to provoke the cautious Niki, Ferdinand finally went out himself. After a tedious set of protocols, Ferdinand, as the host, said with a big smile, "Niki, wee!" They are also counted as old acquaintances and have met each other several times. Of course, the friendship is limited to a few greetings. Ferdinand knew Niki a little. He knew that he was very proud, despised people of low birth, and did not like to have close contact withmoners. The greater envies of ministers who have great abilities may be rted to the political climate in Russia. There is always the fear that one day they will take away his power of the monarchy. Ferdinand knew that now the pro-Russian faction in Bulgaria is very strong, many ministers have great hopes for Nichs, and he did not care. The position of being born determines the political position! Someone in the Russian government might support them, but Niki''s character had already defined that he couldn''t get mixed up with a bunch of civilians. Niki smiled back and said, "Thanks! Ferdinand, it''s been a long time! If I use the oriental phrase, it''s good to see you after three days of friendship. You''ve changed a lot!" "Well, people always change, and you''ve changed quite a bit! You wouldn''t have said that before!" Ferdinand said in return. It looks like the dialogue between the two men has caught the eye of the Bulgarian ministers. However, on this asion, there is no way for them. When Ferdinand traversed, after having dealt with the great aristocrats, he knew that Western and Eastern values are not the same. It is easier to receive respect if you are equal in status and do not need to be subtle in your speech but rather straightforward. If you slip up, it will be a test of your ability. At least Ferdinand thought he did not have that ability. "Haha, God bless!!! It looks like you''ve had a good timetely! I heard in St. Petersburg that you expelled a group of rebels, good job! A lot of people used to look the other way and think you were a total businessman!" Niki said with a teasing smile. "Oh, really! You''ve changed a lot, too! The old Niki would not have been so keenly observant! By the way, I am more interested to know among the people who are looking away, once again there is without you?" Ferdinand asked rhetorically. ... On the surface of the party, the two men didn''t seem to have a good conversation! Niki didn''t even attend the ball. He just showed up and hurried through. Many people in Sofia will not be able to sleep tonight. The people have turned their attention spontaneously to this visit of Niki. Some ministers who had attended the banquet looked divided. Some were confident, some were worried, and some were pleased. Those who are confident are Ferdinand''s loyalists and have trust in him, while those who are worried are mostly his supporters and do not want a change that would interrupt Bulgaria''s development. Those who are happy are those who are upset with the status quo and seem to perceive an opportunity in it. Well, none of this concerned Ferdinand. By talking to Niki, he could already be sure that the wheels of history had not changed. The next strategy of Russia had begun to shift from Europe to the Far East. "When a soldier leaves for three days, you''ll be surprised by a new sight!" You can''t say that without knowing the Eastern culture. As the crown prince of Russia, the future Tsar, he would have nothing better to do than study Eastern culture? As far as Ferdinand knows, Niki is not such a good learner. The Crown Prince of the Russian Empire is not asid-back as Edward, and there are a whole lot of things waiting for him to deal with it. "Ukhtomsky (one of the representatives of the Russian Orientalist faction), it seems that we can basically achieve the purpose of our visit to Bulgaria!" Niki said happily. Ukhtomsky said calmly: "Yes, Your Imperial Highness. It''s easy to rope in those Bulgarian turds, but it''s a little hard to deal with Knyaz Ferdinand!" Niki said with no concern: "It''s just a matter of interest! Ferdinand is indeed impressive. In just two years, he has single-handedly taken control of Bulgaria! But that''s all, Bulgaria is only a small country after all. In the international battle, it is destined to be under the wing of the great powers!" "Your Imperial Highness, the future of Russia lies in the Far East. The Balkans are not worth the effort to draw too much attention from us!" Ukhtomsky advocated him. Niki said confidently: "You are right. Bulgaria is a traditional ally of the Empire, the civil rtions between the two countries have always been very good and is our natural ally in the Balkans. And now Bulgaria''s development is fast. Did you find out that this is already Russia''srgest trading partner in the Balkans? It''s not hard to pull them over! Surprised, Ukhtomsky asked, "Does Your Imperial Highness intend to control Bulgaria economically?" Niki looked at Ukhtomsky and smiled and said, "Why not?" "Bulgaria is resource-poor! Geographically, it is cheapest to import from Russia, and the faster they develop, the more they can''t live without us!!!" Ukhtomsky fell into deep thought, "Yes, Bulgaria started the road of industrialization, which requires resources that certainly can not be self-sufficient. They must import it! Many countries in the world can provide resources, but there is no choice but the Ukrainian region, which is economically viable!" Seeing Ukhtomsky''s concern, Niki thought he was worried about affecting Russia''s future state policy and at once assured him, "Ukhtomsky need not worry. The future strategy of the Empire lies in the Far East. Building a Yellow Russia is the mission given to us by history!" Knowing that Niki had misunderstood, Ukhtomsky hastened to exin, "Your Imperial Highness, I''m not worried that it will affect future state policy! All Balkan countries have many problems now, and Bulgaria''s development can be described as a unique one. I''m afraid that in the future, it will upset the bnce of the region!" Niki nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "You worry too much. Bulgaria is too small. Even if it develops, it will be at most like Belgium. Even so, by that time, we had solved the Far East problem. We had enough power to hold them down!" Nics probably wouldn''t know that the ce where they were talking had been bugged in the most basic way and was now reaching Ferdinand''s ears. Trantor: 1) This phrasees from ''Records of Three Kingdoms'' (Snguzh), Book of Wu, Volume 54: Biographies of Zhou Yu, Lu Su, and L Meng. It means you can no longer use the same perspective to see people again. Chapter 54: The Feasibility of an Alliance Chapter 54: The Feasibility of an Alliance The next day, the two sides had friendly talks and signed a pact! Oh, it''s all above board! Diplomatic negotiations are never a leap of faith. Negotiations like these, which involve future national strategies, are even more troublesome. The next day, Ferdinand and Niki were touring Sofia. The name "God''s garden" is not a lie. Even Sofia in the 19th century had the shape of a garden city. The city is now full of flowers, greenery, and birds. For some reason, Niki has recently be obsessed with history and culture. Although Bulgaria is not the four ancient countries, at least there is some historical heritage, dating back to a thousand years. Settled by the Thracians in 2000 B.C., the ancestors of the Bulgarians were ancient Bulgars who migrated from Central Asia and were merged into the Byzantine Empire in 395 AD. In 681 AD, the vs, who hade south from the northern bank of the Danube, the ancient Bulgars and Thracians, who had migrated west from the north Caucasus, under the leadership of Khan Asparuh, defeated the Byzantine army. He founded the vic Bulgarian Kingdom (historically known as the First Bulgarian Empire). Sofia was built and settled by the Thracian Serdi tribe from the 8th century B.C. to the 7th century B.C. It has a history of more than 2,800 years. It is an ancient city in Europe, known as "Serdica". The remnants of the walls now remain, and their exact age is difficult to ascertain. They reveal the many changes that Bulgaria has undergone. Sofia became part of the vic Bulgarian state in 809 A.D. and has been an area of vic poption in the Balkans ever since. "Ferdinand, Serdica is wonderful. It is good for you at a bargain!" Niki said with some envy. "Oh, indeed! But it''s nothingpared to the great Russian Empire!" Ferdinand took it smoothly and with slight ttery. "Yes, but Russia is too cold! We do have a territoryrger than the whole of Europe, but it''s mostly frozennd! The world is pretty much divided up now, and the bestnd is in the hands of the British. Are you happy with that?" Niki did not hide his dissatisfaction with the British and could not help but show it. Ferdinand rolled his eyes in displeasure! Is this looking for an irritant? If Bulgaria had that strength, he would have acted long ago. After thinking about it, Ferdinand decided to provoke Niki as well and said, "I don''t think you should say this to me. It would be better to tell Wilhelm II or Franz Josef I! They will be more interested!" As soon as Ferdinand''s words were out, Niki, as if it provoked him, said with some irritation, "Don''t mention those two bastards in front of me! They are all a bunch of cowards who don''t have the guts to mess with the British but only know how to make small moves in Europe!" Ferdinandughed and did not pursue the topic. Russia''s current position with Germany and Austria is not very good. Thirty years ago, in the Crimean War, Austria-Hungary betrayed Russia and switched to Britain and France. As a result, Russia lost badly, and hatred between the two sides built up. Wilhelm II, who had just seeded to the throne, had torn up the German-Russian Reinsurance Treaty not long before. He would not be Niki if he could still be at peace with himself. As if he realized his outburst, Niki adjusted his emotions and said with great grace, "Sorry, you know I''m impatient!" Ferdinand, still smiling, said, "It doesn''t matter. However, you are not in a position to say such things!" Niki nodded, did not speak. Ferdinand figured out his character. It was clear that the usually polite and gentle Niki, once angry, is difficult to control himself, not the usual shrewd. So he spoke up and said, "Niki, what is the purpose of your trip?" "To learn about the world, of course, to grow in knowledge! Oh, why do you suddenly care about this see the thing?" Niki asked with some confusion. "Well, you keep ying hard to get! But I can still guess that the strategy of St. Petersburg is going to change, right?" Ferdinand said in a sure tone. Niki''s mind was shocked, and his face was unchanged as he said, "How do you know? There are not more than ten people who know this news now!" Ferdinand looked at Nics and said calmly and assuredly, "It''s simple! The current international situation, coupled with the route of your trip, has exposed the secret!" "Without the German-Russian alliance, if St. Petersburg''s next focus remains in Europe, it will have to face the German-Austrian-Italian-British alliance. Unless St. Petersburg wants another war like the Crimean one, the strategy is bound to change!" "It just so happens that all of your neighbors to the East are now in decline. Now that you''re heading all the way east, I''m afraid you intend to gain a deeper insight into the strength of the countries to the East! The next target of your country''s expansion is either the Ottoman Empire or the Qing Dynasty in the East!" Niki frowned. He disliked this scene where the situation was getting out of hand. He looked at Ferdinand and said coldly, "Yes! You''re so sure. Why don''t you guess Balkan?" Ferdinand did not answer, and after a nce with Niki, he said, "The Balkans are intricate andplex. No matter how much it expands, Russia can''t eat it now! It is possible that if you are not careful, the Quadruple Alliance will be established, and your country will face even greater challenges then!" "The shrewdness of the government of St. Petersburg cannot fail to see that. Otherwise, your country would not have leaned towards France!" Niki pondered for a moment, coldly said: "Yes, it seems that we still underestimated you. Ferdinand could see it so quickly! We will not keep this matter secret for long. Even if it is exposed now, at most, the eastward n will be a little more tricky! If we go to the Far East, I guess it''s just the way they want it!" Ferdinand said cautiously: "Of course, with the strength of your country, the Qing Dynasty is certainly not a rival! But what about the future? Once your country gets a firm foothold in the East, it will certainly harm the interests of the British. The European spoiler is not a false title!" Niki seemed tired of Ferdinand, not wanting to continue the bullshit, and cut to the chase, "Tell me, what do you want to get? And what can you bring to Russia in return?" "Quite simply, I wish to establish a solid alliance with Russia. Your country''s decision to move East will surely entail a strategic retreat in Europe. I hope that your country can support Bulgaria''s expansion in the Balkans, and in return, your country''s interests in the Balkans will expand. In the future, if conditions are ripe, you can divide Romania, or even if your country wants to seize Constantinople, we can also provide support!" Ferdinand said cautiously. Niki''s mind was stunned. Ferdinand''s appetite exceeded his imagination. It was definitely difficult to break the bnce of the Balkans with a small Bulgaria. But the rewards were also tempting. The expansion of interests in the Balkans was not enough to sway Niki. The division of Romania is indeed a fat piece of meat. The most crucial thing is Constantinople, which has been the dream of Russia for several generations. For this goal, small andrge wars have been fought an unknown number of times. The main reason for this failure was theck of an ally. On this issue, the European powers and the Balkan countries were all their enemies. Now Ferdinand actually agreed to be on the side of Russia on the subject of Constantinople, and Nici could not believe it. He asked, "Are you sure?" "Of course!" Ferdinand affirmed. If Ferdinand were not a traverser, he would not have dared to make such a heavy promise. Could Russia have taken Constantinople if they had the full support of Bulgaria? The answer is: yes! The two sides are too close. With Bulgaria as the rear, Russia will take the lead in strategy, and the chances of winning are extremely high. Once Russia enters the Mediterranean and gets a firm foothold, the Balkans can be their pocket. If it really happened, even if Ferdinand unified the Balkans, there is no way to fight against it. The whole of Europe will have to lie down under the hidden shadow of Russia. (You can refer to the Soviet Union in its modern times) Chapter 55: Russian Secret Treaty Chapter 55: Russian Secret Treaty "Good! Russia can support Bulgaria''s expansion in the Balkans to the extent that it holds back the other great powers. We will not send troops directly!" Niki had calmed down. Despite Ferdinand''s tempting promises, the sess rate was low, and he did not intend to invest too much. Despite knowing Niki''s ns, Ferdinand didn''t care. He had already achieved his real goal! For the sake of secrecy, the secret alliance with Russia must be a secret treaty, and the diplomatic impact will not be too great. Bulgaria can obtain plenty of mining and human resources from Russia andplete industrialization in the short term. The international situation in the future has changed. Russia lost badly in the Russo-Japanese War and had just restored its strength and caught up with the Great War. Russia had even less chance to fulfill this strategy, and the n would forever be the n! Historically Bulgaria was isted in the Balkan Wars and will cease to exist. Of course, it is not yet clear, although the pro-Russian faction in Serbia came to power, now they are still the little minions of Austria-Hungary. Russia has no choice of allies at this moment. (Note: In 1891, Greece became the British domain, and Romania had already signed a treaty with Germany and Austria.) ... Having reached a preliminary agreement with Niki, Ferdinand breathed a deep sense of relief. With the biggest problem of Bulgaria''s development solved, the next step is an all-out development. It is crucial to seize the time and quickly leave behind the Balkan countries in terms of national power. The negotiations that followed did not require Ferdinand''s personal presence. Bulgaria had avish version of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Konstantin and Chekhov. Minister Ukhtomsky represented Russia. It could be good news for Bulgaria. Does Minister Ukhtomsky look familiar to him? He is the "civil diplomat" who is active in St. Petersburg, Beijing, Shanghai, and divostok. He was a leader of the Russian Orientalists who advocated a strategic retreat in Europe and expansion into the Far East to create a "Yellow Russia". Since Ferdinand and Niki have already had a showdown, the two sides have no major issues of disagreement in principle. Thus, the negotiations are advancing smoothly, and there are still some specific details to be negotiated. Niki spent more than a month in Bulgaria and saw that negotiations were still out of reach. Ukhtomsky was again the main figure in the entourage and could not be left behind, which seriously affected his ns for his trip east. "Mr. Ukhtomsky, can you speed up the progress some more? It''s been over a month, and it''s only half-finished!" Niki routinely urged. "Your Imperial Highness, we are already making fast progress. We are just stuck on the details!" Ukhtomsky exined Niki looked pale when he heard this and said with some anger, "It''s stuck? Could it be that something has changed on the Bulgarian side, and they want to make a huge demand!" "Oh, that''s not it! Just some ordinary business talks, normal bargain?" Ukhtomsky was busy exining that he didn''t want anything to go wrong as the eastern faction''s vanguard and affect the empire''s eastern strategy. Niki''s face eased slightly, and he asked somewhat glumly, "So about how long will it take to finish?" Ukhtomsky fumbled, "It''s hard to say! Normal trade negotiations are very tricky. There are too many industries involved, and you can only talk one by one, and you have to find all kinds of information. So it''s hard to say how long it will take to finish!" Niki was startled and understood at once. A bold idea popped up in his head, "Since it is a normal trade agreement, why don''t we just sign a draft first? The specific details will be taken over by someone from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairster." He said, "Mr. Ukhtomsky, why don''t you sign the peace treaty first and leave theter talks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?" "Your Imperial Highness, that''s not good! If we hand over like this, it will be difficult for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to do the work behind us. They can hardly grasp that degree!" said Minister Ukhtomsky, who was already in a state of duty. Niki said briskly, "It does not matter. You can exin to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to release some goodwill properly. Anyway, as long as the zero-tariff agreement is signed, the Bulgarian market has been fully opened to us. A few details are not crucial at all!" "All right then!" Ukhtomsky thought about this reasoning. It is more important to have an eastward strategy. The little interests in the Balkans are not worth mentioningpared to this aspect. Niki does not yet know how much damage this hasty decision will bring to Russia in the future. He probably knows and does not know to care. Before his departure, Ferdinand sent a hefty gift that also included a huge cheque for half a million pounds. It is sort of soothing Niki''s wounded heart, and one by one points up and down. He takes the shorthand. Hence, Niki''s answer to release some goodwill is infinitely magnified. Then with a lot ofughter, Niki left Bulgaria and embarked on his next stop in Greece. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs official who came from St. Petersburg to take over - Pavel Shuvalov - was a bit baffled. St. Petersburg asked for the best possible benefits for the Empire, and the Crown Prince''s orders were just the reverse! Pavel Shuvalov is now in a difficult position. He was initially the ambassador to Germany but had bad luck. It coincided with the tearing up of the German-Russian Reinsurance Treaty by Wilhelm II, then was removed from his post and is now relegated to Bulgaria. He can not ignore the orders of St. Petersburg. The Crown Prince can not be offended by his current position or chance to stumble upon it. It happens to be to pull Bulgaria together and need a person of sufficient status to serve as ambassador. At this time, a surprise guest to solve the problem for him, Niki''s close adviser, Smit Viki, came. He had previously received a favor sent by Ferdinand and stayed behind faking illness. ... Pavel Shuvalov asked in disbelief, "Mr. Smit, did His Imperial Highness really say that?" "Of course! You can send a telegram and ask. Is this something I dare to lie about it? Mr. Pavel Shuvalov, the initial talks were between His Imperial Highness himself and the Knyaz of Bulgaria. Some of these pacts were secret. It included in the kind ofpromises that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not aware of at all!" Smit Viki said with great certainty. Pavel Shuvalov was shocked. He was in a cold sweat. How did this unlucky thing happen to him again? "Secrecy" is not even clear to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. How can he ask? As for the truth of the matter, he did not doubt it! Niki''s telegram to him clearly asked for the release of goodwill. It was clear, but he didn''t expect such a bigpromise! After thinking about it, Pavel Shuvalov finally decided to do as he told him. Having just been pitted by the Germans, he was now afraid. Anyway, at best damage to national interests, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs side can deliver using Niki''s telegram. "Well, I understand what to do, Mr. Smit. Thank you for your advice. Otherwise, it would be a problem to disrupt theyout of His Imperial Highness!" Chapter 56: Gods Garden Chapter 56: God''s Garden In Bulgaria in June, the roses have blossomed into smiles. The flowers resemble a small wine ss, and the petals bloom in a slight spiral. It looked beautiful! Gently approach it, inhale deeply, and a light fragrancees to your nose! "Worthy of being God''s Garden!" Looking at the roses blooming all over the mountain, Ferdinand eximed! In a sh of insight, "Roses - rose oil, rose tea, rose tea!" Ferdinand suddenlyughed out loud. "Sitting on a mountain of treasure and not knowing it!" Roses belong to the Rosoideae subfamily of Rosaceae, which are a genus of thorny branches and shrubs. The leaves are odd-pinnate, with 5-9 leaflets, elliptical, with marginal spines and a wrinkled surface, and the thorns of the thallus are mostly united with the petiole. The flowers are solitary in clusters of several, purplish-red, pink, yellow, white, and fragrant. Roses are both beautiful and fragrant. They are also a good raw material for tea and aromatic oil extraction on top of their ornamental value. Rose tea is a mixture of fresh rose flowers and tea leaves in the ratio of bud ends. Its aroma has the difference between strong and light and not fierce. Rose is also a valuable medicinal herb, beauty, and skincare, meridians, softens blood vessels, cardiovascr, hypertension, and heart disease significantly affecting women. It helps to improve blood cirction, warm the stomach, nourish the liver, prevent constipation, reduce fever, astringency, and adjust menstruation. And is especially suitable for women with endocrine disorders and back pain. In a previous life, Bulgaria was the world''srgest exporter of rose oil. Rose oil is the main raw material for the production of high-end perfumes. It has always been in short supply and has the reputation of "liquid gold". Until the 19th century, the production of rose oil in the Bulgarian Rose Valley was carried out in the form of family businesses. Bulgarian rose oil has been produced for more than two hundred years without any technical difficulties. As early as the 16th century, the Bulgarians began to use roses to extract rose water, and in 1680 began to produce rose oil. From the middle of the 18th century, Bulgarian Rose oil was exported to Europe either by sea via Constantinople, Ottoman, or bynd via Bucharest, Romania, and Vienna, Austria. Until the 19th century, the production of rose oil in the Bulgarian Rose Valley was carried out in the form of family businesses. By the beginning of the 20th century, Bulgaria became the world''srgest producer of rose oil, with the main growing regions being Kazak, Karlovo, Chepn, Stara Zagora, and Nova Zagora. In the 20th century, peak annual production in Bulgaria was as high as 6,000 kilograms, with some 200,000 workers engaged in the rose production industry. It provided more than half of the world''s demand for rose oil. Bulgarian rosese in a wide variety of Bulgarian roses, Damask roses, Violet roses, Plump roses, etc. Moreover, they are of high quality and are widely loved by people. Before Li Mu traversed, he didn''t know much about this area when he was on Taobao to sell poor quality perfume at a high price. In a world where the inte is viral, it is not a secret which raw materials are used to produce perfume. Rose essential oil is recognized as the best raw material for making perfume. In the 21st century, suffered from pesticides and fertilizers, urban workers have begun to promote green, natural, and pollution-free, and even some crazy ideas. It is believed that the traditional and original process is the most environmentally friendly. For this reason, Li Mu has also studied the production process of rose oil. Rose petals contain more oil, and stamens also have some oil, which can be added to the petals and extracted together. The methods of extracting rose oil are solvent extraction, distition, and carbon dioxide extraction. In the early days of Bulgaria, rose oil was extracted by the distition method. Rose petals were obtained by steam distition, but the oil yield from rose petals was meager, about 0.02-0.05% on average. They must also collect Roses before the sun rises over the mountains as they lose their color and fragrance due to sunlight. The extraction of essential oils by solvent extraction in Bulgaria began in 1904. This extraction method increased production tenfold and has since be verymon. To sell the cheap perfume out of the price of high-grade perfume, Li Mu learned these several processes roughly from memory, just to fool the female customers who want to know. Customer: "Boss, there''s something wrong with the perfume you''re selling!" Li Mu: "What is the problem? If it''s the quality of the product itself, I''ll refund the money!" Customer: "The perfume smell is too weak. It''s not as good as the one I used to use!" Li Mu: "Oh, this is the normal situation! Your perfume is purely natural handmade. The main raw material, rose essential oil, is artificially distilled and extracted. The concentration is naturally no better than chemically refined!" "You have always seen roses. Is the fragrance that strong? Too much perfume concentration has surely added a chemical added in it!" Customer: "Yeah, right!" Li Mu: "Of course it is. If you are not sure, you can go to the florist and smell the roses. You can also go online to check the information from Baidu! If it is not the same as I said, whether there is a problem or not, I will return it without conditions, and the courier fee is on me!" Customer: "Oh, that''s fine!" ... These are the daily work of Ferdinand in his previous life. Fortunately, the concept of environmental protection and sustainability is deeply rooted in life. It allows him to take advantage of the opportunity to make a serious profit, which is not closed the half-dead Taobao store. Rose oil has always been a scarcemodity, with high prices on the international market. Historically, the production value of Bulgarian rose oil was 900 kg in 1849, 1,500 kg in 1852, and up to 3,000-6,000 kg from 1905 to 1914. More than 70 percent of the roses used in the manufacture of perfumes and fragrances worldwide came from Bulgaria. As one can see from the data above, thete 19th and early 20th centuries were the golden years for the growth of the Bulgarian rose sector chain. Ferdinand took a moment to calcte and felt that once he developed the rose industry chain, it would definitely be a new source of economic growth for Bulgaria in the future. In 1891, Bulgaria had no pricing power even though it also had a near-monopoly on the world''s supply of rose oil. The small family-style outdated production method, unable to unite to dominate the pricing power of products; they were broken by foreign capitalists one by one. Arge amount of profits were upied by international capital, which had to be reduced to the origin of raw materials. In addition to the above information, Ferdinand was most impressed by the "food"! Does it seem that when he arrived at the big food empire, his first reaction was whether he could eat this stuff? How does it taste? Eating roses is unthinkable in the big food empire before they spread it to the limelight. After that, it spread back to the Western world. There is one example, the rose milk tea with sago dew. It is said that the idea is that a woman who is a foodie who wants to drink bubble teacks ingredients and develops it. The use of a bit of sago, rose tea, a small amount of mochi, matcha powder, cocoa powder, ck tea, prunes, mint leaves, and other production. (The specific method to do so, the authors are not foodies, do not care about the method!) There is also rose porridge and rose lotion. There are even fried roses, deep-fried roses, and soup made from roses. (Oh, the author has also eaten rose pancakes. The taste is fantastic - simr to staring up at the stars!) All kinds of methods, there is no way to do it, only to think. Chapter 57: Negotiation Chapter 57: Negotiation Ferdinand was pondering when Alisa''s crisp voice came: "Your Highness, the Russian Empire''s diplomatic envoy - Count Pavel Shuvalov - is here." Ferdinand withdrew his thoughts and said, "Alright, I see! First, have him rest in the parlor, and I''ll see him at that sideter!" After a deep breath, Ferdinand suddenly felt his energy multiply. The time hade to decide the future fate of Bulgaria. All that had to be done had been done. Ferdinand calls out, "Men!" "What is your order, Your Highness?" The attendant came over at once. "You inform the ministers and officials in Sofia toe to the royal pce for a meeting this evening!" Ferdinandmanded. The attendant replied, "Yes, Your Highness, I''ll get right on it!" After a bit of dressing up, Ferdinand decided to meet Count Pavel Shuvalov first. In any case, Bulgaria is still at Russia''s mercy, and he cannot neglect courtesy. Pavel Shuvalov, who saw Ferdinanding, at once held his right hand on his chest with his left hand, took off his hat with his right hand. His body bowed slightly forward while nodding his head in salute. "Your Highness. Count Pavel Shuvalov, Count of the Russian Empire, greets you!" Ferdinand also gave a courtesy nod, which indicated his approval of Pavel Shuvalov''s greeting. "Count Pavel Shuvalov, wee to Bulgaria!" ... There was a lot of courtesy bullshit, and Ferdinand was busy for most of the day. No, it should be theck of fruitful talk for most of the day before getting to the point. Ferdinand, who learned the diplomatic phrases ofter times, began to boast about the rtions between the two countries: "Count Pavel, the Russian Empire and Bulgaria are the same. The rtions between the two countries have a long history. Despite some misunderstandings, this does not affect the friendly rtions between us!" "The ties between Sofia and St. Petersburg, we can trace back hundreds of years ago. The people of the two countries have so much inmon in terms of religion, culture,nguage, and customs. Once, they fought together against amon enemy, the Ottomans. I am optimistic about the future of rtions between the two countries!" Pavel Shuvalov, somewhat baffled, looked at Ferdinand and talked about the friendly rtions between the two countries: from history to the present, from religion and culture tonguage and customs, from politics to economy. In short, it means that the two countries must have good rtions. Whoever destroys the diplomatic ties between the two countries is a sinner in history and is scorned by both peoples. Count Pavel Shuvalov, after all, has not lived through it. The great age of the Inte is still about the face. Ferdinand began to y with his mouth. He simply did not know how to retort. At first listening, Ferdinand said all very logically. He came this time initially with good faith. When Pavel thought about it, he knew that there was trouble. If there were no result from the talks, Pavel Shuvalov would have be a historical sinner, the culprit in the ruin of rtions between the two countries. After all, Ferdinand was prepared. In a previous life full of thework of the great era of the culture, modesty, or whatever has long been tossed to Java. The script was prepared in advance, together with the presence of the stage and big spittle. Under his status again, Ferdinand bombarded Count Pavel Shuvalov with a frenzy thatsted for more than two hours. Pavel Shuvalov finally left the pce, dazed with all his earlier thoughts disrupted. Together with the pressure of Niki''s telegram, he was now thinking full of the urgency of friendly rtions between Russia and Bulgaria. Anyone who has seen the real-life MLM brainwashing knows what Ferdinand is doing! Well, you didn''t guess right. It is brainwashing! Had it been inter times, he would have spewed it out, but in the neenth century, it was relevant. In this era where the aristocracy has not fallen, the influence of the great aristocrats is beyond the imagination of ordinary people. With Ferdinand''s status, the words spoken are still easily epted. Pavel Shuvalov naturally thought that Ferdinand was a pro-Russian. Otherwise, when ites to rtions between the two countries, he could withdraw with so much reason. It was improving Russian-Bulgarian rtions now, even to the point of alliance. For Russia, it is all a diplomatic victory. Since Germany tore up the German-Russian Reinsurance Treaty, the Russian Empire had been isted in diplomatic terms and no longer had an important ally on the European continent. In the Balkans region, Russia and Austria-Hungary were rivals, and there were conflicts in the Pnd region. In economic trade, the German-Russian conflict has a long history. As long as the Junker aristocrats are there, it is estimated that there is no chance to resolve it. Well, he can ignore this. After all, it is not a core issue. It is just a tariff. Not to mention the Ottoman Empire, it is an entirely immortal enemy in the world. Just look at the long borderline. It is all a source of conflict. Next, there is the British Empire. They did it thirty years ago in the Crimea, but they are European spoilers bulls! Change a single fight to a group fight, Niki I think, indicated that the ability of the British toe to a single battle to make it a team, but do not want them to be idiots! How did they do with Victoria? They don''t want to talk to you, a bad man! We are civilized people with brains. If you''re going to fight alone, right,e on, let''s have a battle on the sea, whoever is weak is a fool! Of course, this is not enough. Bullying the Russian navy is nothing. We are and power. See you onnd if you can. Niki I hasunched to expand to the Ottomans. If you are weak, I will enter the Mediterranean! Oh, Victoria is angry, you are bull, right, nor do you think about who is John Bull1)! The moment you find your old enemy France, you have to take revenge, don''t you? Here''s your chance, let''s take down that Russian barbarian and help you avenge Waterloo! Interest, rest assured, you have a share of the Mediterranean decision. I ate meat and share a bowl of soup with you! And then, the British and French groups also brought Ottoman minions to beat Russia. Niki, I said that thest thing they need is heavy cargo! Come on, hurt each other! Let''s see who can oust who! When Victoria looked at it, it wouldn''t work! Russia is not easy to deal with it. John Bull could not fight with him! He then continued to y as the European spoiler, using the best trick - pull allies! First, Prussia and Austria dered neutrality. Russia was furious. Well, we will settle the scoreter, you Austrian bastard! Oh, Victoria said, junior, you''re too young. It''s just getting there. Wait till you get to the back! Look at it. The Kingdom of Sardinia has joined again. Don''t underestimate our European spoiler''s ability to pull people in! Next, we will not mention the small countries. Anyway, they are waving the g. There are more than enough all over Europe! By the way, insert a few revolutionary parties in you. I was hoping you could give it to me, no need to thank me, we John Bull is so selfless for the cause of human liberation! What? sterreich2) has turned the tables! What the hell? The promised allies, you are neutral even, but now actually turned against us, you are cruel, we have formed a good rtionship, we are not done! Niki I panicked. What should we do? The tiger could not stand up to the wolves. The war could not be fought, and there was a rebellion in the country. It was over! Okay, I admit defeat! Niki I is also a lonely man. He simply refused all the me and drank a ss of mmine3) and went to see God. When the emperor died, the Russians stopped doing what they had to do! Alexander II seeded to the throne and started to improve his rule! Recovered Russia said I do not want to submit! Britain and Russia continue to fight, but we will skip a small conflict. Not long ago, before the conflict in Afghanistan, Russia has a "League of the Three Emperors", a small victory! John Bull expressed his disdain, the "League of the Three Emperors" is nothing. Who are we? European spoilers! How can you be so vain as to sow the copse of the "League of the Three Emperors"! What? And the German-Russian Reinsurance Treaty, easy! We''ll get Wilhelm II and break up the German-Russian alliance! Trantor: 1) John Bull is a national personification of the United Kingdom in general and Ennd in particr, especially in political cartoons and simr graphic works. 2) sterreich is the german name of Austria. 3) The actual one in Chinese is that ''he drinks milk form from Sanlu''. Sanlu is famous for the milk scandal in 2008. The milk they produce has mmine that kills six infants and affects 294.000 others. Thepany is bankrupt, and top managers were sentenced to long prison terms. Chapter 58: Negotiation 2 Chapter 58: Negotiation 2 That''s not all. The conflict between Britain and Russia is not only in history! The present conflict between the two countries is not small andsted until 1907, before the Russian defeat in the "Russo-Japanese War", Russia was the primary enemy of the British! Since thete 1870s, the British and Russian conflicts in the Persian Gulf region have not ceased and are now in full swing. Because of the unique location of the Persian Gulf, it was the necessary route for Britain to enter India bynd and an ideal base for British expansion into the two river basins to the Ottomans. The British Empire would not give it up in any case. By the same token, the ambitious Russia, who also had ideas about India and the Ottoman Empire, was naturally unwilling to let Britain upy the Persian Gulf and block the way forward. In the Persian Gulf region, the two countries fought fiercely over businesses such as railroads, loans, trade, and even telegraphs. (Do not be misled by fictional myths! All the time, the legend is that the British and Russia will fight for their lives to get control of the Persian Gulf and extract oil!) And then the eyes turn to the "Graveyard of Empires". Thanks to the U.S., which is familiar to all of us, the famous "Afghanistan"! From the second half of the 19th century, Russia began to expand wildly in Central Asia, soon entering the Afghan region. Britain quit, and further ahead is British India. At once began to intervene, Russia is not easy to mess with it, why listen to you British? The navy can not go ashore even if it is strong! But then, Afghanistan suffered a stroke of bad luck. Two robbers invaded one after another and then threw in the towel and were divided up! But the conflict in this region is still going on. In 1891, through the world map, Russia was all enemies from the west to the east. The great powers have diplomatically isted the ability to pull hatred! It was forced to close with its former enemies, which warmed up day by day with the same diplomatically isted France. Until now, Bulgaria was not worth it. Now the government of St. Petersburg, too, is taking it seriously. With the Russian Empire''s strategic focus shifting east, St. Petersburg has decided to adopt a conservative strategy in Europe and a limited strategic retreat in the Balkans. Fostering allies is a good option! In this international context, Ferdinand adopted a pro-Russian diplomatic strategy. Based on mutual interest, the two sides quickly came to the present. Ferdinand intended to sign the pact as soon as possible, while Count Pavel Shuvalov was in a trance before the day grew toote. ... Ferdinand has no usual calming, said sternly: "I call you to a meeting today, not to discuss what should be discussed after so many meetings before!" "I won''t say any more nonsense! I''m calling you here now for the matter of negotiations with Russia! The international situation is rapidly changing. Now Russia is in a diplomatic dilemma, and this is our best chance!" "After this one, there is no such game!" "You must strive for the early signing of the Entente and obtain the greatest possible benefit for Bulgaria! In short, this time, the Russian Empire is more sincere than ever. Go ahead and talk despite the loud noises of lobbies!" "You guys are in charge of taking care of the specific details! For the main talks, I''m personally involved!" "Okay, the meeting is adjourned if there are no objections!" After saying that, Ferdinand ignored the crowd who were still thinking and went straight back to rest! Today he is really too tired. Fooling people is not an easy job. (Well, the author is not good at fooling people, usually belongs to the fooled) Lying in a king-size bed at twenty square meters of room, Ferdinand tossed and turned and had a long sleepless night. (Please forgive me if my imagination is limited by poverty) "Look and search, cold and clear, miserable and tragic1). It is most difficult to rest when it is still cold at the beginning of the year." The following day, Ferdinand appeared with dark circles under his eyes. He was proud of his 19th-century makeup skills, but he decided to go for a natural appearance. This time, Bulgaria is an excellent example of "fast and furious". He just arrived in Sofia, has not had time to settle down Count Paul, and hurried to the negotiating table! Today''s split is simple, Ferdinand is in charge of pretending and hammer out the primary goal. The specifics are the job of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He chose the ce at Ferdinand''s pce to show the value that Bulgaria attaches to the talks. He is not going to admit to beingzy and not wanting to ride in that carriage! ... To finalize it quickly, Ferdinand offered constructive advice: "Count Pavel, if we keep talking like this, I guess you''ll still be sitting here today next year! I think St. Petersburg, like us, does not want to keep dragging on forever with no time to lose, so why not simply negotiate in groups!" Pavel Shuvalov pondered for a moment, calcting in his mind. ''After the dissolution of the German-Russian Reinsurance Treaty, myself was left idle. If I don''t produce results again, I will be considered ipetent by His Imperial Majesty! It does not affect the oue even if we talk apart. The big deal is that we can just go over it again ourselves!'' "Your Highness has a point. For the sake of the friendship between our countries, it is indeed necessary to finalize the treaty as soon as possible. On behalf of the Russian Empire, I agree to negotiate in groups!" The room resounded with roaring apuse, and everything went in the right direction. Russia considers the most important military alliance, which Ferdinand had signed with Niki before, and now it is mainly inmercial trade. Ferdinand personally sought out Count Pavel Shuvalov for a chat. No, it was to discuss the most crucial Bulgarian concern - the issue of bringing in the people. He still used his best method of fooling around, "Count Pavel, as far as I know, the Russian Empire has been developing very fast in recent years!" At the end of the 19th century, Russia was in its glory, with influence radiating from Europe to Asia. It was one of the primary challengers for world hegemony, and Russia of the time was in total control! At the mention of the Russian Empire, Count Pavel Shuvalov became excited and said with a bright smile, "Yes, Your Highness. The Great Russian Empire, with the blessing of God, is developing at a rapid pace and can be projected to surpass the pesky British shortly!" Ferdinand also smiled along and praised, "The Russian Empire is the sessor of the ancient Roman Empire. It is only a matter of time before it overtakes Britain, and your country will certainly head the future of Europe and the world!" Pavel Shuvalov has fluttered a bit, but in the end, he is still the elite of his time and did not get carried away. After slightly sorting out his emotions, he could not hide his pride, though, and said, "Your Highness, we still have a long way to go to surpass Ennd. If Bulgaria joins us, I believe this time will be much shorter!" "Oh, Count Pavel, you''re wrong. We''re already allies. I guess you''ve heard some rumors!" Ferdinand showed a smug expression. Pavel Shuvalov was shocked. It seems that the secret contract really exists. The bloody Ministry of Foreign Affairs is out of the way and actually did not tell the details of the contents, whether it would be leaked to him! "By the way, I heard that in recent years, the Russian Empire had seen a huge increase in the number of immigrants to the Americas. What''s going on?" Ferdinand asked with a turn of phrase. Chapter 59: Russian Immigration Protection Alliance Chapter 59: Russian Immigration Protection Alliance Pavel Shuvalov''s face sank slightly. What was going on, of course, he knew. The conflict between the aristocrats and themoners, peasants bankrupt fromnd annexation, had to go out to make a living. However, he could not say that, does not this disgrace their own country? What happened to the dark side of the family? Although it has initially been dark, but Russia is also to save face! He smiled randomly and said with some dignity: "Your Highness is not aware that the poption of the Russian Empire is now up to 120 million. A small amount of poption flow is normal!" The hidden meaning is, please don''t make a fuss about it. A mere few tens of thousands of people are not worth anything to the Russian Empire. The problem is not the same for us as it is for you in Bulgaria. Ferdinand smiled in understanding. Secretly, this is not a little bit! In just ten years, from 1891 to 1901 alone, more than 900,000 people emigrated from Russia out of Europe. Ferdinand can be seen drooling. It is only the statistics, not recorded. There is no telling how many died halfway! The most crucial thing is that Russians and Bulgarians are close innguage and culture. Basically, they can make daily contact, their religion and beliefs and folk customs have too much inmon, so it is easier to integrate! "Count Pavel, you know that Bulgariacks poption, and your country is rich in human reserves. In this regard, we can have mutual efforts!" Ferdinand said in a fake way. Pavel Shuvalov understood Ferdinand''s meaning. He did not refuse, as it seemed to him that this was a small matter, a few pariahs, not worth the mention. However, as a diplomat''s habit, he still paused and said in a pretense of being in trouble: "Your Highness means that you want to fight the idea of emigration. However, they are all leaving on their own, our Russian Empire is a freedom advocate, and the government is not able to force them!" Ferdinand knew that they did things, nothing but to benefit, smiling, "Of course, I know that your country is a model of freedom and democracy. Surely you can not use coercion. As long as your government leads a little bit, it will be fine. They are leaving anyway. Just go where they want to go! Bulgaria can also provide a sum of money for their travel expenses, and Bulgaria is close to home. It is also easier to go home to visit rtives during the same period!" Pavel Shuvalov weighed it up and thought it was about time to take it for what it was worth! Bulgaria offers money for the travel expenses, which you can be sure will not be sent to the migrants. As for how to use it, do you still need to think? Of course, it is the aristocratic bureaucrats'' benefit fee. This time, it is estimated that many people want to receive their favors! "All right! Your Highness, as you wish! For the sake of the friendship between Russia and Bulgaria, the Russian Empire is willing to provide your country in the matter of immigration!" Ferdinand forced himself to hold back his excitement and said calmly: "Count Pavel, on behalf of Bulgaria, I thank you for the efforts you have made for the friendship between the two countries. The people of both countries will remember you for all this!" Yes, they will remember the effort you made and then got angry enough to make Stalin curse. The Soviet Union directly ssified Pavel Shuvalov as the biggest traitor. He created a strong Bulgaria and blocked the Soviets'' ess to the Mediterraneanpletely. One wonders if Pavel Shuvalov can still be happy knowing this news. ... On July 18, 1891, Ferdinand and Count Pavel Shuvalov signed the "Russian Agreement on Migration to Bulgaria" at the Vrana Pce, which is known as the "Russian-Bulgarian Migration Alliance". The main content of the treaty: 1. All migration activities between the Russian Empire and Bulgaria are free of restrictions based on the principle of consent. 2. The Russian government provides the needed assistance to migrants to Bulgaria. Bulgaria pays the Russian government 10 rubles for each young and strong migrant and 5 rubles for the old and young for living expenses. Appendix: immigrants are civilians without criminal records, family-oriented immigration. (Note: No further information is avable, I chose the value of the currency in 1897, 1 ruble 7.774 grams of gold) The signing of the Russian Agreement on Migration to Bulgaria is considered byter times as forming the Russian-Bulgarian alliance. After the treaty''s signing, rtions between the two countries rapidly warmed up, and it strengthened civil exchange andmercial trade, and political cooperation. The year 1891 is considered by historians to be a turning year for Bulgaria, and some call it the "Year of the Rebirth". After the creation of the Russian-Bulgarian Migration Alliance, many bankrupt Russian peasants were forced to emigrate to Bulgaria, whichid the basis for the development of Bulgaria. Since then, the Russian Empire suffered an annual influx of hundreds of thousands of people into Bulgaria. Naturally, this was followed by a bloodbath. The great Russian director Konstantin Stanivski, inter times, also made a film "The Bloody History of the Russian Migrants" to expose the cruel rule of Tsarist Russia. Of course, the official Bulgarian propaganda is not the same again. Ites up with a lot of proof that Russian immigrants live happily in Bulgaria, as for the blood and tears in Russia. Inter times, historians regarded Ferdinand as "one of the greatest monarchs of the modern world, who seeded in national integrity and created a powerful Bulgaria!" "The sky is high, and the sea is wide"!1) This line adapts the ancient poem, which aptly reflects Ferdinand''s current mood. He didn''t expect things to go so smoothly. He reached his goal quickly, and there were still many cards left to y. Those who are in power are now aware of the power of poption to a country. But in the 19th century, thest thing the Russian Empirecked was people. Is it possible that Bulgaria is not strong again? The Russians must say: it depends on who youpare it with it! Compared with the Balkan countries, that is quite possible; topare with the Russian Empire, LOL! Who would have been sure, except Ferdinand at least, that Great War would break out and be so tragic that the Russian Empire would copse? In the eyes of the people of the time, Bulgaria had tied itself to the Russian Empire with the massive arrival of Russian immigrants. The more Russians in the country, the more the pro-Russian faction will grow. Maybe in the future, it will be possible to annex Bulgaria without bloodshed. There is no harm in how it looks. After the treaty reached St. Petersburg, the Russian aristocrats sang the praises of the treaty and made a profit. Alexander III, who was no longer as energetic as he was in his old age, approved it with the consent of the aristocrats. Well, there are a few ruthless individuals who are taking another look at merging some morend. They can also sell the damn pariahs. No, they are immigrants! It really is two birds with one stone, take thend and make another buck. It is possible to imagine that as long as Bulgaria can afford to raise them, it is estimated that they will get them. The spread of mechanization has greatly reduced the need for farmers. Trantor: 1) This phrase ise from ''The First Collection of Poetry and Stories of the Tortoise'' by Song Ruan Yue. It means that in a vast world, people can freely disy their talents. Chapter 60: Planning for the Future Chapter 60: nning for the Future After he solved the biggest migration problem perfectly, Ferdinand took a break from the talks. After all, he is not engaged in diplomacy. It is better to leave the professional things to the professionals. Fooling around more is going to wear out. It does not mean that Ferdinand does not care about the talks that follow. Quite the contrary, he is too concerned. Consider the history of the Franco-Russian alliance. How long it took to pull the skin off just a military alliance? It took more than three years to get it done afterward. The Russian-Bulgarian alliance involves many more aspects and hundreds of treaties,rge and small, to be signed. Even with group work, the most optimistic estimate is that it will take several months. Ferdinand did not have so much energy. Now that it was 1891, time was running out, and it was time to start setting up. After he crossed over, Ferdinand took over the family''s intelligence and expanded it, and now it has taken its shape. In the main countries of Europe, at least, have set up a base to pass on the news and guide a small wave of public opinion is not a problem. But the so-called spy infiltration, Ferdinand, can only be a grin. If he wants to rely on them to inquire about secret information, it is better to rely on family rtions to be trusted. The Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty and now at its most glorious era were the royal families of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in Germany and Belgium, Portugal, Bulgaria, and the future Edward VII of Ennd. It is also one of the most powerful families in Europe and the world. These resources are enough for Ferdinand if he does business. However, Ferdinand is clear that these are not reliable. Once there is a conflict of interest, these ties can not rely on it. The war in Europe, since ancient times, is a civil war between rtives. The Great War is a ssic example. The current intelligence is no longer able to keep up with the needs of Bulgaria''s development. As a history fan, Ferdinand is aware of how the Ming Dynasty fell. As Chongzhen ascended the throne, he abolished the Eastern Depot. It lost the bnce of power. The emperor became deaf, the officials were corrupt to the flesh, leading to financial copse, and finally perished. What is the Eastern Depot? If you just watch the TV series and listen to the propaganda, the hawks and dogs run the world and exploit the people. It is the weapon of the eunuch party''s chaotic politics and is the culprit of the Ming Dynasty''s demise. People who know history know that the duties of the factory guards are equal to the current Independent Commission Against Corruption. They only target officials, no matter whether it is themon people. Anyway, no matter how they fold, the unlucky are the officials. How is the work done, do not judge, but then they can not remove it! The government''s oversight of officials is gone, so what are you afraid of it? Hurry up and make money! Later, Chongzhen found that something was wrong, once again enabled the Eastern Depot. However, it was already toote. The officials were well prepared. Ferdinand must naturally learn a lesson; the intelligence groups must be kept in rigid hands. In history, Bulgaria missed the best chances for expansion and its rise to power, and Ferdinand certainly learned his lesson. "Hoover, it is now your main work to speed up the infiltration into Ottoman. I don''t care if you bully or kidnap and threaten. You must start the process as soon as possible!" Ferdinand thoughtfully said as he invited Hoover. "Yes, Your Highness! We have already built a base in Ottoman before. I will deploy more elite men to speed up the setup and start the operation as soon as possible!" Hoover said firmly. "Well, not only that. There is also to be an infiltration of Greece, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania!" Ferdinand said cautiously. "Don''t worry, Your Highness. We, the Intelligence Unit, will do our best toplete it!" Hoover''s face changed slightly. After a while of thinking, he still gave Ferdinand a satisfactory answer. Seeing Hoover''s certain answer, Ferdinand said with some degree of difficulty, "Not only that. You must also send men to North Africa, infiltrate where the British and French forces meet. South Africa is also where the British and German forces meet, emphasizing the Republic of Transvaal and the Orange Free State." Hoover looked at Ferdinand nkly. His mind had already crashed, secretly thinking: How can His Highness''s thought be too far ahead! It''s not a problem to infiltrate the Ottoman and Balkan regions. But what about East Africa and South Africa and the two republics. Who knows what the hell they are? Ferdinand seemed to notice the strange look of Hoover. He also knew that his request, at that time, seemed a bit odd. Without exining, he asked directly, "What''s your problem, Hoover?" Hoover seemed to realize that he had lost his temper and said, "No! Your Highness, I have no problem with that!" Ferdinand nodded in content. The head of the intelligence agency does not need to ask why, as long as the order is carried out is enough. "How long will it take for the intelligence unit toplete my request above?" asked Ferdinand. Hoover thought for a moment and said, "Your Highness, the most optimal estimate toplete it all would be about ten years! The main thing is that the African region is still as nk as ever for us. There is no ground for it!" Ferdinand said sternly, "No, before 1896, your Intelligence has toplete its mission!" He seems to think that the request is too much. He added: "For Africa, just make sure you can do one or two big operations. No need to consider long-term infiltration!" "It''s crucial to have detailed information on the European part of the Ottoman Empire. It includes the rebel forces. You can rx a bit on the Asian part! It is enough to maintain various Balkan countries which can n several big events!" "Your Highness, please don''t worry. Our intelligence unit will ensure toplete the task!" Hoover thought about it. After lowering the bar, it could still be done if he makes an effort and is assured at once. "Hmm! Next, you will have your intelligence unit''s funding doubled. If you need anything, you can call me! But you mustplete this mission!" Ferdinand said cautiously. "Yes!" Hoover affirmed. ... Ferdinand has long set the rules. Intelligence units are divided into primary infiltration, only charged with collecting mass information or guide a wave of public opinion. The intermediate infiltration can be engaged in two or three major operations, such as the assassination of terrorists and other attacks. And thest, total infiltration, is long-term infiltration, deep into the local. At present, only in Bulgaria, the highest level of infiltration ispleted. Most of the other regions are primary, with individual areas being intermediate. After dismissing Hoover, Ferdinand returned his gaze to the nation. The iron must harden itself! The core of a country''s strength lies in itself, and the rest support it. By now, only Ferdinand knew that in 1897 the Balkans would see a big change. The Ottoman Empire will soon face the chaos of the fire. How can Ferdinand not take benefit of it! In parallel time, the Ottoman Empire was rotten and ethnic conflicts were heated up every day. Under the cruel oppression of the Turkish state, the Armenians began to rebel against the Sultan''s rule. Between 1894 and 1897, a series of massacres of Armenians took ce in Turkey, killing more than 100,000 people. In June 1896, Armenians revolted and took over the Ottoman Bank in Constantinople on August 26. Due to theck of arms and ammunition, the revolt was quickly defeated by the efforts of the Sultan''s army to suppress it. That was only the biggest of them all. Other ethnic groups of varying sizes also broke out in revolts during this period. Without proper structure, they soon failed. As if seeing the weakness of the Ottoman Empire, it broke out with an uprising in Crete with Greece''s help in 1897. The Greeks were not wrong. Ottoman was indeed very sick but sadly misjudged his own strength. With poorly prepared conditions, they hastilyunched an attack on Turkey, which was quickly and badly defeated, with the Turkish army attacking all the way to Attica. Greece was forced to concede defeat, and they called a truce after the intervention of the Great Powers! What was Bulgaria doing at this time in history? Of course, it was busy with political build-up. Everyone was fighting for power and profit. Who cared about foreign countries! These are still issues that are being solvedter. Now Bulgaria''s focus is on development. The opening of the railroad "Sobu" also means that Bulgaria''s heavy industry can start. In a few months, they can also open the branch route to the Balkan Mountains. By then, iron ore from the Balkans can be shipped out constantly by rail. What distressed Ferdinand is that Bulgariacks coking coal for steel making and has to import it from Russia, which will indeed be affected in the future. That again reinforced Ferdinand''s resolve to take the Macedonian region. The mineral resources alone would be worth the price of the ticket. After taking the Macedonian region, he can solve the next twenty years, the major source of mineral resources for the industrialization of Bulgaria. Chapter 61: A Steel Plant Project Chapter 61: A Steel nt Project Ferdinand reckons that it''s time to start a steel nt. He can expect that for a long time toe, it will lose money. This kind of big project concerns the country''s future. Of course, the government should be involved in the project itself. If not, the government can not be called the state? "Alisa, inform Konstantin to be here!" said Ferdinand. One can not build a steel nt quickly. It is a lesson learned from Hanyang Iron Works. "A hairless makes a thousand miles difference"!1) In 1890, Zhang Zhidong sent an engineer to inspect Daye, who found arge open-pit iron ore mine. He then began to prepare for the building of the Hanyang Iron Works. Due to theck of professional expertise, they did not heed the engineers'' request that ''if you want to build a steel nt, you must first test the quality of iron and coal'' before deciding what kind of steel to make. From the start, the equipment was bought modeled on a British steel nt. They also ced the factory in Hanyang. As a result, the cost of materials increased greatly, and the product lost itsmercial edge. In the former life, when Ferdinand saw this, he shook his head andmented that Officials so crippled Asia''s first steel nt. However, in this period, the Hanyang Iron Works is also starting and still the same way it is. Ferdinand was ready to remind but found that Qing Dynasty is still arrogant. They still don''t care about other countries except for Britain, France, and Russia. There is no status in Bulgaria and so on, and the level of treatment is not as good as in North Korea. What he says is equal to fart, so Ferdinand just does not bother to care. Ferdinand was not sure of the specific details. But the six points that are well known in the future are clear to him. 1. Try to be close to the source of raw materials. 2. Having ess to a good water source (preferably near a river). Of course, based on this point, they should build the steel nt site downstream and downwind of the city. It should be far away from urban areas. 3. To have good ess (port, railroad, etc.). 4. There must be a good supply of local resources (such as iron ore, coal, etc.). 5. Thend should be used frugally in nt choice without a long or less area of goodnd. 6. The site selection should take into ount the local natural terrain. Avoid building in the following areas: a. Earthquake fault zone; b. Lands with arge density of tertiary self-weighted wet sink loess areas; c. Prone to floods, mudslides,ndslides, and other natural disasters prone to mountainous regions. With arge scope, Ferdinand can locate a good future location of the Bulgarian steel nt. It certainly does not work to be copied, with different kinds of productivity, not necessarily applies to the future suitable for the present. For specific sites, it is still up to the engineers to choose the ce. The amateurs who direct the experts will most likely not have any good results. "Your Highness, Konstantin would like to greet you!" said Konstantin, with his left hand on his chest, bowing to Ferdinand. "Well, how are those talks going in, Konstantin?" Ferdinand asked with concern. "Your Highness, all is going well!" Konstantin replied happily, and it was obvious that he was happy with it. "Well, it''s better to get a grip, sign the treaty as soon as possible, and get what we want in our hands! If we have trouble, let''s use the money to smash it. We can still afford to pay the cost of feeding a few officials!" Ferdinand said. "Yes, Your Highness, we signed the treaty as soon as possible!" assured Konstantin. Ferdinand looked at the smiling Konstantin and said, "I''m looking for you today, mainly to discuss the steel nt!" Konstantin was surprised and then said happily: "Your Highness, is someone going to invest in a steel nt? At present, Bulgaria has only a few steel workshops. Every year, we have to import from abroad, which wastes our precious foreign exchange reserves! You can rest assured that our government will provide the most favorable conditions,nd for free and tax-free!" Ferdinand looked at the spitting Konstantin and was a bit at a loss. When did he say that someone was going to invest in a steel nt? Which idiot capitalist will invest in the Bulgarian steel nt at this time? It''s just a pit. Even if it is tax-free by all governments, it will not be able to recover its cost! "Mr. Konstantin, calm down! No one wants a steel nt in Bulgaria. Capitalists are not charities!" Ferdinand said irritably. Hearing Ferdinand''s words, Konstantin knew he had gotten it wrong and exined somewhat awkwardly, "Oh, sorry! Your Highness, I lost my temper. I just thought that some idiot wasing to invest in the steel nt, so I was a little bit overexcited!" Ferdinand smiled and said, "Yes! Mr. Konstantin, you overthink! The steel nt has to be built, and it''s the same as far asnd and taxes are paid or not! I n this time it is the government to be the one to take charge of this matter!" Konstantin was startled and said after a moment of silence, "Your Highness, isn''t it too much for our government to fund the nt? At present, steel mills all over the world are founded by capitalists. I am afraid that it will destroy the free market economy and cause unwanted chaos!" Ferdinand seems to have expected this, said with a smile: "What is the free market economy? Isn''t it just the same thing? If we don''t fund it, it is estimated that in another 20 years, Bulgaria will not have a decent steel nt! As for the first time, it''s all done by people, isn''t it? And we''re not the only ones building state-owned steel nts in the world today. Isn''t Qing in the East building one too?" Konstantin was a bit baffled, was he convinced just like that? The Qing Empire in the East, he had heard of it. It was said to be a gourmet empire. Even its name carried food.2) It''s not clear to him that there are neither steel nts built, as the grand duke said there are! "Oh, Your Highness, the setting up of a state-owned steel mill by us will destroy the free marketpetition. I am afraid that many people will oppose it!" "That''s easy! The government can first release this news. After that, announce that if a capitalist can build arge factory with an annual output of one million tons of steel within five years, the n will be canceled, and wee those capitalists who love it to sign up! We can also give them tax exemptions. By the way, if they fail toplete the task, then they will be liable for dying the industrialization of Bulgaria!" Ferdinand came up with a shady note. If someone from the outside world had seen Ferdinand''s plots, they would have said, "Crazy!" If it were the 21st century, one million steel per year, it would be a township business belonging to the small and micro business they shut down! But this is the 19th century, 1891, the annual steel production in more than a million countries. The only countries that produced more than a million steel are France, Germany, Britain, the United States, and Russia. Is this possible to achieve? Ferdinand can say with total certainty, no way! Even if he invests himself in the opening, he can not do it! If they are against it, they cane out and try it if they are not afraid of being called a piece of shit! With an annual output of one million tons of steel, it can be ranked sixth in the world. It is such a big offer, can the people oppose it? If it ispleted, if Ferdinand can be shameless, Bulgaria will be able to call itself an industrial country and get a power hat to wear, by the way. Trantor: 1) It means that although the difference is tiny at the start, the result will cause a big problem. 2) I think because of the typo write by the author. The Great Qing Empire in Chinese is ''D qnggu'', but the author writes ''D pnggu'' that means The Great Apple Empire. So, you can guess why Konstantin thinks about gourmet. (Sorry, I can''t insert the Chinese character, you know what will happen). Yes, all the names of the Qing Empire in every chapter, the author write Apple Empire. The author was never correcting his typo. If you know Chinese, you will frustrate when reading this story in Qidian. It is easier to trante other stories (like Marine''s Dark Admiral) than this one. Chapter 62: Launch of Steel Plant Chapter 62: Launch of Steel nt On September 15, 1891, the front page of the Bulgarian Daily published the "Draft n for the Bulgarian State Steel nt". The Bulgarian media is in luck, starting with Niki''s visit to Sofia, followed by the Russian-Bulgarian talks, which have been a constant topic of discussion and sold out of newspapers. And now the government hase up with the steel nt n. The Bulgarian people are used to it when the governmentes out to make ns. Since the earliest Five-Year n, the government has not been idle, always keeps making moves. However, it was still amazing to see what was inside. The government will invest in the creation of the steel nt, which is nned to be put into production within three years, to build arge steel nt generating 270,000 tons of pig iron, 140,000 tons of steel, and 90,000 tons of steel products, for a total of 500,000 tons per year. It instantly attracted the public''s interest and ignited public opinion. Some agree, and those against, each voicing their own views and arguing. The opposite side believes that the government is talking nonsense, which they cannot achieve for a reason that: the world''s annual production of more than 500,000 tons of steel, except for those six major countries, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, the United States and Austria-Hungary and then there are Belgium and Luxembourg, then there are none! Some people may feel wondering, where is Italy for the rest? Well, at least it is also a European power. It is a pity that Italy''s steel industry is such garbage that it is just starting now, with less than 50,000 tons of scrap. With one steel nt in Bulgaria, it''s a joke to increase production capacity to the top 10 in the world. And does Bulgaria need that much steel? It''s all more than Italy. A total waste of money might as well invest in other industries. If the Bulgarians of the future see it, they will definitely say, better than Italy is not a problem! History seeks to a period, Bulgaria''s steel production has exceeded Italy. Those who support it think: whether it can be aplished or not, they must always do. Steel is the foundation of a strong nation. There is always a dream, just in case, ites true! Well, no one cares about Konstantin''s fears of disrupting freepetition in the market. The capitalists said we are not stupid. The business destined to lose money is only when the brain is in trouble that they rob it! If the government wants to do it, we are also patriotic and will not oppose the country to be strong. And then, amid all the noise, it passed without anyone taking to the streets to protest. It is estimated that no one dared. Thest group of people who protested in the streets, there are still builders on the site to repair the road! They vited Bulgarian rules ofw and order, which affect the normal life of citizens. Bulgarianw allows protests and demonstrations but not to disturb other people''s lives. It is equal to say that it is better to protest and demonstrate in a ce where nobody is around! They can build a steel nt, Ferdinand can say for sure, no problem! As for the production capacity, it is written: "put into operation within three years". As for when it can reach 500,000 tons, let''s wait. It will be sooner orter. Well, we also have Mr. Konstantin, who is in a terrible mood, in trouble. A whole bunch of experts and schrs came to the door, asking about the progress of the steel nt, saying they could volunteer to help. At first, it was okay. He was impressed and answered all patiently. Later, there were more people, and he got a headache. Some of them also came to urge him to hurry up for three days. Konstantin really wanted to say: ''Progress, my ass! Didn''t you see the newspaper ad that said it was only a draft? He just used it to test people''s reactions. How did I know it would go so well!'' "Oh, how did you alle one by one? Schrs in chemistry and physics are concerned. It can be counted and rted well! A major in mechanics can be your counterpart. It''s right to care!" "You study art? Oh, thanks for that one. We can''t use you!" "That what, you''re not kidding! What is this for it? It''s a x oil production nt... It was just set up yesterday, for... can it, the door is over there, take your time!" All sorts of people, in disarray, have beening knocking on the door, and Konstantin has had to keep his doors closed. If it is a voluntary help, people are sent to register to seek information about their needs. If they want to take a chance to make a profit and sell equipment, they can leave now, although not even Bulgaria has such a powerful machinery factory. These are only minor problems. The key is how to solve the problem of steel nt managers and skilled workers? Those small workshops in Bulgaria are useless to poach them! After watching the government act blindly, Ferdinand gave a bold call for a halt. What to do? There is no good way, but there is a stupid way to take a step back and learn from the Hanyang Iron Works. People are sent directly to learn, at first to invite British technical engineers. No choice, because this year, the British steel industry is the most advanced one! For one Hanyang Iron Works, Zhang Zhidong spent 5.8 million taels of silver. (At that time, silver had not been greatly devalued.) It is a pity that it never had all the capacity to expand due to officials'' recklessness, and it remained the first steel nt in Asia. Bulgaria is now nning to build a steel nt with a simr total investment of about the same amount as 7 million Leva, although the capacity aspect is vastly superior. Anyway, the loan contracts signed between Stambolov''s cab and Britain back then all stated that they must purchase British goods. The loan of more than 50 million Leva is just in time to be used. It is a tragedy for small countries that they do not get cash for the promised loan and have to pay interest. The loan contract signed by the Statham government is not different in essence from the Qing Dynasty borrowing foreign debt. The only advantage is to know a little better and pay a little less. The manpower problem is solved. The next is the purchase of equipment. Ferdinand was prepared to take action personally, but it is a pity that it can only be forfeited given the diplomatic impact, which is being negotiated with Russia. This purchase is steel nt equipment and includes industrial equipment needed for other industries in Bulgaria. Due to the industrial revolution, the rapid development of science and technology in recent years, many factory equipments need to be updated. Ferdinand simply let the governmente forward and organize the capitalists who need to purchase in the country to go together to buy, but also easier to cut prices. Due to the massive amount of purchases, the government had to send a person with influence. Ferdinand could not go, and this glorious and arduous task fell on Chekhov''s shoulders. He formed a super team led by a cab member and brought together most of Bulgaria''s industry elite. The first stop was London, and then it had to go to Vienna. The phrase ''those who owe money are masters''1) only applies to future times. Bulgaria does not have this bottom line now. Oh, and what''s worse is that the money is given in installments, with interest from start to finish. A loan of hundreds of millions of leva, Bulgaria now only gets a fraction. There is no choice. The great powers of thete 19th century are so imposing. "Mr. Chekhov, you have a big task this time. Besides purchasing equipment, you have to dig up a few engineers as much as possible!" Ferdinand said with concern. "Your Highness, don''t worry! I swear by God that I will get this done!" Chekhov assured him. Trantor: 1) It means that the one who owes your money can control you. I will take the exnation from someone in the forum: "Because money in arrears is in short supply, you urged to pay the money. He may not payout, only to drag your pressure on, but he can not afford to pay out the money. He can only fall into a mess, ready to lose face. It makes you say that there is no need to pay money to survive it. So he is the master. At the same time, if you do not push too hard, he will have two ideas. One, you did not ask him to ask. He thinks that now he has no money, you did not ask for it. He can slow it down and then pay you back when he earns money. Another idea is that you did not ask him to. He thinks you are notcking that money or think you may not care about that little money, so it tends not to pay back the money. So he is the master. If you have not asked him for money, over time, he may feel that you have forgotten about borrowing money for this matter. If he is thankful, maybe he will still pay backter. If he is not grateful, he will feel that you have just forgotten. There is another situation that you did not ask him to return the money, a long time. He thought that he suddenly said the money thing would feel embarrassed, sorry to say, and thus ashamed to go directly to return the money and then help you through other means, such as you have trouble he will try to help and so on. So he is still the master. And all of this, for you, again is not the same. You will feel that the one who owes the money is the master, their kindness to him to lend money, he actually does not payback, and so on. As in your case now. Chapter 63: Checks and Balances Chapter 63: Checks and Bnces After having sent the mission away, Ferdinand turned his focus back to the country. It was time to prepare for the elections for the National Assembly to be resumed next year. It was a hollow promise he had made, and he certainly could not go back on it. In Bulgaria, Konstantin does not have the prime minister''s status but does the job of one. If there are no surprises, he will be the new prime minister after the next year''s parliamentary elections. Ferdinand did not want the presence of a powerful minister, and checks and bnces were a must. Chekhov has ruled out who is honest. Ferdinand can trust him to do his job and forget about ying politics! If not Ferdinand''s support, the government takes it for granted now. Ferdinand thought of a man - dimir Ivanov, the current governor of the Vratsa region. He is also a very ambitious person, which is not the point. The point is that he is alsopetent. Before that, Ferdinand was ready to put him to the Ministry of Agriculture to take over the work of Yakov Petrinov. Due to the visit of Niki in front, the Russian-Bulgarian Alliance came forward, and Ferdinand was too busy to keep up with it. He could now bring the job over. If they look at the politicalndscape of Bulgaria, a smart person knows that the interim cab is a set-up, and it is solely in Ferdinand''s hands. The three cab members: Yakov has no longer cared about things, ran to engage in scientific research; Kliment is a religious person, never cared about things, dispensable; the only one who is still intact is Chekhov, the little brother of Ferdinand. As long as they do what they are told, the interim cab does not matter if they are useless. It is also easier for Ferdinand to seize power and promote his cronies. For example, when ites to the promotion of senior government officials, Ferdinand can be decided with a single word, and there is no check and bnce. Ferdinand had promoted Konstantin before, and now he was going to promote dimir Ivanov. None of them opposed it, which would have been impossible to imagine had it been during Stambolov''s cab. It is no longer the case. These years Ferdinand''s position has been consolidated. The Cab at the back must do things on their own. Once the project starts, it is too much to do! Ferdinand did not want to be overworked, nor did he intend to provide a ce for powerful ministers to exist. It is a must that the cab is expanded. The historic Konstantin cab, known as the most dynamic cab in Bulgaria, left them to precisely perform the 2-5 ns. It was then that one single pie fell on him, namely in the hands of dimir Ivanov. For the sake of checks and bnces, his post was a minister of agriculture and a minister of industry. Looking at the letter of consent, dimir Ivanov was somewhat in disbelief. He came out as the minister of agriculture, this he knew, and now there was an extra minister of industry, who then came to the royal pce in a daze. ... "We are meeting again, dimir Ivanov!" Ferdinand said with a teasing smile. "Yes, Your Highness, it''s a pleasure to meet you again!" said a thrilled dimir Ivanov. Ferdinand put away his smile and said cautiously, "Well, I guess so! It''s not a good deal to drop you at Sofia this time. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry, the two busiest ministries in Bulgaria in the future, are also the two most important!" Ferdinand''s cautious tone startled dimir Ivanov, who then reacted. ''Is this a test? If this is not a better job, is there a better ce? Is it a hint to the cab? There is no need for the Prime Minister to think about it. All of Bulgaria knows that Konstantin is already set in stone. A cab position is also very tempting, at least for me it already is!'' At once, dimir Ivanov voted his heart in a firm tone, "Please rest assured, Your Highness. I promise, in the name of God, that I will do the task you have given me, or else let me go to hell!" It was the first time Ferdinand had met someone who had voted for him in this way. He also knew that people like dimir Ivanov were not very modest and would do anything to achieve their goals. However, this kind of viin in the workce is often the most relied on by leaders. Ferdinand is no less. At least this kind of viin will be 100% to carry out his orders. Hearing the promise of dimir Ivanov, Ferdinand smiled and said, "Hmm, very well! I hope you will always keep your mind too now and serve Bulgaria with all your strength!" "Don''t worry, Your Highness, I will do it!" replied dimir Ivanov in certainty. Ferdinand nodded in approval and then said, "Okay, then, the next focus of your work is on agriculture. You know that the Bulgarian government currently holds thirty-five percent of the country''snd for some reason. I want you to spread mechanized farming gradually on it and promote agricultural reform." "Not only that, you have to organize farmers to build water irrigation. It includes the spread of cash crop nting and so on! In short, to improve food production, so that farmers increase ie, is the scope of your work!" dimir Ivanov was a bit stunned. Shouldn''t the focus be on the industry? Howe my focus is on agriculture? If he were an actor, he would have said: Director, this script is not correct! After being sure that Ferdinand was serious, dimir Ivanov still quickly adjusted his mind and said convincingly, "Please rest assured, Your Highness. I will focus my next efforts on agriculture and strive toplete the task as soon as possible!" Ferdinand smiled with content and said, "Of course, you can''t rx in the industry too. The main project at the moment is the steel that will be avable soon. You can now organize experts for prospecting then choose a site for the steel nt! In this regard, we all have to listen to the experts!" dimir Ivanov pondered for a few seconds. It seems that he has a lot of tasks! But the heavier the job, the more it brings out his value! And with that, he assured, "Don''t worry, Your Highness. I will definitelyplete the task!" Ferdinand looked at dimir Ivanov and said, "Well, then, I''ll be waiting for your good news!" In fact, there''s a lot more going on at the Ministry of Industry, but it''s basically under Konstantin''s watch right now, and it''s doing a pretty good job. Ferdinand didn''t mention it now as he didn''t want to make any extra trouble. dimir Ivanov is also smart enough to know that he is new to the country. If hees up against the future prime minister right away, there will be no good results at all. It is better to wait a little longer. Anyway, after next year''s election, Konstantin, who is the prime minister, must also transfer his power! ... After leaving the pce, dimir Ivanov went to report to the government in high spirits. It seems that there is now no higher position in the government sector than dimir Ivanov. While Chekhov was away on a visit, Kliment was holed up in the church every day, and Yakov''s base was the researchb. All the other high government officials were either of equal rank or in even lower positions. Even Konstantin was only of equal status with him. In the short term, he only had to answer Ferdinand, which was indeed good news for dimir! Chapter 64: Chekhovs London Trip Chapter 64: Chekhov''s London Trip In 1891, the British Empire was still in its golden age. The economy and culture were at their peak, and the ''empire on which the sun never sets was still true to its name. The world is shrouded in the shadows of the British Empire. However, Russia is still the challenger, France in East Africa making small moves, Germany in South Africa silently moving, but still are repressed to death! .... London in this period was the most prosperous city in the world. Its citizens were enjoying the prosperity and hope brought by the industrial revolution of the first half-century. People''s meal has also changed. Besides potatoes and bread, beef and mutton havee to the table, and milk has be a daily need. The living conditions also improved as soap became cheaper, houses became tidy, and individuals began to pay attention to hygiene. People live and work in peace andfort. The increase in wages allows people to meet their daily expenses and still have room for seeking a more good living. In short, everything is going in a good way. In Chekhov''s eyes, London, the capital of the British Empire, was the "dream city" of elites worldwide. On October 28, 1891, the Bulgarian delegation headed by Chekhov arrived in London, the "city of dreams", by ship. The thick smoke filled the air. There is really some sense of a dream-like fantasy. However, it is a pity that a few strange smells are mixed in to spoil this beautiful scenery. Thanks to the good rtions between the two countries and the fact that the Chekhov delegation was here for a big purchase this time, they treated it well. The British Foreign Secretary - Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil - held a wee party for them. Quite a few people were attending the banquet. The British business and industry all sent their delegates. However, Chekhov found that he thought too much. He was not as valued as he thought. People came a lot, but mostly capitalists. The goal was clear is just about orders. The charm of money is limitless. This life is really not suitable for Chekhov and also for the people in the delegation. They have never seen such a scene. They can only be careful of fear of saying the wrong thing and being mocked. A group of Bulgarian elites instantly turned into bumpkins at the banquet. Although it may be a gentlemanly manner, no one said anything. However, the disdain is still in the bones, and the eyes are still revealed offhand. The honest man, Chekhov, waited until the end of the dinner, before dragging his exhausted body back to the hotel, stayed up all night. In the early morning, the fog was pale and damp and became more like smoke after that. The small particles in the air mixed with smoke and ash made one''s breath feel dry and tingly. At some junctions, theypletely blocked traffic, and people had to abandon some buses and trucks. Chekhov''s dream of London was shattered. Neither the high society with its lights nor the bad air was to his taste. The haze in London not only damages human health but also poses a threat to buildings. The smoke in the haze can cken buildings, and the haze contains arge amount of sulfide, which is acidic whenbined with moisture, forming an acid mist that is lethal to buildings and can erode them gradually. Tobat the haze, the British also developed unique anti-erosion building materials. In fact, the haze in Londonsted until after the Second World War, when it curbed it. The cause was also odd, the German blockade and theck of fuel in London. The British government adopted a strict rationing system to control coal burning and promote electric energy. The dream was shattered by far more than just a single Chekhov. Anyone who visited London in the 19th century could hardly bring up good feelings again. ... No matter what the weather was like, the work went on. In order to leave London as soon as possible, the delegation exerted twelve percent of its energy to negotiate with the capitalists. Well, Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, the big man, ignored Chekhov and others except for a wee party where he showed up. It couldn''t be helped, who called the existence of Bulgaria low! The Bulgarian cab ministers are not yet qualified to be personally received by the foreign minister of the British Empire. If it were reced by the cab ministers of Germany, France, Russia, and other countries, the treatment would be different again. ... Britain has gradually be a world steel center since the British inventor Bessemer invented the low-cost steelmaking method in the 1850s. The steel industry became an important contributing sector of the British economy. Chekhov''s purpose is to make a field trip to the British steel nt first. The results of the iron ore tests in Bulgaria are already avable. He needs tobine the actual situation and then order a full set of equipment. Well, the slogan of the government shouted loudly, to produce 500,000 tons of steel per year. This time, Chekhov ordered the equipment with a much smaller capacity, only 100,000 tons of capacity. ... "Mr. Victor Thomas, the equipment of your business, we have inspected it all, and the quality is very good. But sadly, he is not suitable for us!" Chekhov said with an expression of regret. "Mr. Chekhov, you should know that the machines of our factory are the best in the world..." Victor Thomas struggled to exin it. "But, it is also the most costly in the world! Although your product has the highest steel yield in terms of capacity, the maintenance cost is also the highest! We have to bebined on the price/performance ratio. And using your machines is too demanding for coke!" Chekhov blew apart Victor Thomas. It is clear that the Bulgarian delegation was treated as a fat sheep. The capitalists'' frugality does not need to be taken into ount. There is no heart burden for Victor Thomas to pit a handful of bumpkins. If not apanied by a scoop of professionals, it is estimated that Victor Thomas has pitted Chekhov. Like all hot-blooded intellects, Chekhov liked to pursue the best and the most advanced, often ignoring the value for money. "No more fancy!" These are thements of peers on this equipment of Victor Thomas, and then there is no way to find a buyer in the British. Of course, Victor Thomas himself is more aware that this equipment is only an experimental product, many technical difficulties have not been ovee. In order to avoid the patents of Bessemer converters and Siemens-Martin furnaces, Victor Thomas had an idea to develop more advanced technology for the nt, whichter turned out to be impossible to do. They could not waste the experimental products developed in the earlier period. They were simply all given to use, so they added the set: a winch was used to bring the material to the top of the st furnace, and belt machines, trains, and hand-cranked railcars were used to move the furnace and the main rolling span. These technological advances have greatly increased the output of st furnaces, while the cost of maintenance has significantly increased due to theck of maturity of the technology. As if he was already used to being rejected, Victor Thomas continued to fight, "Mr. Chekhov, I am frank and open to talks in terms of price. It''s just slightly higher than the same kind, but the capacity is also greatly increased!" Chekhov, however, did not eat this and said with resignation, "What about maintenance costs? As it stands now, the increased capacity and increased costs are almost equal and are likely to continue to increase over time!" "But we are in stock! Mr. Chekhov, if you want to order the equipment, it will take the end of next year at the earliest. With the time it takes tomission it and ship it to Bulgaria for instation, you''ll have to wait at least three years before you can put it into operation!" Victor Thomas poorly pictured it. Yes, if it were not in stock, Chekhov would have stopped talking to him. Bulgaria has no experience in buildingrge steel nts, and many aspects were poorly estimated, including equipment ordering. Unless Chekhov learns Zhang Zhidong, not sure if it matches or not, but it directly forces the situation! However, now he has known that the nt equipment must consider the ore''s quality. Otherwise, the product qualification rate will be low enough to raise doubts about life. The equipment of Victor Thomas is perhaps not the best choice, but indeed the most suitable for Bulgaria at the moment. Now that the showdown has taken ce, it is then natural to bargain. ... (talk about the price is saved hundreds of thousands of words. The author is afraid that he will be scolded as a cheater when this is written!) Finally, Chekhov bought the whole set of equipment for two million pounds. It contained sixrge facilities, such as pig ironworks, sisal steelworks, steelworks, rail works, iron goods works, and clinker works, and six small facilities, such as machine works, iron foundry, iron-making works, and in addition to the hook and nail factory for making steel fillets. The purchase of the steel nt''s anciry facilities is just one of the blips. Many other industries have signedrge and small purchase contracts, and there is no talk of taking advantage and losing out. Bulgaria received the industrial equipment needed for its development, and the British capitalists made a fortune from it. The entire purchase contract added up to a total of eight million pounds, which at the time was a sensation throughout London. Chapter 65: Birth of Roses Corporation Chapter 65: Birth of Roses Corporation While Chekhov was busy in London, Ferdinand was not idle. Earlier, is not ready to develop the rose business? Now he can start, first from the traditional ones to do, in any case, rose oil is not worried about buying! As people know, the best money is spent on women, and this saying applies to any time and ce. The main effects of rose oil: First, it can reduce menstrual pain Second, to enhance female self-appeal Third, to shape the beautiful curves of women Fourth, to assist the digestive function of the stomach and bowels Fifth, reduce the symptoms of constipation Sixth, enhance the self-confidence of women. There are so many effects, but still, need to worry about selling it? At least Ferdinand did not worry about sales. In addition to being herbal and edible, he can also use it to make high-grade perfume. The key is the output of rose oil. It has never been higher. Why is the ratio of refining so low? It is not any technical problem. The distition equipment of rose oil mainly includes distition kettle, re-distition column, gooseneck, condenser, oil-water separator. Basically, it is not much problem except that it requires more manpower. It is nothing but repeated distition and re-distition. With harvesting skills, this is nothing to worry about it. Bulgaria has hundreds of years of production history, and the old farmers in the countryside know it well. Yes, this kind of profitable business, how can Ferdinand let go of it? He remembered the most famous rose ma in the future - Kazanlk Rose Valley, and chose it without thinking. Ferdinand satzily on the ottoman and shouted, "Alisa, ask Franz toe and see me!" After that, he went on to y with his beloved tea set. It is said to be the stuff of the Ruyao in the Song Dynasty. It is still Ferdinand''sst time toe back from Buckingham Pce, by the way. As for the truth, let''s say it''s true! The people at the bottom should not have the guts to lie to Queen Victoria. Of course, it is not excluded to send the appraise level of the British is duplicity. It is the same as Ferdinand. He can not tell the difference between real and fake! Ferdinand must have been carefully kept and held in his hands for fear of being broken if it was a previous life with such a set of treasures. Those are now a standard tea set. The artifacts of the Eastern world are, at this moment, worthless. Although Ferdinand did not collect with intent, the fame of his hobby of Oriental culture got out, and he received many such gifts. Ferdinand also did not have the energy to identify the genuine or fake. Anyway, no matter what is real or fake, it is a real object after a hundred or eighty years! A momentter, Alisa disrupted Ferdinand''s rhyme scheme and whispered, "Your Highness, Mr. Franz is here!" Ferdinand snapped out of his fantasy, pped his face, and after a few seconds of pause, said, "Oh, let him in!" Alisa smiled and left the room. A momentter, Franz walked in: "Greetings, Your Highness!" Ferdinand put down his cup of tea, looked at Franz, and asked, "Hmm! Does Franz remember the rose oil I mentioned to you?" Without the slightest dy, Franz quickly replied, "Of course, we still have sales in the Volvo Department Store!" Ferdinand said casually, "If I decided, how hard would it be to get into rose oil processing and manufacturing now?" Franz said to himself, "Hard? There is no problem! Bulgarian rose oil processing has been hundreds of years. There is no technical problem! But this is abor-intensive industry. I''m afraid the profits are not good!" Ferdinand smiled and nodded, then asked, "What if we could make innovations in technology that would increase extraction efficiency tenfold?" Franz was startled, then replied, "How is this possible? No matter how much Your Highness raises it ten times, if we even double it, the investment is probably quite high!" Ferdinand exined, "Add a process where the roses are steeped up and fermented with 15% salt ever after, and then distilled." "Doing so keeps the roses from rotting and spoiling. On the other hand, it allows the oil in the flowers to diffuse out and also increases the yield of essential oils." "Of course, it will reduce the quality of the rose essential oil extracted in this way. We can divide it into different grades from the essential oil extracted by the traditional process!" "The process is basically not much changed. In theory, the extraction rate of essential oils can be increased tenfold! How long do you need toe up with a practical solution, Franz?" Franz thought for a moment, then said carefully: "Your Highness, we need to organize people to do simr tests, to calcte the growth rate of output urately, and to find out how much the quality has dropped. After a thorough analysis of the international market, we cane up with a n!" Ferdinand nodded in content and thought to himself, Franz has matured. If it were before, he would have rushed out a solution and then asked him where he got his method from it. "Well, go ahead and do it on your terms!" "By the way, the ce where the roses are nted, I have already chosen the Kazanlk Rose Valley. That ce has always been a world of roses!" Franz was slightly surprised but still said at once: "Yes, Your Highness, I know what to do!" Ferdinand gave a response, "Hmm!" He went on to say: "Not only that, Bulgaria is now covered with roses, we can also do to develop the periphery! For example, the petals will be made into tea, or processed into drinks, or even processed with flour for rose cookies and so on, you can go often try!" Even though Franz was often impressed by Ferdinand''s amazing remarks, he was also stunned into silence. In the eyes ofmon people, the rose can only be a gift between lovers, besides processing into rose oil. It turns out that Ferdinand at once made so many ideas, which in theory are feasible. And the key is that it seems to be rted to eating. Just forgive him! Reality has changed the nature of the empire of big eaters, even after traversing! Looking at Franz''s nk expression, Ferdinand helplessly shrugged his shoulders. Hemented: "Franz, you are still too young, need to learn how to do! Just a little thing, and you''re stunned ~ ~." Not to bother with Ferdinand''s feign, Franz dizzily went out of the pce. As he walked, he was still pondering, "Can roses really be eaten? Did His Highness eat them? Why else did he make a bunch of advice, all rted to eating? Why not process them into something else? Scented soap, soap, shower gel, shampoo..." With his brain in full swing, Franz hase up with a whole host of absurd products around roses. Sometimes there are hits, but most of them are ridiculous! Ferdinand never thought that his own proposal would make Franz''s mind expand. The famous "Rose Collective" of the future was shaped in this way. Of course, there is no shortage ofedy, the future of the major Bulgarian director - Boyanov made a unique documentary film, "All the trouble with the roses"! Chapter 66: Rose Oil and Development Zone Chapter 66: Rose Oil and Development Zone Kazanlk Rose Valley, 30 kilometers northeast of downtown, has an average altitude of 200-400 meters, making it the best ce in the world for roses to grow, without a doubt. The finest Damask roses grow here, and the warm, moist air from the ck Sea and the Mediterranean Sea thates from the east and the Balkan Mountains to the west shield the colder air from the north. It was causing the contrast between the morning and evening temperatures to be somewhat greater than in the center of the Rose Valley. However, the petals of Damask roses contain almost no wax. What does the fragrance of the rose have to be protected? To protect the fragrance molecules from the sun''s rays and prevent them from evaporating with moisture, the natural environment with a wider temperature difference between morning and evening creates more morning dew than ever for the roses in the morning. The more morning dew there is, the more it protects the fragrance of the roses from being lost, so this area has always produced the finest rose oil in the world. The demand forbor to process rose oil is huge. Other than therge number of workers needed for processing, the demand for the number of flower farmers is really huge. Roses are pretty fragile, and the best time to pick them is every morning from 8 am-10 am, the only time to collect the best quality roses. After the roses are packed and sealed to prevent the fragrance from evaporating, they are sent to the factory, where the centuries-old distition method is used to process the rose oil. As he looked at the data he hadpiled, Franz''s headache grew the more he read. Rose farming is truly intensive work. Each acre needs at least two to three experienced flower farmers to pick. It takes more than ten tons of high-quality rose petals to extract one kilogram of the best quality rose essential oil. That is even after the use of new processes. The yield of second-rate essential oil is not much higher. (Even now, it takes three to five thousand pounds to extract a kilogram) Franz made a rough calction. The current yield of roses is only three to four hundred kilograms per Mu to extract even a kilogram of ordinary rose essential oil and at least fifteen acres ofnd nted. (1 Mu = 0.165 acre, or 666.5 m) If one calctes the capacity of each harvest, one thousand kilograms of essential oil, it is 15,000 mu. It doesn''t look like much, and if it was nting ordinary crops, it could be done by dozens of people using mechanized operations. However, if one grows roses, one needs 30,000 to 40,000 flower farmers alone. Unlike the future, the harvesting of roses in this era cannot go wrong at all. Otherwise, it will emit the fragrance, and no oil will be extracted. The real headache for Franz is that the flower farmers are only in such high demand at the time of the annual harvest. Usually, they simply don''t need that much manpower. It means that manpower is greatly wasted if there are so many workers in the long term. If the workers are hired for a short period, where can we find so many experienced workers? Rose oil is also known to be profitable, yet Bulgaria still does not producerge-scale processingpanies. It means that in the short term, they will not build up rose industrial nts. "Should we split up the processing nt? To set up a decentralized small factory?" As he thought about it, Franz shook his head again. If this is the way to do it, then rose oil processing bes fodder. There was no choice but for Franz to honestly exin the case to Ferdinand. After hearing Franz''s reason, Ferdinand also had a great dilemma that the 19th century differed fromter times. Inter times, farmers can be handed over to decentralized nting before assembling and processing. Anyway, there is transport by truck, which takes little effort for a few hundred kilometers. Moreover, they can use chemical methods to refine, and the loss of a bit of aroma is also affordable. As for the proposed decentralization nt by Franz, Ferdinand did not even consider it. He spent so much effort, not just to earn a bit of good money. To solve the problem ofbor, it is a solution. There is only one thing that Ferdinand can do to give the flower farmers another stable job. They usually go to work as usual, and only during the harvest season are they sent over to work part-time for a few days. The brain of Ferdinand began to think of a solution. How about learning from the future to engage in tourism? No! In this day and age, what idiot woulde to travel! "Franz, do you think you can put the flower farmers into our other factories, work as usual and juste over to help during the rose harvests!" Ferdinand thought about it and made a poorly-thought-out suggestion. "Your Highness, I have also thought about this issue, but now many of our factories are mostly full. Even if we were to resettle them now, it would be futile to do so. We can''t take the lead in breachingborws and firing workers at will!" Franz said with a bitter smile. "Then, simply let the workers learn to pick roses ~ ~ this is even less reliable!" Ferdinand rejected it himself before he could finish. When Ferdinand was also troubled, Franz proposed, "Your Highness, why don''t we reduce the scale first? As long as we don''t make it so big at once, plus the essential oil processing nt and supporting facilities that it willunch soon, we can still barely settle within 10,000 people!" Ferdinand suddenly had a sh of light, ''Supporting!'' ''That''s right, industrial parks, industrial zones!'' With that, Ferdinand smiled and said, "I have an idea!" Franz looked at Ferdinand with some doubts. A bad feeling came over him. His Highness was not going to make some big move again, right? Looking at the confused Franz, Ferdinand did not try to push the issue and said with a smile, "Franz, I intend to set up an industrial park. It will be set aside as a direct development zone to help encourage the scattered businesses in the country toe together!" After Franz heard Ferdinand''s words, his face became even more ugly, and it was true. In his mind, he thought: this time, he wanted to use his factory to do the same thing. The factories that are now on the scale in Bulgaria are basically Ferdinand''s properties. Encourage? If the wordse from you, can you not do it? Looking at Franz, whose face changed greatly, Ferdinand also knew that this proposal, a little too far ahead of its time. Even Franz could not understand it, let alone others. Whether others understand it or not, Ferdinand intends to promote it in Bulgaria. It has been proven in the future that industrial integration is good for fostering industrial innovation. And the birth of each development zone will drive the local economy and provide arge number of jobs. Franz asked doubtfully, "Your Highness, right now our factories are scattered all over the ce because they are designed to reduce costs and provide easy ess to logistics. If we centralize them together, the costs will surely increase! And will this really solve the problems we are facing?" Ferdinand said in a very positive tone: "Of course! Once the development area isunched, it is the same as building a new city, and the infrastructure alone can provide tens of thousands of jobs. You can now let go and recruit people, then set up a constructionpany, and you can ce arge number of people!" After listening to Ferdinand''s idea, Franz was instantly stunned. There is still this kind of business! It changed Franz''s concept. In order to do the processing of rose oil, they actually created a new city. Is this the highest level of using power for personal gain? ... As Franz was about to leave, Ferdinand added, "By the way, Franz. When you go on your field trip, do you observe where is suitable for the setting up of a development zone, by the way?" Chapter 67: Development Zone Chapter 67: Development Zone After solving thebor problem, Ferdinand was worried again. How should the development zone be built? What industries should be the core of the zone? It is the end of the 19th century, and the 21st century is certainly not the same. Many industries have not yet been born. And Bulgaria is only a small country with a poption of 3.5 million people or less, about the same as a city in his former life. All of Bulgaria can not be rted to the real estate economy, the Inte economy, high-tech areas of science and technology parks, tourism services. Then the only option left for Ferdinand is the processing industry! Combined with the current state of Bulgaria''s industry with light industry dominates, heavy industry is still in the seed. Moreover, the light industry and food processing businesses as the core. When many food processing nts are gathered together, Ferdinand can already think about that scene. If it is guided in the future, the first development zone in Bulgaria will be the foodie spot, forming a food city. Oh, it''s just beginning! It is easy to build a development zone where Ferdinand can decide with a tap on the head; however, to bring the development zone into its own, it is crucial to consider the issue more in totality. First, the traffic should be essible enough to meet the traffic demands. Second, one must also take security into ount. The Balkans have always been a "European powder keg", a little bomb. One must consider the threat of war. Third, culture and geography, water, industrial raw materials, etc., are also essential factors. After taking round, Ferdinand found that there were not many ces in Bulgaria that qualified! What follows is that Ferdinand will be even busier while checking the relevant data while also trying to find ways to convince the high-level government. After a few days of struggle, Ferdinand was still hesitant about the choice of the development zone. Finally, he decided to give up and simply throw the trouble to the government. "Isn''t the Konstantin government the most energetic in the history of Bulgaria? Then I''ll throw him another development zone. I suppose it''s not a problem!" Ferdinand thought recklessly. Konstantin, who was in his office reviewing the progress of the first five ns, suddenly sneezed, "Ache." The assistant knocked on the door and stepped forward, and said, "Mr. Minister, the pce just made a call. It''s His Highness who asks you toe over as soon as possible!" Hearing that it was Ferdinand who had a request, Konstantin put down the paper in his hand and said to his assistant while getting up, "Hmm, I see. You call back and tell him I''ll be right there!" ... In his haste, Konstantin came and met Ferdinand in the meeting room. He greeted him with courtesy and then said in doubt, "Your Highness, what do you want from me in such a hurry?" Ferdinand smiled and said, "Sit down for a while. Alisa, serve Konstantin with a cup of coffee!" Konstantin slowly down, but in his mind is a cold, secretly thought: His Highness so polite, must be no good! It''s not like there''s something wrong again, right? Konstantin''s lesson, and a fact epted by the Bulgarian higher-ups, is that every time Ferdinand politely talks to someone about things, it means that the next thing is a problem! If Ferdinand knew that Konstantin had made him up like that, he would have shown him what it means to be a monarch whose majesty cannot be vited. "Konstantin, have you noticed that recently Bulgaria''s economic growth rate has started to fall!" Ferdinand asked in a certain tone. Konstantin was shocked. Cold sweat wasing out, secretly distressed: "What economic growth rate decline? Bulgaria''s economic growth was already abnormal. It was entirely based on the government''s investment in infrastructure, which was boosted indirectly, right?" "Before, the annual growth rate was once as high as 20%, which is totally against thews of the market. Okay, this is still thanks to the small Bulgarian market, to create this record!" "Which country in the world has an economic growth rate thatpares to Bulgaria''s now? Does His Highness want to maintain this growth rate? No, he must be stopped. If this continues, the government will have to go bankrupt!" After looking at the smiling Ferdinand, Konstantin seemed to have made up his mind and said firmly, "Your Highness, this is a normal phenomenon! It created this record in the first two years because the government invested heavily in infrastructure and stimted economic development." "From the second half of this year, some of the projects in the First Five-Year n begun toplete. In theter period, it will certainly reduce government investment greatly, and the Bulgarian economy will gradually return to normal in the future!" Ferdinand, of course, is clear on this issue. Compared to the government investment, the total amount of domestic investment in Bulgaria now makes up thirty percent. If the government suddenly stops investing in infrastructure, it would be a miracle that the Bulgarian economy, not to mention sustained growth, could keep from falling. Ferdinand looked at Konstantin and smiled and said, "You are right, the Bulgarian economy is now prosperous on the surface, but inside it is actually in crisis!" "Looking at the figures alone, the economy has grown by almost eighty percent from 1887 to the present. It is not possible to think about this under normal circumstances, at the cost of a massive increase in government spending!" "If we don''t find new economic growth before the end of government investment in infrastructure, the economic crisis is about to break out!" Hearing about the economic crisis, Konstantin was scared out with cold sweat. Yes, once the government infrastructure projects end, then the relevant industries are affected. There are no ces to ce the more than 100,000 workers who build the roads alone. An afterthought of here, Konstantin is beginning to regret it. The government investment is to elerate the industrialization of Bulgaria but did not expect the bacsh so serious. Looking at the soured Konstantin, Ferdinand secretly spat out, "Oh no, it''s a little too much for him. It can''t happen! Hell, I don''t know who knows he''s doing so much not to freak out!" Ferdinand asked with concern, "Mr. Konstantin, are you all right?" "Oh, I''m fine," Konstantin said feebly. Ferdinand looked at the anxious Konstantin and secretly rejoiced: ''Luckily, you do not have heart disease. Otherwise, your legs went to God, and where would I find a suitable person to cover your shift in the short term!'' "You don''t have to worry too much about the crisis. It won''t break out yet. Besides, during this time, we can still take measures to find new economic growth points!" When Konstantin saw that Ferdinand had a good idea of what to do, he seemed to have a solution and asked, "Your Highness, what is the best way to solve the problem of economic crisis?" Ferdinand thought, ''Of course, there is a way, but we can not say it! If I tell you now that I can solve the solution by waging war, it will scare you to death!'' "I n to establish a development zone to promote economic development!" Konstantin looked at Ferdinand and wondered, "Your Highness, what is a development zone?" Chapter 68: Commissioning of New Zones Chapter 68: Commissioning of New Zones Ferdinand said slowly: "I intend to let the government to introduce special measures to encourage domestic industries toe together to form a huge industrial park, and then drive a new round of national economic development!" Konstantin asked doubtfully, "Your Highness, it would be the same as building an artificial city! But does it really work? The total number of industries scattered all over the country does not change from the one that would be gathered together. Moreover, the cost of many of them will increase when ites to the transportation of raw materials?" Ferdinand said patiently, "It''s just on the surface, when arge poption wille together, it will certainly promote the development of the food and leisure industry and increase the number of jobs!" "There is also the biggest benefit of gathering together in the same industry, which is useful for pushing forward the technological innovation of business!" ... Ferdinand took great pains to finally and narrowly convince Konstantin. Well, now he still does not see the development zone, only agreed tomon sense for a while, not even letting the government''s interest in investment. Ferdinand thought about it and did not say anything. If the government does not invest, he can invest himself. Anyway, how to look at it is also a good deal. The real estate development alone is fat enough. You don''t see so many people in business waving their money in thetter days and rushing to the development zone. It is not a difficult task for him to run a city. His family''s town in the Hungarian fiefdom is very well run. Ferdinand is eased down, but Konstantin is worried. Although his mouth says to try, he hopes that the development zone can seed more than anyone else. As the next prime minister, Konstantin is the one who asks questions about the economic crisis. As an international student, he has not heard much about the horror of the financial crisis. It is easy to bring down a cab, not to say destroy a country. After taking out a map of Bulgaria and calling a meeting with government officials to discuss it, they finally chose the outskirts of Sliven after several rounds of discussions. Sliven is an industrial city in eastern Bulgaria, the capital of the Sliven Region. It is located at the southern foothills of the Balkan Mountains. It has been a strategic location since ancient times. The city was founded in 1153. It is one of the textile centers of Bulgaria, and the first factory of tweed-making in the country was established in 1834. Woolen, silk, textile, machinery, machine tool manufacturing, food, wood processing ss, and ceramic industries are one kind. There is a library and a museum. In terms of security, it is already hundreds of kilometers from the border line and can rely on the Balkan Mountains for defense; in terms of transportation, the railroad is already connected, and the port of Burgas is not far away, making it easy to transport. By all ounts, Sliven was good. Ferdinand was also satisfied that Sliven was still famous for the rose oil produced in the outskirts inter times. Another reason he cannot say is that Ferdinand wants the industry to move away from Sofia. During the years of rapid economic development in Bulgaria, Sofia, as the capital, developed even more rapidly. It also leads inevitably to environmental pollution, and now the air quality in Sofia has declined markedly. At this time, it is unlikely that environmental protectionws will be introduced. Ferdinand can most restrict the birth of new factories in Sofia in terms of approval, but there is nothing he can do about the existing factories. Now the opportunity hase to send them packing, Ferdinand still has a few more years to spare. The future Sofia can be the political center of Bulgaria. It can be the cultural or economic center, but not the industrial center. The Bulgarian government has created a new development zone that is not very big at the administrative level. It has not yete to fruition and is only a municipal unit directly under the central government. As soon as they introduced the benefits, the official media, of course, came out singing their praises in a very reckless manner. Well, the opposition media, sadly, are not the mainstream. The Bulgarian Press Law stiptes that the financial transparency of news mediapanies and the content of ads, for which the newspaper is held liable jointly and severally. Several newspapers have paid the price for this in blood, with the owner and editor of the newspaper closing down and going to jail. So now, newspapers are not interested in ads. All rely on reader subscriptions to live. Sadly, the Bulgarian market was so small that many newspapers closed. By the end of 1891, less than ten newspapers in the countrybined, less than a third of what they were in their prime. The public opinion in Bulgaria has be so unified that it is almost impossible for confused ideas to spread through newspapers. The Socialist Workers Party, on which Ferdinand gave orders to the intelligence services to provide significant weight, is not even in its infancy. The main reason, of course, was that in just three years, from 1888 to 1891, the average wage of Bulgarian workers had increased by twenty percent. There is also the introduction ofborw, the presence of overtime pay, and now everyone is busy making money. They are not interested in social movements and can''t fool people, so naturally, there is no ground for political parties to survive. The brutal struggle between the Liberals and Conservatives disgusted the Bulgarian public. Under Ferdinand''s guidance, there is now a wave of anti-party thinking in Bulgaria, of which the new generation of students is the main force. They established the first development zone in Bulgaria quietly and silently in a calm environment. The first mayor of the development zone, the former mayor of Sliven, was appointed to the post, and officials at all levels remained unchanged from the original local officials. The new Sliven Development Zone, carved out of the City of Sliven, seems to be back in the same system. From the above, it is enough to see how unpopr the newly established development zone is in the government. Apart from a change of name and some more special incentives, there are almost no changes in personnel. It can''t help that now, except for Ferdinand, the entire Bulgarian government, the expectations of the new development zone are not much. Everyone is trying to suppress the impact so as not to fail to end badly. Looking at the report sent by Konstantin, Ferdinand thought about it and approved it. In the spirit of saving as much as possible, the government has saved another administration expense. Anyway, the infrastructure construction projects of the whole development zone have now beenmissioned by the new zone developmentpany, which Franz has just formed. ording to the agreement, the government of Sliven Development Zone has given the whole area of ten square kilometers ofnd to the new developmentpany for a friendly price of 100,000 Leva. Including the pre-investment and construction, the municipal service management, and theter investment attraction, all are the tasks of the new area developmentpany. Not only that, based on the agreement. The new district development public also has to ensure that the new district in five years, the total size of the enterprise assets exceeded 100 million Leva, the poption exceeded 50,000, to be considered sessful. In case of failure, the developmentpany will have to pay three million Leva for breach of contract. The new district government will have the right to acquire the properties in the development area at a discount. It''s like an empty glove. The government passes all the risks to the developmentpany. If it seeds, the government can continue to expand the area of the new district and develop it in all directions; if it fails, the developmentpany will pay for it anyway, and there will be liquidated damages. Fortunately, the developmentpany is Ferdinand''s. Otherwise, it is estimated that no one dares to sign this contract. Although the profit''s sess is enormous, once the change of which link pulls back, It is the empty basket of money. Chapter 69: Construction of a New Zone Continue Chapter 69: Construction of a New Zone Continue The truth begins half a month ago, when Franz, still scouting around Bulgaria, was halted by a telegram from Ferdinand. The content is very simple: "Mr. Franz, the development zone has settled in Sliven. You are now going to Sliven to discuss business matters at once!..." Franz then hurriedly ended his trip and began gathering a negotiating team. Used to the slowness of the Austro-Hungarian bureaucracy, Franz has always praised the efficiency of Bulgaria now. Of course, but this time there are some exceptions. As Franz''s guess, even if the Bulgarian government wants to establish a development zone. If one integrates all factors, such as administrative staffing, personnel transfers, etc., it will not bepleted without a year and a half. As a result, three days after receiving Ferdinand''s telegram, Franz received an invitation to establish the Sliven Development Zone, leaving him no time to prepare. It was so fast that the Bulgarian businessmunity had no time to react from creating public opinion to establishing the development zone, actually less than a month. Like the rest of the businessmunity, Franz arrived in Sliven in a hurry. As the spokesman of Ferdinand, Franz is already a big name in the Bulgarian businessmunity, and all parties have to give a few respects. The mayor of Sliven and the head of the development zone, Hugo Ivanov, came to greet him personally. When he saw Franz, Howell said brightly, "Mr. Franz, nice to meet you, and wee to the new part of Sliven!" Franz''s loud voice rumbled, "Mayor Hugo, I am also pleased to meet you. I believe the new zone of Sliven will bring me a change of pace!" ... Most of the big names in the Bulgarian businessmunity have personallye over. Even if there are dys, they have sent delegates over. As soon as Franz arrived, he became the main figure. As the head of Volvo, Europe''srgest retail leader, it was impossible to ignore the crowd''s focus. Just after arriving in Sliven, people kepting over to visit. What made it difficult for Franz was that most of them were fellow guests and could not be ignored. Many of Ferdinand''s industries havee with a coat of arms and are seen to be separate on the surface to avoid being a target. The circle of Bulgarian industry andmerce is notrge, and there are few people with weight. Most of those eligible to be invited are those who have made their mark in the industry. If one were to look into it, one would find that half of the attendees were Ferdinand''s people and the Bulgarian economy, now under Ferdinand''s control. Although the new zone of Sliven development is not taken seriously by the Bulgarianmunity, the scene is still very lively. All because: Ferdinand is going to attend the opening ceremony! On November 12, 1891, God seemed to be unusually generous as the golden sun hung high in the crystal blue sky, dispelling the bitter cold of winter. A temporary assembly hall was set up in the Sliven Development Zone. A small number of people attended the meeting. Besides government officials, more than thirty representatives of industry andmerce and several media such as the Bulgarian Daily press were also invited to attend. After the tedious set of ceremonies, Ferdinand began his inspiring speech. "There is a philosopher who said, ''After walking many miles in a dream, you still wake up in bed.'' It tells us symbolically that one cannot live lying in a dreamlike ideal." "In the road to achieve the ideal is inevitably bumpy and rugged, we need to have determination, confidence, the spirit of perseverance despite the difficulties. In the face of setbacks, we can not be daunted and this we have to give in, to take out the courage of difficult conditions at the end and tirelessly work hard. Because, the great Bulgaria gives us passion, strength, we do not have any reason to have the slightest ck, thus wasting it away. We have to wield the colors of life in our constant pursuit and struggle, and let our ideals soar!" "What is patriotism?" "A deepest feeling for one''s homnd that has been built up over thousands of years." "That is our patriotism!" "..." (30,000 words saved) "Let''s work hard for the rise of Bulgaria!" The speech ended in the thundering moving apuse that made Ferdinand''s speech very sessful. It can not be unsessful for this half-hour speech. He copied more than ten famous patriotic speeches ofter times and fused he reced the essence of the core of the speech to Bulgaria searching for people to refine and form it. The purpose is to pose as a hero, no! It''s to get the businessmunity and receive a baptism of patriotism. Once the speech was over, and Hugo was naturally responsible for the aftermath. How should the development zone be developed? It is a difficult problem, and now there is no example in the world to refer to it! The new zone authority has a headache. Hugo Ivanov is now regretting a bit. Why bother to fight for this position? Of course, do a good job, achieve results easily, and be valued by the top. But the problem is, how to do it? There is no clue! Can not figure out how to do it, Hugo asked to be taught, telegraphed to the top to support. It is a pity that the central government of Bulgaria does not know where to start! Konstantin is very easy to return the call, do not worry about it, I look at you! By the way, it is an idea that he can discuss with the businessmunity. Then there was nothing more, and the Sliven Development Zone is arguably the poorest administrative unit in Bulgaria. For now, there is nothing but the ten square kilometers ofnd set aside from the city of Sliven. It was so poor that it didn''t even have a government office, and the previous expenses were all paid by the city of Sliven. To absorb businesses to settle, at least there must be infrastructure! Now Sliven Development Zone is still barrennd mixed with a small amount of farnd. The terrain is fine and rtively t. The initial investment alone is not a small figure. The central government is not optimistic about the development of the new area and has no ns to allocate funds. The tax offer is not bad. The first three years are tax-free, and the next five years are half-taxed. Bulgarian capitalists are very excited, but after calcting the initial investment, there is no return without the investment of several million Leva. The investment is so big, can it recover the cost? Many people said that as long as the government could solve the infrastructure, they still intended to support it. One by one, they all gave up, and then it became the same situation now. And then Franz stood out in the public eye and stated: he was interested in signing up for the infrastructure construction of the development zone. What happened then was that everything went smoothly, and the new regional government threw out the mess in a hurry. It also gained 100,000 Leva, the first administrative funds, and paying off the debts of the Sliven City government. Chapter 70: Recruitment Chapter 70: Recruitment Ferdinand was recently in a good mood when he crossed before he admired his days as a contractor. The first Bulgarian development zone is now in his hands at a cabbage price. Once the future development zone got developed, he will earn enough to profit from the rent and the monopoly on water, electricity, gas, and property fees. On the other hand, Franz is busy. Perhaps, being busy is also a kind of happiness for some people, so people do not have time to learn the pain. It is a kind of happiness to run around to feel alive. It is a kind of leisure to be tired so that people have no time to be idle. It s lucky that Ferdinand has such a good subordinate like Franz, who has never onceined about the pain and stress. "Recruitment" is never an easy task. It is about the long-term development of the business. Now Franz is hiring not dozens or hundreds of people at a time but more than 20,000 people at once. It also includes some managers besides ordinary workers. In order to manage the fresh workers, Franz even brought in a battalion of Royal Guard from Ferdinand to help maintain order as well. Even so, no less than what happened when the chicken feed. Well, now Franz always knows the benefits of being a retired soldier. Hees straight in as a part of the secret service and doesn''t even need training. Before going on duty, there is a month of military drill. Ferdinand''s idea is mainly to develop a sense of unity and discipline. First of all, there is a month of military drill before the duty. Ferdinand''s idea is mainly to develop a sense of teamwork and a purpose of obedience. Also, just like all workers in Bulgaria, there is a need for literacy education and, as a side note, patriotic brainwashing. Ferdinand adjusts the teaching materials regarding theter-day propaganda system, and of course, are mixed with a lot of personal interests, which are full of loyal and patriotic ideas. In the eyes of future ages, it is totally feudal and vicious and an insane sense of cult of personality. But at that time, in the rtively conservative Balkan region, this idea was still prevalent. Other than young schrs who venture a vocal minority sometimes, others were still very supportive. If he can solve the problem of workers, then managers'' problems are pretty tricky. They can still draw off the middle and senior levels from other industries, but what about the skilled managers at the low level? Out of thousands of low-level managers, Franz has only solved a small part of the problem, even with all his efforts. The good thing is that the work task is not heavy now because the new development project has just started. The groundwork is not required to be highly technical, and there is still time to adjust to the pair. When automobile technology has not matured, it still got transported by horse power and manpower for short distances. There is no such thing as an excavator. The internalbustion engine technology has not yet made a big breakthrough, so you can''t get a steam excavator! Even if the terrain is rtively t, engineers estimate that the first phase of the excavation construction will take more than three months toplete, with the main bodypleted and put into use, it is at least the end of 1892. Ferdinand couldn''t achieve results in a short time in the development zone, and his idea went bankrupt right at the beginning. As a farmer in a small vige in the Bulgarian Burgas region, Ivan had several hundred acres ofnd at home and lived a decent life. Since he was a child, he was envious of the outside world and wanted to go out several times when he grew up. However, the old man has been very religious and old-fashioned, leaving Ivan to carry on the family business, which means to continue farming. However, there are already three brothers in Ivan''s current generation, which means that once the ancestralnd has divided, everyone''s future days will be problematic. When he heard the news that the new district of Sliven has established and the new district development was looking for people, Ivan knew it was a chance to escape from the small mountain vige and could no longer hold back his desire for the outside world. As always, the old man discouraged: "Ivan, the outside world is not as good as you think and is full of greed all over, so do as told and stay home and farm! This year we have applied new agricultural technology, and our ie has increased, and our days will slowly get better!" Ivan has made up his mind to go out and make a go of it. He then decided to have a bargain with the old man. He did not flinch as usual and said in a firm tone, "By all means, my father! Don''t forget. We have three brothers now. In the future, if we split up, thend we have now would not be enough to support three families!" "For the love of God, let me go out and make a living! You don''t want me and my two brothers, who can''t even afford to raise our kids when we start a family in the future, to be bankrupt together!" After hearing Ivan''s words, the old man wanted to say something but stopped. He did not know that this was true, but his thoughts have not been able to step over this hurdle. He was simply silent, secretly wishing Ivan a good trip in his heart. In rural Bulgaria in the 19th century, many families were poor because of splitting families. Moreover, it was so much so that some families were afraid to raise more children. Due to theck of good contraception, many children were born and left behind in churches, hoping to be adopted by some good clergy. In fact, only a few can meet good people, for all it is known. As soon as Ferdinand seeded to the throne, he financed the creation of dozens of orphanages in Bulgaria, which received thousands of orphans one after another every year. It follows that the main reason for the slow poption growth in the Balkanspared to Western Europe after the Industrial Revolution was war and poverty. Ivan had just arrived at the new Sliven area when he heard someone shouting, "Ivan, you''re here too? Aren''t you at home farming? Did you get permission from the old man?" The visitor was none other than his fellow viger, and Ivan asked in wonder, "Veri, what brings you here too? Aren''t you making a name for yourself in Sofia?" "Don''t mention it again! Originally I stayed in the food factory, which went bankrupt, and they did not settle even thest three months'' wages before the boss got arrested. Thank God it''s easy to find a job now. I''ve been doing odd jobs for people for half a year. I heard that this time thepany that recruited workers is arge business. I think it should be more stable, so I came to try my luck!" Veri said with a gloomy face. "Oh, I wish to God to bless you, my dear poor Veri!" Ivan said withforting words. Veri looked at Ivan, who was full of sincerity, and said, "Come on, Ivan, tell me about yourself! I don''t believe that old man will let you out!" Ivan shrugged and said, "Sure, but he can''t say no! I told him if he doesn''t let me out, he''ll have a hard time seeing his grandchildrenter!" After Ivan''s words, Veri became depressed all of a sudden. His family is much moreplicated than Ivan''s. Besides a married sister, there have initially been three younger siblings. Later, there was really no way to send the three younger siblings away one after another, and now life and death are still unknown. It is also why he will get out early to earn a living, as their family has gone bankrupt earlier. Ivan realized that he had said the wrong thing and hastily apologized, "Sorry, Veri. You know me, I''m always blunt!" ... Chapter 71: Russia-Bulgaria Alliance 1 Chapter 71: Russia-Bulgaria Alliance 1 As time passed, it was the end of 1891, and the long-drawn-out process of Russian-Bulgarian talks finally drew to a close. The talks, whichsted more than a year, involved more than 500 issues, covering all aspects of political, economic, military, and even cultural exchanges. On 15 December 1891, the two sides finally agreed to sign the Treaty of Political, Economic, Military, and Cultural Friendship between the Russian Empire and the Principality of Bulgaria, also known as the Russo-Bulgaria Alliance. Ferdinand ratified the Russian-Bulgarian Alliance on the same day they signed it. It only had to be sent to St Petersburg and approved by Alexander III before officially setting it up. The Russian delegation, which had been in Bulgaria for most of the year and who were now busy rushing back for Christmas, had declined Ferdinand''s offer to stay. Ferdinand, who was in a good mood, also took part himself in the farewell banquet to give the Russian delegation a good send-off. To be honest, Ferdinand didn''t expect the meeting to go so well either. All things got taken together to see the Russo-Bulgaria Alliance was a treaty of equality for both sides. At the end of the neenth century, the struggle of a small country to conclude an equality treaty with a Great Power would have been beyond the grasp ofter times. Ferdinand hade from the future and knew it took up that time with Russia''s diplomatic woes. The Franco-Russian alliance was already taking ce in secret. The diplomatic risks involved in an alliance with Russia were also extremely high, as seen at the time. Historically, it was already 1894 when Bulgaria leaned on Russia for a monopoly. At that time, the Franco-Russian alliance had been created and was already optional for Bulgaria, so naturally, it would not have cost a great deal to bring it together. In Ferdinand''s view, the creation of the Russo-Bulgarian Alliance gave Bulgaria ess to raw materials from Russia for its industrial development and a vast market. It was an essential part of Bulgaria''s industrialization process. At that time, the only country that could provide Bulgaria with both of these was the Russian Empire. At the end of the 19th century, the resource-rich countries besides Russia were Britain and France, which hadrge colonies. However, Britain and France were industrially advanced andrgely self-sufficient and did not need to import industrial goods. What about other countries? In Germany, with its typical industrial development, the country has to import resources from abroad and find markets! The Austro-Hungarian industry was not bad either. Moreover, its industry andmerce have closely linked to Germany, so it was not Bulgaria''s choice! Italy does not need to consider that he is still a poor fellow, resource-poor and industrially backward, and does not yet have the nerve to reach out to the Balkans. The United States is not yet the future world policeman, and its hands cannot reach the Mediterranean, which means that even if the two sides trade, the shipping costs alone are higher than the price of the raw materials themselves. The only option for Bulgaria then is Russia. Russia is rich in resources and is still close to Bulgaria. It has connected by the ck Sea and can be reached in one day while the industry is not very good and has to import many industrial goods every year. Not only did Ferdinand find the alliance a good idea, but it was also Aleksandr III in St Petersburg who was now in a good mood. Aleksandr III, the thirteenth emperor of the Russian Empire, reigned from 1881 to 1894. The reign of Aleksandr III began under the great sess of Aleksandr II, and Aleksandr III had no desire to embark on a new policy or to interfere too much in practical affairs. He adopted a method of ruling simr to that of a chairman: he organized the naming of a group ofpetent people and formed a circle of think-tankers. These people were allowed to study the affairs of the state ande up with several options for dealing with them, which were then submitted to the emperor himself before he made a final decision. During the reign of Aleksandr III, Russia reached a pinnacle of economic development. It became one of the world''s leading powers, not only in military terms but also in economic terms. However, the anti-reform measures pursued by the Russian elite have stifled the growth of ideas, gravely hampered the spread of education, affected the general quality of the poption. They have hastened the rise of social ss antagonism and set the stage for the final progress of society through violent forms of revolution and civil war. On the diplomatic front, Aleksandr III actively pursued Pan-vism, which has linked to Russia''s obvious increase in power and rising international standing. The Pan-vism pursued by Russia has a solid diplomatic focus, mainly on the Balkans and the ck Sea coast. It intends to expand Russia''s influence in these regions and strengthen Russia''s power in areas inhabited by vic peoples. On the one hand, Russian policy in the Balkans has yed a positive role in enhancing its international standing and promoting the development of local ethnic freedom movements. However, the downside was also obvious, and it was the same action in the Balkans that provided the spark for the First World War andid the seeds for the downfall of the Russian Empire. In addition to Austria-Hungary, the German Empire has also contested the Balkans with Russia. Germany had always wanted a warm Mediterranean port that would break free from the North Sea and the Baltic with the Mediterranean passage, cutting Europe short, so it sped up the momentum of its expansion in the Balkans. It was one of the reasons why German-Russian rtions were heading for a split. On the whole, Russia under Aleksandr III was the closest to Europe in terms of culture and economy. There was a mutual sense of identity between Europe and Russia, and Russia was already able to achieve its political intentions without using force and through diplomatic efforts alone. One of Aleksandr III''s most famous and influential statements in foreign affairs was that the Russian Tsar was still on a fishing trip and that Europe could wait for the time being. (Aleksandr III uttered this phrase on one asion when he was on a fishing trip during a holiday break and the minister in charge of European affairs came running to report to Aleksandr III on urgent business.) Arguably, Aleksandr III was the most powerful ruler in Russia''s neenth-century history. During the reign of Aleksandr III, Russia waged only one foreign war: the small-scale Battle of the Merve Oasis under Mikhail Skobelev. Merve is an oasis city in Turkmenistan in Central Asia, known as Malei in Han Dynasty texts and as Maguo in the Northern and Southern Dynasties. In contrast, Yuan Dynasty texts refer to the area as Maliwu or Mn. After the annexation of Merve to Russia, Turkmenistan officially became part of the Russian Empire. At the time of the assassination of Aleksandr II, Aleksandr III was in fear of being assassinated. He often stayed at his pce in Gatchina on the capital''s outskirts. Known as the Hermit of Gatchina, Aleksandr III was also known as the Peacemaker because he rarely started wars. Chapter 72: Russia-Bulgaria Alliance 2 Chapter 72: Russia-Bulgaria Alliance 2 After reading the treaty''s contents, Aleksandr III looked at Pavel Shuvalov much more favorably. He said with a smile: "Count Pavel, you did a great job negotiating with Bulgaria this time! For a small price, we have tied Bulgaria firmly to the Russian wagon and put a nail in the Balkans!" Apparently, Aleksandr III''s aura was so strong that at least Pavel Shuvalov was warring before him, at least after Germany tore up the reinsurance treaty. Please don''t think that fear of being assed is the domain of the Great Qing. The West is just as good. Pavel Shuvalov said: "It''s all because of your wisdom, Your Imperial Majesty, leading Russia to prosperity, which makes Bulgarians yearn for it. It''s also because of Crown Prince Niki''s wisdom andpetence. I''m just doing my part. It''s not worth mentioning!" Aleksandr III seems to be used to all this, just smiling without retort. Only after Count Pavel finished speaking did he say, "Well, let''s not say any more of these ttering words! There will be a meeting about Bulgariater. You stay and join it too!" Count Pavel at once made a grateful and livid smile, this time with sincerity. Since the breakup of German-Russian rtions, he had been left on the sidelines. He never again participated in a high-level meeting. This time the Tsar kept him for the meeting, which was clearly a good sign and meant that he had a chance to return to the center of power. ... At the pce Gatchina, outside St. Petersburg, a meeting was held on the fate of Bulgaria. There was no tedious etiquette. Aleksandr III got straight to the point and said, "I think the treaty with Bulgaria, you all know about it! The reason for calling you here today is to define our foreign policy towards Bulgaria for a long time toe!" (Note: Not all the main characters are called by their official titles, and the author will be dizzy if there are too many foreigners with the same name. For example, the Russian Foreign Minister at the time: Niki Girs, has the same name as Niki II, and there are many others!) As soon as Aleksandr III finished speaking, the Finance Minister spoke up and said, "Your Imperial Majesty, since we have decided to shift our strategic focus eastward, it is enough to maintain enough influence on the Balkans. There is no need to put too much effort into it!" "But this is only to upy the time. Europe is the center of the world. We still have toe back in the future and cannot rx our efforts to prate the Balkans!" The Minister of War immediately objected. The Minister of Finance shook his head, then asked in query, "But is our energy isn''t unlimited, right? The Empire''s finances cannot support us on two fronts at the same time. The Siberian Railway has just started its construction, which is already taking up a lot of our money!" "The reason for a short-term retreat in Europe is so that we can put more energy into the East. It will not be toote to return to Europe when the Imperial Russian n ispleted. At that time, our country will be even stronger, and the Balkans will not be able to stop the Empire!" ... He then got involved with the leading politicians of the Russian Empire and started a war of words, while Count Pavel stood to the side without saying a word. When he saw the noise below, Aleksandr III noticed Pavel Shuvalov, who was watching from the sidelines. When Aleksandr III, who had begun to be less keen on politics, heard that the crowd was getting further and further away from the topic of the day. He coughed and then said, "All right, gentlemen, quiet down! Count Pavel just returned from Sofia. He is very familiar with the state of affairs there, so let''s listen to his opinion first!" Pavel Shuvalov''s mind was shocked and screamed out loud. Now at this time to open his mouth, this is not what it means to stand in line! The Russian Empire is now divided mainly into 3: The Eastward and European factions and the neutral faction. Oh, and that''s not all. The Eastward faction was divided into 3: the Far East faction, which favored expansion to the Far East. The Indian faction favored going into Afghanistan and then expanding to India. The Central Asian faction favored expansion to the Ottomans in Central Asia. The European faction likewise had factions: the Balkan faction, which favored expansion into the Balkans. The Nordic faction favored expansion into Northern Europe. There were even radical factions that favored expansion into Austria-Hungary. There is a lot of chaos and mess. Of course, there is not so much chaos at the government''s top, mainly in the Far East and the Balkans, and not so many brain-dead ideas. Due to the setback of the expansion in Europe, the Russian Empire was now favored by the Far East faction, which had the support of Crown Prince Nichs. Hearing Aleksandr III''s inquiry, Pavel Shuvalov at once spoke up and said, "Your Imperial Majesty, from what I see, the Bulgarians are mostly pro-Russian at the moment. That means that our long-term efforts to infiltrate in the Balkans have been sessful!" "Moreover, in recent years, Bulgaria''s economy has grown rapidly, but its own resources are poor, and there is ack ofbor. The reason why Bulgaria is now leaning towards the Empire is also a major factor in this regard. If we continue to export resources andbor to them, we can control Bulgaria economically in a few decades." Pavel Shuvalov was still cautious and just returned to the subject of Alexander III, limited to Bulgaria, without making a clear stand on the Balkan issue, while at the same time showing a leaning towards the Far East faction. As soon as Count Pavel''s words fell, Aleksandr III showed a keen interest. He did not like war much, and the economic control and cultural influence were exactly to Aleksandr III''s liking. After seeing the actions of Aleksandr III, the crowd had the good sense to choose to shut up, and no one decided to defy the Tsar''s authority. "So, how long do you think it will take for us to take control of Bulgaria?" Aleksandr III asked, looking at Pavel Shuvalov. Pavel Shuvalov thought for a moment, then said, "Your Imperial Majesty, if everything goes well, in twenty years, Bulgaria will be fully pro-Russian. In thirty years, we can even turn it into a grand duchy under the Empire without bloodshed!" Sure enough, after hearing Pavel Shuvalov''s words, Aleksandr III showed a happy smile. Are twenty years long? Sure, that''s enough time for a new generation to grow up! If it takes one generation to integrate a country, that is too short. Why did the Russian Empire export vic culture to the Balkans? Wasn''t it to culturally assimte the Balkan countries! Isn''t it just as well that Bulgaria has now taken an active part in asking for migrants? Those sitting here already ignore the fact that now the Russian Empire is not a single ethnic group, and even the main ethnic group is less than half. Foreign immigrants are also the majority of other ethnic groups, long-oppressed minorities. How much attachment will there be to the Russian Empire? "Well, if you all have no otherments, then I will ratify this treaty! The future strategy of the Empire towards Bulgaria is to draw in politically and prate economically and culturally!" Aleksandr III asked in a confident tone. No one will object to this issue, of course. The Eastward faction naturally supports it. The "Russian-Bulgarian Alliance" is still pushed forward under the auspices of Crown Prince Nichs, in line with their priority Eastern strategy. The European faction also has no reason to oppose it. It does not affect their strategy. The neutral faction continues to y the game. After Aleksandr III ratified the Russo-Bulgarian Alliance, the Russian government made a rare and efficient move. Together with the Bulgarian ambassador to Russia, the Foreign Ministry announced the news to the public in time for Christmas Eve. Chapter 73: State of Affairs Chapter 73: State of Affairs When the dust settled, Ferdinand finally put his restless heart down, as he had seen in the history of the Franco-Russian Alliance, which St. Petersburg had dyed for two years before ratifying. The obvious "Russian-Bulgarian Alliance" is only limited to economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation. But the Great Powers are not fools. No country will believe that this is merely an economic one. However, the international situation at that time was such that Britain, Germany, and Austria wanted to turn Russia''s attention to the East and relieve the pressure on Europe and India. In contrast, France wanted an alliance with Russia, so in this context, the Great Powers agreed tacitly to create the Russo-Bulgarian Alliance. Because of this aspect, Ferdinand sent Chekhov on a visit to Russia at that moment of the Russian-Bulgarian talks. After all, it was more proper to send someone from the Ministry of Industry simply to purchase goods. The route starting from Great Britain and then going through France, Germany, and Austria-Hungary reveals to the countries that Russia''s strategy is moving east. Although this is no longer a secret, this move is purely a gesture of goodwill to the Great Powers to show that this alliance is not directed against all countries. A single butterfly in the Amazonian rainforest of South America, with a few asional ps of its wings, could cause a tornado in the Americas two weekster. The butterfly effect of Ferdinand''s traverse, which has already happened, has given birth from history without the Russian-Bulgarian Alliance. The Great Powers can ignore that they are strong, but the Balkan countries can not ignore it. The first to be affected were Romania, caught between Bulgaria and Russia. Also, Russia has never concealed its ambitions for Romania. Romania should be thankful that the current Tsar of Russia is Alexander III, a pacifist. It would be even worse for them otherwise. After that was the Ottoman Empire, their feud with Russia has been there for hundreds of years, and both sides are blood feud. Although the average war is less than twenty years, the skirmishes have not been broken, and it is almost time to start counting the days. Next is Serbia, the war between Serbia and Bulgaria only a few years past. In 1886, if not for Austria-Hungary, it is difficult to say what Serbia is now. Bulgaria''s rapid growth in recent years has already caused them rm. Now the Russian-Bulgarian alliance is even more worrying for them. Even the pro-Russian faction in the country has been hit for a while. Around the Russian-Bulgarian alliance, the Balkan countries have been engaged in diplomatic activities, each in its own way. The Ottoman Empire continued to strengthen its diplomatic search for support with Germany, even making concessions on the "Baghdad Railway". At the end of the 1880s, Germany pursued an eastward policy for world hegemony, extending its power into the Near East and building a railroad that would connect with the European continental railroads and be a great railroad from Hamburg and Berlin to the Persian Gulf via Constantinople and Baghdad. This railroad not only enabled the expansion of German power in the Ottoman Empire. It also seriously threatened the Caucasus, Persia, and British Raj. It was thus opposed and obstructed by Russia, France, and especially Britain and was notpleted until the outbreak of World War I. Romania chose to remain close to Germany and Austria and opened a new round of talks. This time, they put even the disputed issue of Croatia with Austria-Hungary aside. After looking around for a while, Serbia finally reluctantly leaned towards Austria-Hungary, and the previous grievance was hastily closed up. The Serbian pro-Russian faction, for a time, was beaten and demoralized. The Russian Empire moves its strategy eastward, and their support bes weaker as the pro-Austrian faction once again gains the upper hand. At the end of the 19th century, Germany''s foreign affairs were at their peak. Under the rule of Bismarck, most of the countries in Europe were pro-German, and allies were everywhere. If not for the new line of diplomacy of the sessor, coupled with the provocations of the European shit-stirrers, which forced Germany to make choices and abandon one ally after another, World War I would certainly have been very different. The Balkans are in the bnce, and history has be strange. Ferdinand now can not grasp the future is headed. But looking at the world, Ferdinand''s butterfly effect is not yet so big as what should happen still happened. At the end of 1891, Chekhov''s diplomatic corps visited Ennd, France, Germany, and Austria and returned to Bulgaria, finally in time for Christmas in Sofia. Ferdinand summoned the delegation to the pce where Chekhov handed over a copy of the data and said, "Your Highness, this is the information we have gathered from our visits to Ennd, France, Germany, and Austria." When Chekhov finished, he saw Ferdinand nod and continued, "These only are what we have seen, because the time was too short we did not investigate deeply." "From what we know, a first judgment, now the four countries, Britain, France, Germany and Austria, the level of industrialization is very high. It is especially the British Empire, whether it is the scale of industry, or the invention and creation of science and technology, as well as the promotion, are far beyond the other countries..." Ferdinand listened to Chekhov''s report without saying much. Although he knew that many of its contents varied, it was enough to give Bulgaria a reference. At least the delegation exaggerates Britain too much. Ferdinand knew that the United States would overtake Britain in size in a few years, and in a decade or so, Germany wouldplete itseback in size. Britain has begun tog behind with the so-called new technology promotion above. With vast colonies, the British capitalists have be feeble in pursuing technological innovation. The Second Industrial Revolution had already begun. Because of theg in the spread of new technologies, Britain only let the United States and Germany surpass them industrially for a short time. Of course, none of this is relevant to Bulgaria right now. While new technology extends, it can increase productivity, but the process is tortuous. What Bulgaria needs now is an industrial infrastructure. It does not yet have the capital to pay tuition fees for industrial, technological innovation, so this sacred task should be left to the Great Powers! Various ideas were rising at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Affected by the chaotic trend of thought, many people''s thoughts would go to extremes, with a one-sided pursuit of perfection neglecting other aspects. Ferdinand, who came from ater era, knew that industrial development could not be one-sided in the pursuit of quality, nor could it be the pursuit of quantity, but must be abined effect of cost per performance. If the quality is good, it only exists in theboratory and cannot be mass-produced, which is typical of high input and low output. If the quantity isrge and the quality is poor, it cannot stand in the international market. Bulgaria is lucky that people are more conservative in their thinking and do not think so much. Ferdinand should be in good time. If he had crossed in the World War, or the Balkan Wars, even the person who traverses the world would not be able to return. Chapter 74: 2-5 Plan Chapter 74: 2-5 n In 1892, the situation in Europe was mainly stable as the Russian Empire'' had moved its strategy eastward. There are only two small events of international note. First, the Austrians made the world''s first sessful automatic pistol - Schnberger-Laumann 1892, which was supplied by the magazine and loaded with the help of gunpowder gas energy. Second, the Communist Manifesto was published in the Polish region, andmunist ideas began to spread. Compared to what Bulgaria will discuss next, these things are almost negligible. The new government generally carried over the "First Five-Year n" drawn up during the Stambolov era. It proposed more than three hundred projects, half of which Ferdinand cut as unrealistic, and another fifty or so were revised in their targets. Since the state had enough money after the raid, by the end of 1891, they hadpleted more than forty tasks. Basically, the rest of the tasks would all bepleted by the end of 1892. The people who traverse are the main ones who love to y around, and Ferdinand cannot stay idle or keep his men idle. Later research data shows that corruption and procrastination will follow once the bureaucrats are idle. On the contrary, the government will be more honest and efficient if they start early and workte every day. The "1st Five-Year n" will bepleted ahead of schedule, and you want to celebrate? Ferdinand said, no problem, let''s discuss the 2nd Five-Year n first, and then celebrateter. No? Are you unpatriotic? How dare you hinder the development of Bulgaria and get out of here! Under the influence of Ferdinand''s firm attitude, the Bulgarian government came up with a "Second Five-Year n" very efficiently. In addition, Ferdinand now convened a meeting on state policy, but also to signal to the outside world that the new Bulgarian cab has been selected and ordered. The outline of future development is in front of you. You can''t change the general halfway! Wouldn''t that be a drag? It''s totally uneptable to the Bulgarian public right now! After using economic means to control public opinion, Ferdinand began to boil the frog in warm water. After a few years, the Bulgarian folk thought was led by Ferdinand unknowingly. In the past, the idea of liberal democracy and party politics prevailed before the development of the industry. Now it has changed to giving priority to the development of productivity and the industrialization of the country, followed by achieving liberal democracy. The media slogan has also be ''bread instead of freedom'', which,bined with the fact that the poption''s standard of living has really improved in thest two years, is quickly epted by Bulgarians. "In thest two years, the work of the government is evident to all, which cannot be separated from the efforts of everyone here. On behalf of Bulgaria, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone for their efforts!" Ferdinand''s words were greeted with thunderous apuse. It was genuine! Ferdinand could be sure. After all, it is praised, apuding for themselves. "Among them, Mr. Konstantin has performed particrly well. He has presided over the government with great devotion and remarkable results. At this time, I hereby appoint Konstantin Stoilov as the Prime Minister of Bulgaria''s interim cab!" Before the start of the National Assembly, Ferdinand dropped a heavy bomb. The crowd was stunned, and then once again, there was thunderous apuse. When Konstantin became prime minister, they prepared the crowd for the news they had previously spread. Few Bulgarian governments canpete with him now. The most highly advantaged Chekhov, who was partial to political sensitivity and had few political ambitions, withdrew himself. And then there is the former Minister of Agriculture named Yakov, who is also qualified enough, and this is even odder. His interest in scientific research is much stronger than in politics, and now he basically stays in theboratory. No one else is worth mentioning, and basically, no one can shake Konstantin''s position. A former prime minister, Stambolov, is resting far away in Vienna, but nobody in Bulgaria is expected to wee him back. Even so, Konstantin was thrilled that he was thus stepping on the pinnacle of power. He looked at Ferdinand gratefully, not knowing what to say for a while. Ferdinand smiled, relieved him, and said, "Well, it is now up to our Prime Minister to present what has been achieved in the First Five-Year n and the basic situation of the unfinished projects." At the detour of Ferdinand, Konstantin had regained hisposure from the excitement, adjusted his mind, and said in a spirited manner. "On January 5, 1888, the Bulgarian National Assembly adopted the First Five n, and history will remember this moment, which set off the beginning of Bulgaria''s industrialization!" "It has taken four years since 1888 toe to this point. After the hard work and struggle of all Bulgarian people, we have achieved a stage victory!" "First of all, in education, back in 1890, we finished the task. We built from scratch the first university in Bulgaria, with more than 1,500 students enrolled in it as well as the first graduates, who are about to go out into society. We established eight higher education schools, with up to 13,000 students enrolled in them. We also build thirty-six new secondary schools, with a total of more than 50,000 students enrolled in secondary schools nationwide; and eighty-three new elementary schools, with a total of more than 110,000 students enrolled in primary schools nationwide." "In terms of transportation, by the end of 1891, we had built 987 kilometers of railroads and 8,658 kilometers of roads. In other words, today, under normal circumstances, we have already closed the goal of 1,000 kilometers of railroads!" ... After a half-hour of dazzling talk, Konstantin only gave a general overview of the "First Five-Year n" results. Of course, this is Ferdinand''s revised version of the First Five-Year n. Bulgaria can now dere its sess to the outside world in terms of results. In many areas, it is already ahead of schedule or beyond. All these data, which everyone knew in advance, but still could not help but be excited. Ferdinand is an exception, probably because he saw more in his previous life. He is not sensitive to these data and did not feel anything remarkable. Compared to the "First Five-Year n", the "Second Five-Year n" is the real problem. Oncepleted, Bulgaria is also a rising industrial country. The total industrial output will exceed Sweden and enter the top ten in Europe. After a pause, Ferdinand saw the crowd had eased up from the excitement and spoke, "Well, let the past be the past! Only by looking to the future can Bulgaria develop better. Now it''s time for us to consider the ''Second Five-Year n'', the draft of which you have all seen in advance, so let''s start now on the issue of feasibility and conduct a debate!" The first is military reform, which we had mentioned in the ''First Five-Year n'' and was dyed due to unexpected factors... Chapter 75: Launch of 2-5 Plan Chapter 75: Launch of 2-5 n After half a month of discussion with "experts" from various industries in Bulgaria, the "Second Five-Year n" finally took shape. The Second Five-Year n focuses on economic construction, with the core of the military, educational, medical, and agricultural sectors. The biggest difference with the First Five-Year n is that the Second Five-Year n focuses on both heavy and light industries; the government will focus on supporting the manufacturing industry. Bulgaria''s Second Five-Year n involves a total of two hundred and eighty-three projects,rge and small. Among the core goals are the following: First, the big railroad n: 3,400 kilometers of new railroads will be built within five years. It will basicallyplete the series of major cities in the country. Second, the Great Highway n: 20,000 kilometers of new roads will be built in five years to ensure that the roads reach every town in the country and connect half of the viges in the country. Third, the big steel n: to be built within five years, with an annual output of 56,000 tons of refined steel and an annual production of 124,000 tons of iron, basically to meet the self-use of Bulgaria. Fourth, the military reform: learn from the German Army to create its own internal staff responsible for the daily life of soldiers and their ideological education (simply put: brainwashing). The Great Reserve Program wasunched, with 60,000 reservists recruited for one year of service each year for the next five years, starting in 1892. The standing army remained unchanged at 65,000, with qualified candidates selected from among the reserves for vacancies. Fifth, agricultural reform: continue to promote mechanized farming, the promotion of new agricultural technology, the expansion of fertilizer production capacity of 200,000 tons, mainly phosphate fertilizer and urea. (Synthetic ammonia has not yet been made, only two simple technology) To organize farmers to build water conservancy projects andplete the goal of drought and flood protection for major grain-producing areas. Sixth, education: In the Second Five-Year n, the government prioritized investment in education to technical colleges and encouraged the graduation of secondary schools for higher education institutions. Seven, medical reform: increase efforts to train medical and nursing personnel by setting up other medical specialty colleges and encouraging veteran physicians to lead apprentices, with the state providing a portion of the subsidy. The government opens training courses and regrly organizes folk doctors to study and improve medical standards. Eighth, the military industry: expand the arsenal, introduce new equipment and technology and increase the production line of heavy artillery. In five years,plete the localization of the army''s weapons. ... Ferdinand is in charge of Bulgaria''s Second Five-Year n, which nominally started in 1893, but it did not start at the same time, and they started many projects earlier. For example, the railroad program did not stop because of thepletion of the First Five-Year n but still kept on working, for which the Second Five-Year n had already started. For them, the Second Five-Year n had already beenunched. As for the military reform, it would also beunched in 1892. But these do not affect the publicity "2-5 n" which started in 1893. Anyway, the people do not care whether it started in advance. They only care about the final result. Besides, the ie is not improved. On February 6, 1892, Ferdinand officially approved the "Second Five-Year n for the Construction of Bulgaria", referred to as the "Second Five-Year n". On the same day, the Ministry of Propaganda officially released the contents of the Second Five-Year n to the public. As soon as the "2-5 n" was released, public opinion erupted, and Bulgarians turned their attention to it, with newspapers selling out. Of course, the focus varies from one industry to another. Railroad workers, for example, focused on the Great Railroad Initiative, which means their livelihoods will be secure again for the next five years. Farmers focus on "agricultural reform". Many of them benefitted from the First Five-Year n, so paying attention to this information is natural. Capitalists are more concerned about the new economic policy whether the government will continue to increase infrastructure investment, which greatly impacts the direction of their future investment. If you were to evaluate Bulgarians in 1892, many would say: "Busy"! That''s right now the whole country of Bulgaria is busy! Once the "Second Five n" isunched, all industries have be busy. Among all the busyness, cover up the hidden crisis. Only Ferdinand knew that now the Bulgarian economy was at risk. Its industrial development, whichcks sufficient industrial raw materials,cks a wide range of markets. The economic crisis will break out once the government stops investing in construction. If it is arge country, you can still take tariffs to protect the market. However, Bulgaria can''t make a market of fewer than four million people to support the industrialization of a country. The alliance with Russia was Ferdinand''s most effective strategy to avoid the crisis. The capitalist world''s fourteenth economic crisis, or the third great economic crisis, had already broken out. In March 1890, the German stock market plummeted, and stock prices declined for more than two years after that. From 1890 to 1891, there were about 15,000 bankruptcies, and the scale of railroad construction shrank by 60%. It coincided with agricultural failures, and the crisis became even more severe. If history does not change, this economic crisis will have to spread worldwide. There are already some hints of it, and the whole body will be affected, and Bulgaria will not be able to do it alone. As it entered 1893, the economic crisis was in full swing. From January to August in the United States, the average market price of industrial stocks fell by nearly half the price index of metals, metal products fell by 44%, and the price index of textiles fell by 26%. However, it is worth mentioning that this economic crisis did not affect Russia so much. Due to its backward industrial development and its ownrge enough market, it passed this crisis smoothly. Of course, while the Bulgarians now know that the economic crisis has broken out, they do not know that it will spread to the Balkans, not to mention that it will affect the situation in the Balkans in the future. Ferdinand did not know this part of history very well. Anyway, he knew that after the economic crisis spread to the Ottoman Empire, a new wave of revolutionary outbreaks, somehow always rted. Ferdinand was ready to start dumping into the Balkan countries once it was certain that the economic crisis would affect Bulgaria. There were even a lot ofpanies from Ennd, France, Germany, Austria, and Russia that were ready to take part. As long as the speed is fast enough, in those days without inte, it makes a time difference to dump the crisis. As for the oue, it does not care. In fact, Bulgaria''s "Second Five-Year n" has already caught the attention of those who are interested. Even though Ferdinand dealt with the military reform on a low profile, they still noticed that at least the army''s expansion was impossible to conceal. Even if it is a reserve, it still causes a lot of anxiety. All Bulgarian folks are talking about it. "I''m afraid there''s going to be a war!" "Eighty percent,e on, let''s guess who is the one to fight?" "This still needs to guess, but of course, it is Serbia. A few years ago, it did not yet settle the score! Surely now the government must take payback!" "I do not think so. A few years ago, Serbia sneaked upon us, and we still beat the crap out of themter. Where do we need to expand our army to fight them! I think it''s mostly the Ottoman Empire. The government is trying to rescue our brothers and sisters in the Macedonian region!" "I don''t think so! It must be Serbia. Osman is not to be messed around at all!" "What are you afraid about them? If you are afraid, don''t join the army and leave the task of fighting Ottomans to me!" "Humph!!! How is this possible!!! I have always looked at Serbia with displeasure. This time, I must fight Serbia, and then I can go get revenge on those bastards!" "Stop!!! It''s not a solution for you guys to be so rowdy. How about we bet? Whoever loses will help the other side..." ... Chapter 76: Various Reactions Chapter 76: Various Reactions The response of the people was depressing to Ferdinand. The Bulgarian public looked like they were eating melons and watching the show. It felt like getting used to it, as if they thought the war was no big deal and didn''t look worried at all. Didn''t they say that themon people hate war? Did I open the wrong way? Howe they all seem to be fist-pumping and nning to have a big fight. It also has to do with the cultural traditions of the Balkans, which, due to its geographical location, has long been a strategic point of struggle for European powers. "War" has been a part of the life of the Balkan poption since the 2nd century BC, when it was ruled by the Roman, Byzantine, Avar, and Ottoman Turkish empires. Later the Huns, Avars, Lombards, Romans, vs, andter the Ottomans all fought for control of the region. The war is ever-present, and because of the long war, the poption''s militancy is nurtured because those who are afraid of war do not survive. The present Balkan region can be described as a mixture of various ethnicities. Pure-blooded peoples are almost non-existent, but the warlike spirit has remained unchanged. Bulgaria mobilized 1.26 million troops for the Great War andsted two years when you think about history. You can see the public''s view of the war. After being upied by the Ottoman oppression for a long time, the Balkan countries emphasized army building after their independence. They are also very careful about the surrounding trend. As soon as Bulgaria expanded its army, it caused turmoil in the neighborhood. The Great Powers are okay but only slightly concerned. A mere Bulgaria is not enough to scare them. The Balkan countries are quite different. Despite the decline of the Ottoman Empire, they still consider themselves great power, and their corrupt governments are busy fighting for power and profit. Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time, Said Halim Pasha, received the news with a chuckle and did not bother to forward it directly to the government. Whether this news eventually reached Abdul Hamid II (reigned 1876-1909) is unknown. Anyway, apart from sending diplomats to express their concern, nothing was done, which was very different from the previous Russian-Bulgarian alliance. Serbia was much more alert, and the young Aleksandar Obrenovi (reigned 1889-1903) expressed strong concern about it. Although not yet in full power, the 16-year-old king was the first to summon his cab. "Gentlemen, what do you think about the expansion of the Bulgarian army?" asked Aleksandar Obrenovi. "It''s obvious that Bulgaria is preparing for war. It''s because probably they have be bolder after the alliance with Russia and are ready to take military action!" said the Minister of the Interior. "Good, I think it''s time for Serbia to make early preparations as well. Bulgaria''s strategic goals are still unclear, and the chances of them targeting us now with the Russians behind them are very high! We should expand our army and prepare for war right now and not allow them to take advantage of it!!!" said Minister of War. "No, I don''t think so! Don''t forget that if Bulgaria wants to expand into Serbia, it also depends on whether Austria-Hungary agrees or not! They had the upper hand in 1886, and once Austria-Hungary stepped in, they didn''t stille up empty-handed, and I don''t think they''re going to do it again now!!! Besides, we are not fiscally rich now and do not have more than enough money for you to squander!!!" countered by the Minister of Finance. "How can this be a squandering of money? How can we defend the country if we don''t expand our army? What if Bulgaria invades us? What will we rely on to defend against it?" The Minister of War asked the counter-question. "Is that so? Is it possible to expand the army? Didn''t you have a full-strength in 1885? How did it turn out that you were still defeated?" The Minister of Finance said with a sneer. "You, this is nder!!! That was our defeat because we fell for the Bulgarians'' trick. There is no way that they would have defeated the heroic Serbian army otherwise!!!" The Minister of War said with a little bit of shame. ... The young Aleksandar Obrenovi, who had little patience and little prestige, watched the noise below and looked dismayed. A sudden stern rebuke: "That''s enough! Only Bulgaria knows who they are targeting! It''s useless for you to argue! What we need to determine now is, what should Serbia do next?" Historically Aleksandar Obrenovi was in power in 1893. Although young, he was a brilliant politician! The Minister of Finance and the Minister of War are arguing for their own benefit. Of course, the bad Serbian finances are the key issue. It will soon turn into a verbal battle between the ministers if it is not stopped. Serbia''s financial problems can be traced back to the War of Independence. However, with the defeat of the war against Bulgaria in 1885, the economy paid another heavy price. The financial crisis worsened to the extent that it has not slowed down until now. Serbia''s annual budget is highly fought over. If it follows Bulgaria''s expansion now, it will surely greatly squeeze other sectors'' budgets. The Minister of Finance was most concerned that Serbia now had a debt of money, including a military expense for the use of troops against Bulgaria in 1885, which was a loan that they had not paid off. This problem can also be traced back to Mn Obrenovi IV. During the period of Serbian independence, to gain Austria-Hungary''s support, political and economic treaties were signed, and Serbia was forced to sell out much of its political and economic sovereignty. Until now, there was no proper industry in Serbia. The national capital failed in the face ofpetition with the Austro-Hungarian capital. It gradually turned to the pro-Russian faction, which is one of the reasons why Serbia turned to the Entente before World War I. The Minister of Finance could not help but oppose, mainly because the government had no money and had no choice but to step forward. He also does not see the fighting ability of the Serbian army. Thest war was so clearly better than the others, and now there is no longer dominant. What else do they need to consider? Anyway, they can not fight, do not just squander money. Aleksandar Obrenovi also knew about the state of the government, but the young and furious king could not tolerate this! "All of you gentlemen, as ministers, you are the elite of Serbia, so I think you all know it very well. Although we can rely on Austria-Hungary now, Bulgaria also has Russia behind it. If war breaks out with two great powers holding each other in check, who can we rely on?" Aleksandar Obrenovi asked rhetorically in a serious tone. "But Your Majesty, the government has no money now! What will we do to expand the army? Rather, how much do we have to expand the army to deal with the Bulgarian threat?? What will it take for the military to guarantee victory?" The Minister of Finance asked with a cold voice. "Bulgaria has expanded by 60,000 men. If we want to maintain our advantage, we need to expand by at least 80,000 men to have the ability to attack!!!" The Minister of War said with a big smile. "This can''t be! It amounts to a 1.2 times expansion of the size of our army already. Combined with the equipment, it''s simply astronomical!!!" The Minister of Finance said in disbelief. Not only did he do so, but other Serbian officials were also stunned. It really needs to be done. It''s unnecessary to spend the rest of the day. The army drains the revenue. Aleksandar Obrenovi is also stunned. He supports the expansion of the army, but the government has no money, and he has no discount! The scale of military spending in the Balkan countries has always been high, and Serbia is one of the top spenders, but it can''t be more than the revenue! The Minister of War seems to know that it seems to be beyond his head, but he can''t hit himself in the face, right? After some thought, he was ready to change the subject and opened his mouth and said, "If you don''t have money, then raise taxes! It is so simple, you can not even think, what is your Ministry of Finance to do?" The Minister of Finance rolled his eyes in anger and looked at the Minister of War twice without saying anything. It seems to say again that you think this is a child ying house and say to raise taxes. The capitalists are not happy! The others did not react much, but Aleksandar Obrenovi got interested and began calcting how much taxes would have to be raised to cover the military expenses! It should not be surprising that historically Aleksandar Obrenovi was not a carefree person and did not do many absurd things. In 1900, he also married a widow 10 years older than him, Draga Main, a maid of honor, which caused the dismissal of the entire cab and was rejected by the European nobility. What is even more bizarre is that in 1903, Aleksandar Obrenovi actually suspended the Constitution for a few hours to enable him to carry out illegal acts. Compared to these, tax increases are child''s y. Aleksandar Obrenovi seemed to realize that this kind of thing was beyond his ability to do and opened his mouth to ask: "How much would the Ministry of Finance calcte to raise taxes in order to solve the financial crisis?" ... As Serbia was still discussing how much to raise taxes and how they should be levied, the Romanian government had a much easier time. Carol I had a secret alliance with Germany and Austria in 1883, and Bulgaria was worried for a while about the alliance with Russia. However, after being assured by Germany and Austria-Hungary, they were relieved. Carol I had excellent military skills, and hemanded the army that won the Battle of Pleven in the Tenth Russo-Turkish War. He had always been fond of the army. When he heard that Bulgaria had expanded its army, Carol I did not intend tog behind and followed the expansion of 60,000 troops. Although Romania was much richer than Serbia, the military expenses would be enough despite the financial pressure. If not for Carol I''s limited political skills and his excessive raids on the country, which were not popr, the conflicts intensified in 1888, when a peasant uprising broke out in Romania, hurting the country''s vitality, it would have been Ferdinand''s headache now. It is logical that the reaction of these neighbors is normal. There is no hurry for Greece, which does not share a border with Bulgaria now. But Gergios I was so politically sensitive that he thought that Bulgaria''s next target was the Ottoman Empire, so Greece should also prepare for war in advance. Despite the opposition of the ministers, he forced through the expansion bill. The one who was only more than two million Greek, after the expansion, actually had 110,000nd forces and 40,000 naval forces. The Greek government, of course, does not have so much money, but it is fine to borrow. Gergios I took over the throne, and the British gave him the Ionian Inds as a gift, but of course, the British were not that generous. Queen Victoria''s second son, Prince Alfred, was made King of Greece. Only the London Conference of 1832 excluded Britain, Russia, and France from having their own royal family as King of Greece, and George I took up the mantle. In the second half of the neenth century, Greece beganying railroads and opening the Corinth Canal. The government became bankrupt, and Prime Minister Trikoupis was forced to dere the country bankrupt. In 1898, Britain, France, Austria, Germany, and Russia formed the International Financial Commission to monitor Greece''s financial revenues and expenditures. As a result, the financial power fell into the hands of the Great Powers. That is why now, in order to borrow more for the expansion of the army, it does not matter. It is a big deal to go bankrupt early. The Greeks are used to debt, which is also known as a strong tradition. As for the future Kingdom of Montenegro, ignore him! It is still a small country with a poption of less than 400,000. It s really not enough to expand the army and prepare for war, but he still expanded the army to 15,000 people. Ferdinand was almost happy to see the reaction of the Balkan countries. The arms race was on! The economic crisis spread to the Balkans in a few months, and there will be fun to see. Chapter 77: Army Expansion - Assassination Case Chapter 77: Army Expansion - Assassination Case As soon as Bulgaria announced the expansion of the army, the recruiting offices were filled with people. Even the streets were lined with full lines of applicants, and the people rushed to join the army. In fact, all of the above is the official Bulgarian propaganda. The recruitment offices are indeed all full of people, and the lines do go out into the street. It is difficult to say whether the poption is eager to join the army or not. Because Bulgaria has a mandatory military service system, every draft has toe. Bulgaria''s finances were not that rich either. Even though they had grown considerablypared to the previous year, with revenues of 130 million Lev in 1891, there was no money left over from the "Second Five-Year n", which was a gold-digging beast. Although he recruited 60,000 soldiers this time, the budget for weapons and equipment was not much. Ferdinand intends to wait for the military reform, then change on arge scale, to give recruits the weapons that are obsolete just after. Since the fall of Stambolov''s cab, Ferdinand has kept away from making major moves against the army in order to maintain stability. Simply use the Royal Guard to train his people, quietly keep a reserve of talent, and at most use the subtle ways ofmunication between officers to influence the army. Since the Army almost doubled in size at once, a massive personnel transfer certainly made sense. He then promoted many people in the Bulgarian Army, and the old cliques were torn apart suddenly. Even if someone wants to oppose, it can not stop his men from being promoted! The former position of the army is very much, and naturally, it can only take the promotion outside. The close associate of Ferdinand, who has been nurtured for a long time, also took the chance to be ced inside. It is just the start. Afterpleting the adjustment of the middle and lower officers, Ferdinand, who knows the value of the ''gun'', made another move and formed the Bulgarian Military Council in charge of army training and foreign wars and made a collective promotion of the top officers. Theing of a single powerbination of Ferdinand removed the army''s former high officials from the front line. Nominally, the status of these officials was raised, and they were only responsible to the monarch, and the cab became a parallel body. Sava Mutkurov was in a bad mood recently. He was afraid to stand up for Ferdinand when he faced Ferdinand''s offer and did not stand up for him at first. However, he chose to support Ferdinand in the end, who knew that the Stambolov government was finished so quickly that he did not y much of a role. After the formation of the new government, Sava Mutkurov was still used again for the sake of stability and was eventually promoted to the post of Minister of War, which was a perfect ce to start. But Sava Mutkurov is not that sharp in his political thinking. He did a stupid thing not long ago, ''against military reform''! Well, nothing happened. The Military Council formed by Ferdinand has a lot of authority that oveps with that of the Minister of War. What is more crucial is that Sava Mutkurov is now only an ordinary member of the Military Council and does not serve as its chairman. In hindsight, Sava Mutkurov also knows that he was left on his own. The members of the Military Council are all big shots in the Bulgarian military. Who will listen to him now that everyone has the same authority? This reform brought many unhappy people like Sava Mutkurov, but there was nothing to do butin about themselves! As for the coup, their influence in the military has been weakened to the lowest point. This time, almost all officers above thepany level have been reced. Besides, Ferdinand did not kill all. Not all of them have been "promoted" is it? Some people are unhappy, some people are happy, Stefan Toshev is now very happy. Due to Ferdinand''s erged Royal Guard''s butterfly effect, he joined it. With his superior ability, he was promoted to captain a year ago. He has now caught up with the good times and became themander of the 8th Division of the new Bulgarian Army. There are many other examples like this. After the reform of Ferdinand''s military system and the main post, there were two deputies as reserve officers. Moreover, in time for the great expansion of the army, the demand for officers is several times more than the original. If one cannot be promoted under this situation, there is indeed a problem. Of course, Ferdinand did not have the energy to concern himself with such trifles now that an important historical event had broken out - the assassination of Crown Prince Niki in Japan! Ferdinand was not concerned when he thought that the attack would not happen after Niki stayed in Bulgaria for a short time and he postponed his visit to Japan. He did not expect that Niki II would travel to Japan more than a monthter than in history. However, the unlucky boy did not escape the knife. He can only say that the ability of the little Japanese to harm is really great. Luckily, the assassination of the Crown Prince of Russia has not seeded. Otherwise, it would immediately go to war with Russia! The Sino-Japanese War has not yet broken out. There is nopensation from the Qing Dynasty to achieve great development. Japan is still a poor guy at this time against the Russian Empire at their peak. If you think about it, you will know the end. No matter how Ferdinand wished, the news all over the world blew up anyway. Political assassination has always been taboo. The Japanese dared to assassinate the Crown Prince of Russia. No matter the rtionship with the government is, it is impossible to get away with it. Bulgaria is an ally of Russia. Of course, Ferdinand, who was not a fan of Japan in his previous life, will take advantage of the situation. As a matter of fact, he told the domestic media that they were always trying to create a false g. He also told Hoover to guide Russian public opinion. He created a theory that they would be traitors if they didn''t attack Japan. At this moment, anyway, it''s not easy to do so. It''s politically correct to avenge Crown Prince Niki. Everyone is cursing the Japanese, and it''s not a problem if someone curses harder! And that''s not all. Ferdinand sent a fake telegram to express his concern. By the way, he also asked: when are you going to beat up the Japanese? Do you need any help? It is clear that Ferdinand is looking for something to provoke. May Russia now war against Japan? If the one in power is not Alexander III, that is really hard to say! It is clear that Alexander III did not intend to go to war because if not, Russia would have made preparations. Crown Prince Niki in Japan, now really very angry that he was simply out to travel around. He was not well received in any country, but the assassins came out when he arrived in Japan! Now, they are re-sending a few officials over to apologize, and that''s the end of it? No matter what, the assassins in the crowd are a failure of their security, and they must be held responsible. Even if they apologize, the Emperor himself muste! After checking his injuries from the hospital, Niki didn''t care about any diplomatic protocols and went straight back home, not caring about how the Japanese felt now. Crown Prince Niki, who had just left Japan, received Ferdinand''s telegram, and his anger, which he had suppressed, came up again. He tore up the telegram and cursed: You think I don''t want to go to war? I want to beat him up right now, but I can''t say it! After some time, the British began to mediate. Ferdinand felt that it seemed too cheap to let Japan pass. A bright idea came into his mind again, and he immediately sent another telegram to Crown Prince Niki. This time Niki''s mood is much better. Ferdinand''s idea this time is much more reliable. That''s right. It''s to get the Japanese government to pay for it! It''s not too much to ask forpensation for your injuries. You are at least the Crown Prince of the Russian Empire, and you must havepensation worthy of your status! It makes sense everywhere. Even if the Japanese government has reached an agreement with Russia with the help of British mediation, it does not negate Niki''s right to im. This time, the Japanese were very quick to express their willingness topensate in the newspapers publicly. Ferdinand said, "huh" on the aside, what is worthy of the status ofpensation? Ferdinand gave a proposal of 100 million Pounds. No matter how much the Japanese can give, at least this figure makes Niki happy! It is a good ass-kissing by Ferdinand, which also means that the Japanese government is in trouble. Because no matter how much they give behind will not satisfy Niki, 100 million pounds will note out! Chapter 78: The Temporary Economic Policy Chapter 78: The Temporary Economic Policy The future Niki II and the Japanese things are rotten. It was out of Ferdinand''s hands, and he lit a fire and left it behind. Thanks to Ferdinand''s early warning of the economic crisis, the Bulgarian government has assigned people to monitor the financial markets. There are now economists who have sensed the crisis. Ferdinand did not expect the economic crisis to spread to Bulgaria so quickly. ording to economists'' expectations, the crisis should have spread to the Balkans by the end of 1892. However, he prepared the previous response n in line with the outbreak of economic crisis at the end of this year, which Ferdinand could not ignore. Ferdinand can only choose to listen to the experts as a financial novice. As for other traversers relying on the economic crisis to make a fortune, Ferdinand said: I did not dare to die without the main character aura. The end of the 19th century was a haven for monopolism. Large and small business groups controlled the economies of all of Europe. If you want to make a big ssh in the stock market, people can modify the rules in a minute and tell you to lose a lot of money. Of course, there is no big action and a lot of small actions. Ferdinand is also a member of the rule maker, from which a share of the pie is still possible. The most faithful Karl, this time, took on the heavy duties to go to the first outbreak of the crisis in Germany. Making money in Ferdinand is not good enough, but the bottom of this simple, using cabbage prices to buy bankruptpanies, this kind of work can be done without technical content! With the harvest, Ferdinand has not had the energy to care and now has to deal with the economic crisis in Bulgaria. The Royal Pce in Sofia, the Bulgarian government, is now gathered together. Each one of them is frowned upon by the "economic crisis" and what a terrible word. Chekhov, in particr, had just returned from abroad as a diplomatic representative. He had seen the tragic situation in Germany during the economic crisis, with tens of thousands of factories going bankrupt, nearly ten million unemployed people, and human tragedies taking ce every day. Ferdinand is one of the calmest. He knows that Britain and France, with vast colonies, are not seriously damaged by this economic crisis. Russia''s industrial underdevelopment itself did not start an economic crisis. It means that this economic crisis is not global. The crisis in the Balkans, then, is mainly influenced by Germany. "Gentlemen, brace yourselves for the economic crisis. Let''s listen to expert Rehn''s opinion first!" Ferdinand said with a clear mind. Rehm Holman, an Austrian, one of the leading Austro-Hungarian economists, was poached by Ferdinand at great expense. It was he who asserted this time that the economic crisis had spread to Bulgaria. When Ferdinand had just said, Rehn Holmann was not polite and spoke directly: "This economic crisis, initially caused by Germany, mainly because the capitalists blindly invest in railroads. They built many regional railroads ovepping, which exceeded the market demand, and the German railroad bubble exploded in 1890. It caused the stock market to plummet. Since then, stock prices have continued to fall, and manypanies have gone bankrupt, which coincided with a poor food harvest, fueling the crisis. After the outbreak of the economic crisis, Germanpanies are desperate to find markets abroad in order to survive. Now there are signs that they have their eyes on Bulgaria! But this is a bit strange. Normally, a region like the Balkans should be thest choice with its backward economy and limited market!" Having said that, Rehn Holmann still had a puzzled one, having been amazed at the behaviour of the German capitalists. But Chekhov''s face is now sour, so this crisis is also rted to his visit. At that time, Germany was in an economic crisis, and they sold many industrial products in shame. The delegation, of course, was buying, and it was clear that the delegation''s big purchases had attracted the attention of German capitalists. Now that it has happened, it''s toote to regret it. Ferdinand saw that the crowd''s expression was a bit weird and said, "Well, things have happened with a bitter smile. And our strategic purpose has been achieved. It''s better to think of ways to deal with the next crisis now!" "Mr Rehn, I would like to know what the worst oue would be if the economic crisis is in full swing." Rehn Holmann thought about it and said, "Your Highness, Germany is a big industrial country. If we don''t take measures, the domestic manufacturing industry will face brutalpetition. Moreover, the financial markets affect each other, and this crisis will certainly spread to other countries as well. The worst thing we may face is dumping from big countries." Rehn did not say the results, but everyone understands the analysis of the situation. This time, Bulgaria''s manufacturing industry will suffer from bad luck. "So what can we do now? Is the government going to pay for a bailout?" Prime Minister Konstantin asked in an unsure voice. "Issue a warning of the economic crisis and tell capitalists to prepare to reduce production, but prohibit cutting jobs without too much! Suppose a business operation wants to reduce its workforce. In that case, the business must first file for bankruptcy, and all shareholders of the business are prohibited from engaging in the industry in the future!" Ferdinand said coldly. The crowd sucked in a breath of cold air. It''s to cut the flesh of the capitalists. However, this is the best way at the moment. It can be the most effective way to maintain social stability. The Bulgarian government would likely dare to do so. If it were any other country, the capitalists would have made a scene. In fact, Konstantin also wondered why Bulgaria''s big capitalists are very disciplined. They have always cooperated with thews introduced by the government and never resisted. Basically, the crimes aremitted by small capitalists. In other cases, the capitalists are profit-oriented, not a different kind of thing. They couldn''t figure it out. They could only put it down to the people being pure and simple, having a strong patriotism and knowing the bigger picture. Only Ferdinand knows that it is all his vest. Of course, he will note out and sing against himself. "Your Highness, besides that, can''t we also adopt economic and financial controls to limit the outflow of funds!" Konstantin took Ferdinand''s words. "Yes! Also, we can start some government projects early to absorb the unemployed! Also, during the economic crisis, we can try to see if we can poach a group of engineers from abroad." Ferdinand said after thinking about it. ... In the course of just a few hours of debate, the Bulgarian government then came up with a set of temporary economic policies ready to beunched. Ferdinand, in the end, still has some of his own sense. Although many of the measures are copied from the future, it is still unsure if it will work now, so he opened his mouth and asked, "Mr Rehn, you are an economic expert. How feasible do you think our strategy is?" After listening to the discussion of the crowd, Rehn Holmann has been stunned. The courage to think of these measures, did the Bulgarian capitalists have changed to vegetarian? Hearing Ferdinand''s question, he hesitated for a moment before deciding to respond and then cautioned with great modesty, "Your Highness, these measures are all theoretically feasible. However, they seriously damage the interests of the capitalists, which I am afraid will cause trouble!" Ferdinand smiled and said, "If it works, it works! The Bulgarian capitalists are so qualified that they will take care of the big picture! Our government will also have to exin in the newspapers. I believe they will understand!" Rehn Holmann was a bit stunned when he heard Ferdinand''s exnation. Was the Knyaz so naive as to believe that capitalists would sacrifice their own interests for the sake of the greater good? However, it is not possible to find a way to stop it. Otherwise, if the word gets out and people know that he was involved in this, he will not ruin my reputation for a lifetime. Then again, the eyes of hope will be cast to the cab, as a result of the crowd is a look of approval. The Bulgarian government has gone crazy. Or is the quality of the Bulgarian capitalists so high? Chapter 79: Economic Crisis Outbreak Chapter 79: Economic Crisis Outbreak The economic crisis was already on the horizon. Ferdinand knew that all the Balkan countries were simr and so powerless in the face of the dumping of the Great Powers. As for the tariff barriers, this thing is really a good cure for the countries with abundant resources and huge markets. However, this is a full dose of arsenic for small Balkan countries in the 19th century. In Bulgaria, for example, arge part of the raw materials for industry need to be imported forrge amounts of foreign ie or agricultural exports, which rely heavily on international markets. Bulgaria is still good, at least in Ferdinand''s efforts toy some industrial base. The biggest capitalist is still Ferdinand himself, followed by the Bulgarian government, which has a chance of not breaking the ground. The previous food safetyw has now be, in turn, a tool to stabilize the market. The domestic food industry is now stable, as the food sold worldwide, at least, is basically unusable for sale on the market. In the case of Greece and Serbia, the debt is high. Their sovereignty of the country has long been almost mortgaged. The domestic national capitalist ss, which has not yet developed, is helpless in the face of the economic crisis. In the context of history, Ferdinand could not help but guess in bad faith: "Germany''s allies in the Balkans, who had almost all jumped back in Great War, were afraid that they were being exploited badly in this economic crisis!" The first thing that Ferdinand, who was prepared for this, did was to de-stock, and all of itspanies began to clear their own goods. Whether it is three or seven, first these goods are converted into a new logo, which he prepared in advance for the British, French, German, Russian, and Austrian enterprises, and then shipped to the Balkan countries. Ferdinand now could not care less about profits. It is always important to liquidate first. In an economic crisis, cash is always king. While on the eve of the economic crisis, Ferdinand cedrge quantities of goods on the Ottoman, Romanian, Serbian and Greek markets for each country. The international capitalists had now begun to dump into the Balkans. It was clear that Ferdinand''s sudden blow had exceeded the market''s capacity. Then in May 1892, the economic crisis broke out in the Balkans. Since Ferdinand was prepared for this, and since he was the biggest retailer, the foreign goods were cheaper, but he had to prioritize his own! Of course, it is not to mention the government. Basically, the industry of Ferdinand has a monopoly on purchases in order to protect the local industry, but also to keep using it! The key is that Bulgaria''srge enterprises are not listedpanies, and the Bulgarian stock market, is shut down because of too much recession. If the guy wants to snip it, he can''t do it! The media, led by the Bulgarian daily, are promoting the use of national products at their own expense to the public. It also directly linked employment to the use of national goods. They instilled in everyone that if they all used foreign goods, domesticpanies would go bankrupt, and everyone would have to lose their jobs. The radical point is chanting: if you don''t use national products, you are a traitor to your nation''s interests. In addition, in recent years, the government introducedborws led by Ferdinand''spanies. Since the quality of Bulgarian capitalists has been forced to improve, everyone is doing well. That''s why foreign goods, led by Germany, do not sell well, despite their good quality and low price. It can''t be forced if the people don''t buy it! The capitalists can only be forced to shift their attention to other ces. As the market in Bulgaria is only thatrge, it is not a big loss to give up. After that, the Ottoman Empire became the biggest victim. No way called him thergest pieces. Of course, a country with a marketrger than all the small Balkan countriesbined is the first target. First, it attacked the financial markets. The stock market is wailing. Next, it struck the real sector. Luckily, the Ottoman industry is backward. Otherwise, this time, it is not likely to y the game. It was followed by small countries such as Greece, Serbia, and Romania, which were directly plowed aside by foreign capital, leaving a mess. If you think this is the end of the story after the withdrawal of foreign capital, on the contrary, it has just begun. It directly destroyed the infant industries of the Balkan countries. It created arge number of unemployed people. The government revenues fell sharply, and domestic conflicts began to flourish. Historically, the economic crisis only reached the Balkans in 1893, when it was nearing its end and did not cause as much damage. Even so, the Balkan countries were wounded. For the next ten years or so, the countries were busy dealing with internal conflicts and regained their strength. As in how can foreign countries, Ferdinand now has no time to care. However, Bulgaria, the least damaged country in the economic crisis, is also in pain. The economic crisis broke out in the Balkans at the same time. It hit Bulgaria''s exports hard, orders plummeted, and the winter hase forpanies involved in making exports. Even if there is still a Russian market, these small capitalists are not within reach. The Ministry of Industry estimates that if the economic crisis ends at the end of 1892, Bulgarian businesses will be reduced by a fifth. If the economic crisissted until the end of 1893, it would reduce the number of Bulgarian businesses by half. It is pleasant to note that most of these closed businesses are family-owned workshops, small in scale, and have poor management. Even if they upy half of the number, the total economic volume is less than five percent. ording to the Ministry of Finance estimates, Bulgaria''s revenues in the second half of 1892,pared to the same period of the previous year, were to be reduced by a third. It also meant that in 1892 Bulgaria would face a serious fiscal deficit. The "Second Five-Year n" had already started, and all the government''s previous loans and the proceeds of the raids were invested, but it was not enough. The original Bulgarian revenues have grown rapidly and will barelye together in the next few years when all revenues are considered. Now that the economic crisis has broken out, foreign exports are sluggish and fiscal revenues have fallen sharply. The next few years are going to face a fiscal crisis. More critically, the "Second Five-Year n" can not stop now. Once stopped, the country will have to gain many unemployed people who will be a blow to the recovering Bulgaria. But now Ferdinand is painful and happy. On the one hand, the Bulgarian state has suffered heavy losses and is facing a financial crisis, causing him, the Knyaz, a headache. On the other hand, he has made a big profit from this economic crisis. It is not a problem to mention the stock market but also followed by some of the food scraps. However, the times of the stock market are very profitable. He acquired a group of potential businesses whose specific value is difficult to calcte. Ferdinand was worried about Bulgaria''s finances. Franz hurried over and suggested: "Your Highness, we can set up a bank in Bulgaria. After the outbreak of this economic crisis, there was a cash run on the Winston Bank in Hungary. The risk of having other banks is just too great. Moreover, it is convenient to have your own bank for foreign exchange." Ferdinand''s eyes lit up. How could he have forgotten such an important thing? There is no decent bank in Bulgaria now, except for the Bulgarian National Bank. Most of the financial business is still being done by foreign banks. If one does not step on it, how can one afford the identity of the traversers? Chapter 80: Lifetime Events Chapter 80: Lifetime Events Is it difficult to open a bank? There is no doubt that it is indeed difficult. In addition to capital, it requires arge number of financial talents to start a bank. But for Ferdinand, it is all very simple. Many banks have gone bankrupt in the economic crisis. It is not a problem to poach people or acquire a small bank for restructuring. The creation of a bank, that is, can facilitate their own use but also solve the financial crisis in Bulgaria. he can manipte the major problem in the future behind the scenes in loans to the government. It is, by the way, a big profit. The more Ferdinand thought about it, it got a little better, but soon Alice broke his good mood. He did not want to face a big woman but had to face hase. His mother, Princess Clmentine, had "fled" from Vienna. Since Ferdinand became Knyaz of Bulgaria, Princess Clmentine still lived mainly in Vienna and had much less contact with each other. Just because they only see each other a few times a year doesn''t mean that Ferdinand can ignore Princess Clmentine. In fact, Ferdinand still respects Princess Clmentine and basically won''t fight against her. But there is one thing exception, is the major life issues. He met many nobledies in Vienna before, but Ferdinand was not interested. Of course, he was not very old at that time. It also used European nobles to marryte, and he was not under much pressure. Later, after bing a Knyaz of Bulgaria, his marriage was not easy, involving political impact. It was then dyed, with Princess Clmentine not less worried about the matter and ended up giving Ferdinand a few, all of which he pushed away with a political misfit. This time, Princess Clmentine hase over. Ferdinand is already weak, secretly thinking: Why not justpromise and find a random one to cope with it? I do not need to toss and turn. Anyway, this position has been destined not to escape from the political marriage. I do not expect to find any love. After a moment of deep thought, seeing Franz still there, Ferdinand organized his thoughts. Now he was not in the mood to deal with official business and said, "Mr. Franz, I''ll leave the bank to you. Whether it''s an acquisition or a new one, it''s best to finish it within the year!" "Yes, Your Highness, I will get it done as soon as possible!" Franz said calmly. Ferdinand has nodded his head. Franz''s ability does not need to be doubted. After following him after these years of training, his potential has been boosted. He is definitely the top talent in this era. There is also loyalty that he can assure. It has passed Ferdinand''s test. With a family that has followed the Kohry family for a living, the chance of betrayal is almost zero. Ferdinand is grateful that he was born into arge family. Both in terms of connections or talent pool, there is enough of a legacy. If he really started with nothing, he would have to worry about his survival now. Time rushed by, and Princess Clmentine had entered Bulgaria. However, there was no rush to seek Ferdinand''s bad luck. Bulgaria is God''s backyard, and the roses are in full bloom right now, with beautiful flowers. Princess Clmentine admired the scenery all the way along. It was clear that she was in a good mood and did not seem to be in any hurry at all, totally unlike the urgency in the telegram. It would have been less than a day''s journey by train to Sofia after entering Bulgaria. However, Princess Clmentine took five days to get there. When he saw Princess Clmentine''s act, Ferdinand knew that there was trouble. This time it was mostly impossible to avoid it. Now he only hoped that the nobledy was not too scary this time. In fact, since Ferdinand seeded as Knyaz of Bulgaria, Princess Clmentine was rarely asked about his affairs, except for his marriage. It seems that when Princess Clmentinees over every time, it''s all about this. Basically, the more pleased she is, the moreid back she goes. She has gone through seven or eight times worse before and after and still enjoys it. From the way Princess Clmentine acted, Ferdinand had already confirmed which kingdom''s princess it was again. If it was just the daughter ofmon noblemen, it usually starts with a telegram with a stack of information and then rushes over as soon as Ferdinand refuses. It seems that the more Princess Clmentine grows older, the more she has the look of a child. Now it looks as that teasing Ferdinand has be a joy in her life. This time is no less than Princess Clmentine quietly entered the pce and stopped the attendant who wanted to report the news and suddenly showed up in front of Ferdinand. Ferdinand, who was dealing with his official business, was taken aback. However, before Ferdinand could say anything, Princess Clmentine said: "Ferdinand, why don''t youe to wee me? I''vee all the way from Vienna to see you, and you actually..." A group of horses is already running wild in Ferdinand''s heart. Is it really good to sow pity on your son like this? Is it possible that her thinking will be unusual when a woman gets older and enters menopause? I didn''t hear of such a state of menopause in the past life! However, Ferdinand admitted that he was an orphan in his previous life and really didn''t pay much attention to this aspect. He said, "How could it be? You are my most respected mother, how could I not wee you?" "Really? That''s great! By the way, I forgot to ask, how many mothers do you have in total?" Princess Clmentine said seriously. Ferdinand was stunned and confused. There is this kind of work? As if satisfied with Ferdinand''s behavior, Princess Clmentineughed out loud: "Ha ha ha ha ha ~ ~" and bent her back, and only after half a second said: "Did you know that Ferdinand? Your reaction just now is too funny, just like when you were a child!" Ferdinand is now in tears when he looks around the maids who wanted tough and did not dare tough. He lost a lot of faces this time. It seems that Princess Clmentine had had enough fun and left Ferdinand alone. By the way, she handed him an invitation to St. Petersburg to attend the ball of Grand Duchess Xenia. Ferdinand was slow to react, but he also knew what was happening. Under normal circumstances, who would go thousands of miles away to invite someone to the ball? The 19th century is not the 21st century. From Bulgaria to St. Petersburg by ne will take a few hours to arrive. It''s time to go by carriage and train for half a month! Ferdinand was clear that this time it was not his turn to refuse. His mother, Princess Clmentine, was probably ready, and as thest known party, he could only ept. Ferdinand looked up in his memory. The first time he saw the grand duchess, she still looked like a cute little girl, about ten years ago. Grand Duchess Xenia has written very little in history. A big fan of history like Ferdinand has no knowledge of her at all, except that she was the daughter of Aleksandr III. Chapter 81: Austro-Hungarian Bank Chapter 81: Austro-Hungarian Bank This sudden marriage was not expected but made sense. In Europe, noble marriages are based on the proper family and ce great value on lineage. In this way, the range of options is already very small. If political factors are taken into ount, the choice will be even more limited. History shows that Ferdinand''s original owner would not have waited until 1893 to marry Princess Maria Luisa of Bourbon-Parma, daughter of Duke Roberto I of Parma and Princess Maria Pia of the Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Grand Duchess Xenia was married to her cousin, Grand Duke Alexander, in 1894, in order not to destroy the noble lineage. (There is also a not very reliable theory that Alexander III was already sick and dying at that time, so he married his daughter in a hurry!) This world is no different and Ferdinand''s lifetime event is still on hold. Even though Princess Clmentine also made a lot of efforts before, in the end, they all gave up. They cannot throw the honor of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Kohry family away. Ferdinand''s marriage is a personal matter and involves the family''s honor. There is no proper candidate for it, and many of the great nobles of Europe havee to this. It''s not that they don''t want to get married earlier. The problem is that the range of options is too small. It is where lineage is a bigger factor than politics. They found a simr case with Grand Duchess Xenia. In history, due to the poor diplomatic rtions between Bulgaria and Russia at the time, the two were naturally not in the picture. After Ferdinand traversed, the butterfly effect under the two countries improved rtions with each other. There wereplex ties between European aristocrats. Almost all of the major nobles were united by marriage. For example, Ferdinand''s cousin Edward VII''s wife and Alexander III''s wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna, were sisters by marriage. And that''s not all. Anyway, the marriages between European aristocrats were a mess. Ferdinand also knew his mother, Princess Clmentine, the French princess and Empress Maria Feodorovna were also cousins. They were on good terms with each other and then logically hooked up. (I am sorry to say that the author does not know how to figure out how to calcte the three or four kinds of different answers that are less, more than push a few generations to get a dozen answers also.) The two sides are well-matched, and they are now allies in politics. Under normal conditions, they are only waiting for Ferdinand''s trip to St. Petersburg to be settled. However, these are not yet urgent. Ferdinand will have to go now to solve the domestic problems. There is still a lot of trouble in Bulgaria. It sparked the economic crisis in advance, and the government is dealing with the measures in ce to weaken the damage, but the aftermath is still not missing. In contrast to the case of the Balkan countries, Ferdinand was still grateful. Bulgaria was a Russian sphere of influence until 1886 when the Russian capital held a strong ce. But then, during the period of Stambolov''s government, when Russian-Bulgarian rtions broke down and even broke off their diplomatic ties, they began to attract massive the British, Austro-Hungarian and German capital. They began to suppress Russian capital like crazy, and by the time of Ferdinand, it was no longer the same. It is too much to apply this to Bulgaria. A small Bulgaria can not afford to attract the prying eyes of the big capitalists and a few bank offices plus a bunch of buyers. Ferdinand has long taken out the buyer through the knife. Well, there''s still the leaky ones who are busy getting over the case! It is a pity that Bulgaria is now a legalized society. Unless one can prove that one was wrongly used, there is no way to reverse the case. Since the day Ferdinand has dered the dismissal, except for the dead, the truly vindicated the rest of the real ones is rare. As for the return of assets, could you show me the proof? The ounts of the family that they took at the time were destroyed in an ident long ago. Except for a few estates sent back, the rest of the assets are going to the Stambolov government to prove it! Do you want to make aeback without money? Do you really think that the upstart capitalists who Ferdinand beat up are not capable of handling a few fish? However, the banks are getting nasty. Previous governments have pledged a lot of sovereign loans one after another. Now that the economic crisis has broken out, the major banks are scaling back their funds to cope with the possible run outbreak in their home countries. However, if Ferdinand did not take the chance to drop all the stones, it would be a waste of time to traverse. The great powers have always been the object of the work of the intelligence services of the many points. It is now a turn for Hoover to perform. Ferdinand always believed in ''You have to taste the food one bite at a time! Due to geopolitics, the Bulgarian financial capital is currently led by Britain and Austria. Russia followed it (forgive them. With Russia''s poor financial status, it would be nice to keep their influence. Their own family is still short of money?), Germany has just entered not long ago. During Stambolov''s government, Bulgaria''s customs duties were mortgaged to the British, and mineral resources were mostly mortgaged to Austria-Hungary. This multiple-choice problem is easy to do and persistent to find the weak ones to pinch. The British Empire''s financial system is now not shaken by a small economic crisis. In contrast, the Austro-Hungarian financial system is much worse. There are not enough colonies to release the flood. The key is too closely linked to the German economy, which is more affected by the economic crisis. This time, the target is much smaller, just a bank - the Austro-Hungarian Bank. It is clear from the name that this bank is not simple. Austro-Hungarian Bank was the predecessor to the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, founded in 1816 and converted to Austro-Hungarian Bank in 1878. (Make no mistake, it is still a privately owned bank; it became an Austrian state-owned bank only after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary.) In a secret room in Vienna, Hoover called a meeting of several heads of intelligence, which could also be described as a set of tasks. "Your mission this time is simple: to spread the news that the Austro-Hungarian Bank is going bankrupt. Here is the information, there is truth and lies, just announce it as if it were true!" said Hoover. ... They soon published in a Viennese street newspaper that the Austro-Hungarian Bank had offered a loan of 50 million Kroner to the Serbian government three months earlier, and the news was true! However, followed by the editor''s bold theory: Serbia is about to go bankrupt in the economic crisis, and they may not return this loan! It caused uproar in Vienna at once. Fifty million Kroner was not a small sum. It was close to the annual customs revenue of Hungary. People are talking about the Austro-Hungarian Bank is going to be in big trouble. Such a huge sum of money is enough to break its reputation. However, this did not raise the concern of the top management of the Austro-Hungarian Bank at once. It is true that nominally they issued a loan of 50 million Kroner. Such a good deal of money could not be eaten by the Austro-Hungarian Bank alone. In fact, they granted the loan together with forming a consortium of banks. And the loan at that time was first deducted with interest and then paid out as a batch. Only half of it has been issued now. With arge portion of this money, which in turn was used by Serbia to purchase weapons and equipment in Austria-Hungary, the funds have been partially returned. There is not much cash that has been given out. Chapter 82: Rumors Chapter 82: Rumors Even if it loses money, this loan is also within the range that the Austro-Hungarian Bank can bear. Moreover, Serbia is also given a mortgage, the chance of losing money is very low. They also covered it in the newspapers before. It caused the citizens of Vienna to exim that the bank was so damn rich. As for the small details of the Austro-Hungarian Banks Group and the Austro-Hungarian Bank, few people paid enough notice. This time, Hoover''s writing style is very sessful, blurring the concept slightly. Add to the economic crisis that broke out, with all kinds of gossip all over the ce, if they did not believe, the world would end. It''s just the beginning. This piece of uncertain news alone will not shake people''s trust in Austro-Hungarian Bank. A few dayster, another tabloid in Vienna published another news. The Greek government had lost so much after the economic outbreak that they have faced a bankruptcy crisis. They would not pay another loan from the Austro-Hungarian Bank back, which is possible. The amount of the loan this time is not that big. The sum of all pieces adds up to just over 20 million Kroner. But this time, the problem is obviously much more serious. The Greek government is really on the verge of bankruptcy. (The Greek government was almost bankrupt in history but was pulled out by the Great Powers. They couldn''t dere bankruptcy until 1898.) Austro-Hungarian bank top management is now meeting to discuss whether to bail out the Greek government or not. In fact, this issue does not need to be addressed. They must also save it for political and economic reasons. The current Greek government and German-Austrian rtions are still very close. It is also the case that even if Austria-Hungary does not participate, other Great Powers will step in. At the end of the 19th century,rge international financial loans were tied to politics. The Austro-Hungarian Bank was no less different. The Austro-Hungarian Bank is now mainly discussing what to get next? How to help the Greek government to survive? They should know that the Greek government can be pledged nearly all the assets. The reason why the financial bankruptcy in 1898 is because there were no more assets. This time, the Austro-Hungarian Bank reacted much more clearly. Governor Fidos immediately held a press conference to dispel the rumors and announced the principle of unity among the Great Powers. The five European rivals will step in to intervene. They can assure everyone not to listen to rumors that the Greek government will not go bankrupt. The most crucial thing is that the loan from the Austro-Hungarian Bank will not go down the drain. The news was truly lifting. There was a bacsh against Austro-Hungarian Bank shares, which had been falling since the start of the economic crisis. Fidos is in a good mood. Frankly speaking, the Austro-Hungarian Bank is doing very well under his helm. However, the economic crisis has broken out, and all industries have been hit. Austro-Hungarian Bank is no better. The stock price started to fall all the time, and he was under a lot of pressure. Now that it has finally recovered, does this mean that this crisis ising to an end? But Hoover didn''t let his good moodst long. The Viennese daily newspaper published another piece of bad news: there was another problem in the Ottoman Empire! In fact, it was not a big deal. At the end of the 19th century, the Ottoman Empire was peaceful for a few days, so what was a mere peasant uprising? This time, even if more people are involved, it will be quickly suppressed! Besides, the House of Habsburg and the Ottomans are also old rivals for hundreds of years. The impact on Austria-Hungary is really not great. Well, the Austro-Hungarian Bank was hit again this time. In the chaos, a few employees were harmed by mistake. They lost some properties at the same time. A few tens of thousands of kroner is not worth mentioning. But rumors are powerful. Hoover quickly magnified the amount several hundred times and published it in a street tabloid. However, the rumor quickly spread out of concern for the Ottoman Empire. It was then followed up by the Viennese newspapers, in which intelligence officers brought up the tempo for once firmly. The people began to specte how much the Austro-Hungarian Bank had lost this time! There are all sorts of rumors, from a few million to tens of millions. Some newspapers have even boldly guessed that the Austro-Hungarian Bank lost hundreds of millions in order to gain publicity. However, only an idiot would believe such a guess of a few hundred million dors. Governor Fidos called a press conference at once and announced the losses in an attempt to appease people. He publicly admitted that the Austro-Hungarian Bank was in trouble in Ottoman, but the loss was only 80,000 kroner. This time it''s a trick, and the citizens of Vienna are saying: I''d be a fool to believe it! Who knows, the Austro-Hungarian Bank, to show strength, gives people the feeling of wealth. As per the ordinary people''s idea, it is normal for the Austro-Hungarian Bank in the Ottoman Empire to having ten to eight million. How can one to eighty thousand be lost if someone is being robbed and killed? If Fidos knew what the people were thinking, he would have sent them spittle. The Austro-Hungarian Bank is very rich, but not so rich as to put ten or eight million in a branch, nearly as much as in the Vienna headquarters! The people don''t care so much and think it''s logical! The Austro-Hungarian Bank must have lost a lot of money. Why else would they hide the losses? The more people think about it, the scarier it gets. At this point, the intelligence officers started to bring the trend again. Vienna Street. Lardy was an ordinary intelligence officer under Ferdinand. Of course, he didn''t know who he was working and for whom. For this part-time job, he is still very satisfied. He usually works as usual and sometimes has to spread a few messages to get good pay, easy and simple and no danger. As for who the employer is, he doesn''t bother to care. Anyway, it only needs to use your mouth. You can make money. The top also has special training to reduce the risk of being exposed. It''s okay to spread the news and generally just say it''s just spection. In his opinion, it''s all toomon who would pay attention to a small man like him. And so far, judging from the tasks he received, Lardy thinks it is the capitalists in the dogfight, to which he is happy. "Hey, Karl, have you made a deposit at the Austro-Hungarian Bank?" A middle-aged man in his forties, slightly obese, approached. Lardy took the initiative to go over and say hello. "Of course, Lardy! You know the bad economic times, the small banks may go bankrupt! The Austro-Hungarian Bank has always had a good reputation. The interest rate is lower, but the security is assured!" Karl said with a smile. "Oh my God! Haven''t you seen the news? Austro-Hungarian Bank''s foreign investments have failed one after another and are about to go bankrupt!" said Lardy, acting surprised. "How is this possible? The Austro-Hungarian Bank is a big and powerful bank all over the world. How could it go bankrupt?" Karl said in disbelief. "How do I know if it''s broke or not? Anyway, the Austro-Hungarian Bank recently lost a lot of money, the newspapers reported. You do not know the current situation in the country. There are factories closing down every now and then, who knows how many bad debts the Austro-Hungarian Bank has on hand. even arge family business cannot afford to be tossed around like this!" Lardy said lightly. "What you say is also true! The economy is indeed in the bad shape now. The machine shop where that boy Boro used to stay has gone bankrupt. I heard that he still owes the bank arge sum of money! Look at it this way, do I have to quickly take out the money to be a little more secure?" Karl said with some doubt. "I suggest you take it out! It''s better to lose some interest than to lose all your money. Who knows if the Austro-Hungarian Bank can survive this time? These are tens of millions of losses!" Lardy said as he kept on raising the stakes. "Well, I''m thinking about it!" said Karl with a pained face. ... The same thing happened more than once on the streets of Vienna. Many fooled people went to their friends and rtives for advice, thus affecting more people without being aware of it. The rumors grew stronger, and the crisis of bank run broke out. Chapter 83: Bank Run Chapter 83: Bank Run As soon as these runs urred, they hit Vienna and spread in all directions. The stock market reacted at once, and the share price of the Austro-Hungarian Bank began to fall wildly. This time Fidos was anxious. There is no bank that is not afraid of bank runs, at least not in an economic crisis. At once, a shareholders'' meeting was held to ask for help from the major shareholders behind the scenes. Fidos'' decision was correct. The shareholders behind the Austro-Hungarian Bank were all-powerful people in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As soon as these major figures acted, the Austro-Hungarian government stepped in to dispel the rumors and bail out the Austro-Hungarian Bank. Fidos took another loan from other peers for cash in case of an emergency. At the same time, he also used his connections to lobby the good media to start a public opinion campaign in an attempt to reverse the negative impact. The Austro-Hungarian Bank would have survived the crisis by now if no one had interfered with it. But Hoover will certainly not stop. Ferdinand aims to make the Austro-Hungarian Bank suffer greatly, or better yet, go bankrupt outright. The biggest problem of the Austro-Hungarian Bank now is "trust". If they let the public spread the bad news of the Austro-Hungarian Bank, they can save no one under the mouth of gold. At the end of the 19th century, government control over public opinion was minimal, and the media had a great deal of freedom. Hoover still choose the old way - bring along the trend. For example,st month, the textile factory of Tivoli went bankrupt and owed a loan to the Austro-Hungarian Bank, which became a bad debt. Another half month ago, Karsten''s metal factory went bankrupt and owed a loan to the Austro-Hungarian Bank, which was another bad debt, etc. Bad debts are reported to be a small problem. How can you open a bank without bad debts? It also doesn''t say the specific amount. All of them use "huge loan" to use it, and how much is this "huge" depends on the brain of the masses. For an ordinary person, a loan of 10,000 kroner was a vast amount. Even a million kroner loan would be even more. It could be any amount, and the general public is guessing what they think is a valid figure. The more people think about it, the more they think there is something wrong with the Austro-Hungarian Bank. It has always had bad debtstely, and these are only the ones made public. There is still no telling how many there are in the dark. No, the Austro-Hungarian Bank is likely to be in danger. We need to take out the money quickly! The crisis of bank runs has grown. The current public opinion in Vienna is oddly guided, with most of the major mainstream media calling for calm and backing up the Austro-Hungarian Bank. However, other street tabloids report on the Austro-Hungarian Bank''s bad debts while ying off each other. On the whole, the public policy of Fidos was effective. The Austro-Hungarian Bank slowly reversed the negative impact on public opinion, but the number of people who withdrew money increased. Vickers must not know that there is a kind of "hype" in the future. It is not needed to produce evidence to make everyone believe. As long as some people doubt it, it can achieve its purpose. The war of words media with the subject of the Austro-Hungarian banking crisis has now been in the heat. For the general public, it isn''t easy to discern what is true from what is false. Many people chose to withdraw their money early from the Austro-Hungarian Bank for safety. It reinforced this resolve to see the crowds in line, affecting many more people. Fidos now panic for a full-blown run on the Austro-Hungarian Bank. Currently, there are millions of cash being withdrawn every day, and the number is still rising. Even some major customers are watching. Once these people join in, then the Austro-Hungarian Bank is really finished. Fidos decided to make a radical effort to turn public opinion around. He knows very well the bullshit nature of newspapers. No matter how they report, it''s all about one word: money. There might be newspapers that really exist for the sake of justice and fairness, but they are not worth it before money. The Austro-Hungarian Bank has stepped up its mary efforts, but Hoover will not sit still either. Ferdinand''s intelligencework in Vienna was the first one to start doing its job. Its power is certainly not what it appears to look like it. It was not long before Hoover had evidence that the Austro-Hungarian Bank had bought the newspaper. A picture of a deal between Austro-Hungarian Bank and a newspaper for money was boldly published on the front page of the next day. There is also a small photo with one bullet below the photo, and the editors'' ferventmentary that justice will not yield before money and that justice will not yield to bullets... will be bound to expose the vile tactics of the Austro-Hungarian Bank. With pictures, this time caused a muchrger reaction. The people of Austria-Hungary are angry and have joined in the criticism of the Austro-Hungarian Bank. Some depositors did not hesitate to withdraw their money at once. Now it''s toote for Fidos to do anything. The people have decided that there is something wrong with the Austro-Hungarian Bank. Why else would they pay off the newspapers, and why would they threaten people. Fidos is now in tears. He did indeed spend money to buy this, which ismon to buy public opinion in the usual way, but only to do a little too much for himself. However, this garbage tactic of sending bullets has really nothing to do with him. It is not easy to deal with a street tabloid, so is it worth ming someone? However, any possible reason is now futile. Other than their own controlled newspapers, other Viennese media no longer dare to speak for them. It really affects their credibility too much. Fidos did not break. In fact, there is no need to think of other ways now. To respond to the crisis of the run is the right way. As a qualified banker, Fidos knew that getting through this difficult time was all about one word, money. The first order of business was to do everything possible to raise money. But herees another piece of bad news, the Wissenschaft Bank is bankrupt! "The storm ising." Although the Wissenschaft Bank is not as good as the Austro-Hungarian Bank, but it can also be ranked in the top ten of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and such arge bank is thus finished. On the eve of the financial crisis, Wissenschaft Bank was too ambitious to expand its financial sector, and then the step was too big and painful. It caught up with the financial crisis and couldn''t hold on, so the shareholders simply gave up. It quietly transferred some of its high-quality assets and then suddenly dered bankruptcy. It dealt another hard blow to the shaken Austro-Hungarian Bank. The Austro-Hungarian financial sector is now in a state of panic. The bank run is starting to spread. The people seem to have lost trust in the banks and have taken to the streets in long lines. The Austro-Hungarian government couldn''t sit still either. On the one hand, it announced to fund the bailout while asking for help from the German financial sector. Bankers have also begun to save themselves. Fidos was the first to dere a freeze on lending. He then started a tearful sale, selling off the assets of Austro-Hungarian Bank to deal with the credit crisis. Ferdinand, who was far away in Bulgaria, received the news and knew it was almost time to close the. The economic crisis caused this financial crisis in Austria-Hungary. It led to ack of trust in the banks by the people. It was triggered suddenly by Hoover, who had the chance to benefit from the problem. Once the Austro-Hungarian government reacted and joined the bailout, this crisis will nearly be over, and again Germany is not likely to watch the financial copse of Austria-Hungary. Germany and Austria''s economic ties are very tight. Unless they feel that Germany''s economic crisis is not big enough this time, they must save Austria-Hungary. Chapter 84: Acquisitions Chapter 84: Acquisitions Since the Austro-Hungarian Bank is selling off in tears, Ferdinand has been nning for so long. How can he not take full advantage of the crisis? At the behest of Ferdinand, Franz made an offer to the Austro-Hungarian Bank to acquire the Bulgarian branch. It is not surprising that Fidos only hesitated for a few minutes before he decided to - sell. All to this time, first to save their interests at stake. Whether it will reduce the influence of Austria-Hungary in Bulgaria or not to offend the Austro-Hungarian government does not matter so much now. The situation has now exceeded Ferdinand''s most optimistic guess. It is totally great, and many of his highly coveted industries in Austria-Hungary are now at hand. This economic crisis can be a great deal for those bankers to eat and choke. Of course, it is not clear now. In the economic crisis, many assets have been devalued. Once it returns to normal, the situation will change. Now that the financial crisis has broken out, the Austro-Hungarian Bank began a tearful sale, while other banks are not much better. At the time of life and death, it is crucial to know whether it is a loss or before it is toote to get rid of the situation. Raise funds first, get rid of the financial crisis, keep the bank''s core industry, and then talk about future prospects. All know that they can sell the less good price more often this time. However, there is no way to the bank before that long waiting queue of people who want the money back! The prudent and cautious Ferdinand knows the "gun to the head of the bird"1). For the purpose of this to be a public target, the wares of those under them have been out. No matter so much, buy down the quality assets first. Later on, they can make a serious profit even if they operate themselves or sell them. Now the Austro-Hungarian Bank was short of cash, and after Fidos signed it for approval, Franz''s deal went very smoothly and was finalized in just under three days. The Bulgarian branch of the Austro-Hungarian Bank was valued at 1.5 billion Leva by Austro-Hungarian Bank itself, while Franz''s appraisal was only 50 million Leva. He also offers only 50 million and refuses to make a counter-offer. This condition is already too much, but now the Austro-Hungarian Bank cannot afford to dy. Moreover, outside the Bulgarian branch, there are long lines of withdrawals, and the branch''s stock of funds can only support two days at most. We can''t me Ferdinand for being vile. If you don''t use tricks in this era, you''re a fool. If not for fear of pushing the Austro-Hungarian Bank as the other side will directly sell the branch to other powers, the 50 million from Ferdinand will not be out. He will now let the other side bankrupt in the run. After a day of fruitless talks, the head of the Bulgarian branch of the Austro-Hungarian Bank directly reported the situation to Fidos. Ferdinand is not the only one who took profit from the fire. The assets of the Austro-Hungarian Bank in many ces are already valued. No matter how good the usual ties are, at this moment, they can murder one without giving him any mercy. Fidos also does not know how often he smashed things in the past few days. His office has been changed several times. He gritted his teeth firmly and raised hell in his heart for Ferdinand''s whole family and even his ancestors, and finally decided to sell in bad faith. It''s not that Fidos couldn''t find a buyer, both German and British banks were interested in the asset. However, the Bulgarian branch of the Austro-Hungarian Bank could not hold out. In order to ensure that the acquisition could proceed smoothly, it also caught several other Bulgarian branches of foreign banks in a major or minor bank run, and no one dared to act rashly. Without a doubt, who else but Ferdinand could have dared to do something so bold and reckless in Bulgaria? Once they ran the Austro-Hungarian Bank in Bulgaria into bankruptcy, there is no doubt that the Bulgarian government will let it go straight into bankruptcy and liquidation. Austro-Hungarian Bank is afraid that they will lose all their money. If before, Fidos can still use the Austro-Hungarian Empire to pressure Bulgaria not to dare to act rashly. However, after the Russian-Bulgarian alliance, all this has changed. With the bad rtionship between Austria-Hungary and Russia, what else is needed to say? Which is now with the international situation, Ferdinand has paid the money to buy it by rule. If it is set aside in twenty years, when the two blocs have opposed each other, he can directly devour it. It is good to say that the next, the Austro-Hungarian Bank in Bulgaria, is well known to Ferdinand. Once he signed the contract, Ferdinand quickly paid the money and sent people to take over the assets of the Austro-Hungarian Bank in Bulgaria. In fact, Ferdinand started raising funds toplete the acquisition long before the economic crisis. It was a vast sum of money at the time, 50 million Leva and 20 million pounds. Even after Ferdinand traversed, he tried to make money without affecting the other industries, but only half of it. If there''s no money, of course, there s a loan. What Ferdinand has is coteral. The ability to repay is also clear for all to see, making it a proper quality customer. Then Ferdinand began to loan, loan, loan, before and after from the major European banks for more than twenty million pounds. It is clear that Ferdinand is nning to y a big one, which is also Austro-Hungarian Bank. I wonder if Fidos will be angry when he knows this news. For this reason, Ferdinand now has to pay back more than one million and two hundred thousand pounds a year in interest. However, this business is still a hefty profit. The transfer of debts from the Austro-Hungarian Bank to the Bulgarian government alone is enough to recover the cost. Before that, the Bulgarian government owed the Austro-Hungarian Bank a total of more than 58 million Leva in loans. The annual interest to be paid was more than four million Leva or about one million and eighty thousand pounds. Ferdinand had an additional ie of nearly 600,000 pounds a year with the turn of a hand. There is no need to mention the other assets of the Austro-Hungarian Bank in Bulgaria, which add up to absurd amounts. In fact, the previous estimate of one point five hundred million Leva proposed by the Austro-Hungarian Bank is not without basis. Besides the government loan, it also holds more than half of the minerals in the whole of Bulgaria. Although Bulgaria is poor in mineral resources, it does not add up to a small figure. Looking at the list of statistics, Ferdinandmented, "It''s true that it''s quicker to get rich by taking profit from the fire! The Austro-Hungarian Bank is also really powerful. Such arge loan was actually taken by them alone. They deserve to be unlucky. It is only a matter of time before problems arise with such arge overseas investment!" If Fidos knew what Ferdinand was thinking, he would have cried foul. The Austro-Hungarian Bank has been running very well. Whether this bastard of yours does not target it, it wille to bloody lousy luck! After this vast acquisition waspleted, Ferdinand, who had a good sense of fun in every minute of his life, made another decision to establish the Royal Bulgarian Bank. The Bulgarian branch of Austria-Hungary, which had just been acquired, was merged into it. The old and strong Butler Karl, who had been expected to be the first president, was appointed. However, Ferdinand''s habit of having a vest had started again. The bank that he ordered Franz to build had be a new one and was named the Bulgarian Construction Bank. Trantor: 1) A Chinese word that means to behave in a way that is not too revealing, or else one is prone to incur a disaster. It is a metaphor for the person who shows his true feelings easily to suffer from any blow. Chapter 85: Conflict in Serbia Chapter 85: Conflict in Serbia "One ant-hole may cause the copse of a thousand-li dyke!"1) During the economic crisis from 1890 to 1893, a shady deal was hatched against the Austro-Hungarian banks under Ferdinand''s butterfly effect, which led to the Austro-Hungarian financial crisis. History has begun to change. The United States and Germany, which had the most to lose in this economic crisis, are now joined by an unlucky Austro-Hungarian Empire. The future path of the world has be vague. Well, the economic crisis is now brewing in the United States and has not yet broken out in general. What happened was that the Austro-Hungarian financial crisis broke out and shook all of Europe. Now the status of the British Empire''s hegemony is still solid. The conflicts between the Great Powers have not yet escted; the two major military blocs have not yet been formally created. For the sake of goodwill and themon progress of human society, international capital has lent a helping hand to help Austria-Hungary out of the economic crisis. Of course, the noble capitalists gave so much for the Austro-Hungarian Empire that it would not be worthwhile to reap a little trivial profit. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was still very strong. At that time, it was ranked with Great Britain, France, Germany, and Russia as one of the five traditional powers in Europe; at the same time, it was also one of the five Great Powers of the world. Its territory was the thirdrgest in Europe at that time, after the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Its poption was slightly smaller than that of Russia and the German Empire, and it was the thirdrgest in Europe. In the field of heavy industry, the strength of the machinery and instrument manufacturing industry and the steel and arms industry ranked fourth in the world, after Germany, Britain, and the United States. The heavy artillery weapons produced by the koda before Great War ranked first in the world. In the field of agriculture, the variety of agricultural products and the abundance of production have surpassed Russia and ranked the highest in all of Europe. With such arge fortune, the Austro-Hungarian financial system was still struggling to persist. It waited for an international friend like Ferdinand toe to the rescue. The first to suffer from this financial crisis was the Balkans. The Austro-Hungarian Empire cannot take care of itself. Naturally, they can not afford to watch out for their little ones. Since the Austro-Hungarian Bank had announced that it would stop granting loans, other financial entities have followed suit. The small Balkan countries that are still waiting for money to get through the economic crisis are in trouble. The economic crisis has not yet passed, and the financial crisis hase back. The first to bear the brunt of the economic crisis was Serbia. As the little brother of Austria-Hungary, when the economic crisis broke out, it was in trouble. Austria-Hungary''s loan is just to be taken out to get rid of the crisis, and now suddenly said that it is gone. The 16-year-old Aleksandar was angry. He didn''t want to be cheated. He signed the contract, they granted half of the loan, and suddenly it was gone. So, the flowers and nts in the pce were ruined and trampled all over by Aleksandar. It only was after he had vented enough that an emergency meeting was held. ... "Austria-Hungary has suddenly stopped our loans. What do you think we should do now?" Aleksandar Obrenovi said bitterly. "We want to protest to Austria-Hungary with the harshest words possible. It is total neglect for us in Serbia!" The Foreign Minister said with an angry face. "Austria-Hungary has suddenly suffered an economic crisis and is now taking care of itself; it will not be useful to protest! We have been abandoned, and now I''m afraid we have to find our own way out!" The Minister of Finance said with a mixed reaction. "How much money does the government have left now?" Aleksandar asked in a stern voice. "A total of 213,218 dinars. These are not enough to cover the government''s expenses for a month!" said the Minister of Finance after thinking about it. "So what''s the solution now from you, the Ministry of Finance?" Aleksandar asked hopefully. "In the short term, we can only cut expenses. All government officials will not be paid half of their sries from now on. The army will suspend its expansion and cut military spending by two-thirds, plus the tax burden behind it. During this time, we will seek external loans!" The finance minister said with a clear mind. "No, I oppose it!" The Minister of War shouted. "Oh, what is the high opinion of our Minister of War?" The Minister of Finance said with a scornful sweep. "Humph! Now that the financial crisis is serious, it is eptable to suspend the expansion of the army. However, on what grounds do you cut the military expenditure by two-thirds? Aren''t you afraid that the army will mutiny?" The Minister of War angrily asked. After hearing the ''mutiny'', the finance minister''s face changed slightly, then quickly returned to normal and said with a sneer, "''Mutiny'', are you threatening me? We are in a financial crisis. We should be in the same boat to ovee the difficulties together. Can''t the army make sacrifices for the country?" "And with the current number of troops, our Ministry of Finance has precisely calcted that even with a two-thirds cut in military spending, there''s still barely enough to pay the soldiers! What makes them want to mutiny? Could it be that someone ~~" At this point, the Minister of Finance''s voice stopped, and he looked at the Minister of War with a strange deadly gaze, as if to find out what was going on. "Don''t you dare spout lies! Doesn''t the army need training? Doesn''t the equipment need to be updated? You idiot!" The Minister of War, who was a little bit furious by the strange gaze of the Minister of Finance, cursed angrily. "Stupid! There are things of priority! Don''t you know how to find an excuse to train soldiers with low cost? Wouldn''t a few days of equipment renewal be enough?" The Minister of Finance said scornfully. "You ~ you ~ ~" the Minister of War was so angry that he could not speak. The Minister of Finance had just shown a triumphant smile when Aleksandar spoke up, "Enough of this bickering! Now that Serbia is in a crisis, you have to take the big picture into serious focus and stop arguing about everything!" "Humph!" The Minister of War gave a cold snort of disapproval. Although he did not explicitly say so, he also knew that Alexander, who had always advocated the expansion of the army, now had an attitude that was clearly more inclined to the Minister of Finance, which made him very unhappy. The Minister of War now wants to ask the people: What do you think the army is? Do you think you can cut military spending whenever you want? Finally, he gave up. He knew it was useless to say anything now. Even if he broke his lips, the government has no money can not change the oue. ... "Blessings do note in pairs, cmities nevere singly!"2) Just as the meeting was about to end, an urgent phone call came with the bad news: "The peasants in the Kraljevo region are rioting"! Herees the curse of blind tax increases! After the outbreak of the economic crisis, the prices of agricultural products in the Serbian region fell sharply due to the dumping of international capital. The ie of the peasants decreased, but the taxes increased. Unable to cope with the burden, the angry peasants of the Kraljevo region decided to resist the taxes! Next, there was a violent conflict with the tax collector of the Kraljevo region. After that, the peasants rioted for no reason. When he received this sudden news, Aleksandar''smented, "Ah, God, have you abandoned Serbia?" For the riot, no doubt, must be suppressed! The cab quickly reached an agreement to send troops to suppress it at once. When the storm rose in Serbia took ce, the wolf began to fight. Trantor: 1) A metaphor from Lao Tzu that means slight negligence may lead to great disaster. 2) A metaphor from Ming - Shi Nai''an "The Complete Biography of Shuihu" Chapter 37. It means that fortunate things will note in a row, but misfortunes wille one after another. Chapter 86: Impact of the Balkans Chapter 86: Impact of the Balkans By contrast, another bad brother - Greece, is now much better. Although the Austro-Hungarian Bank suddenly stopped lending, it was also affected. However, it does not matter. There are more of its creditors so that they can deal with the problems. Ferdinand had to say "impressed" to the Greek government under George I! A country with a poption of about two million people has an army of 150,000 people. It also includes the navy of more or less another 40,000 ''gold swallowing beasts''1), which is simply much better than any other. With such a great deal of poverty and militarism, it is logical to say that the country should have been in a state of chaos. However, Greece did not. Although also affected by the economic crisis, there was some minor chaos, but the country is overall stable. It is entirely thanks to a unique Greek technique, the word "borrow"! George I''s political level is solid. As soon as the economic crisis broke out, a cab meeting was held at once to think of ways to deal with the crisis that might break out next. "The economic crisis has broken out. What is the strategy of your cab?" George I asked expectantly. "Your Majesty, this economic crisis in Greece is caused by external reasons! I''m afraid we can''t get out of the crisis by ourselves! Now we only have funds from the government to buy food and provide relief to the unemployed. When the world economic crisis is over, all will return to normal!" Prime Minister Trikoupis said with great certainty. George I nodded, and he wisely did not object to the government''s passive measures. If one were to talk about the Balkan countries, Greece would undoubtedly be the most influenced by the Great Powers. Starting from the independence from the Ottoman Empire''s rule, it was all done by the Great Powers. It included the first King Otto I in 1832 and now George I, who was chosen by the Great Powers. The country''s sovereignty, long ago, has almost fallen. It is a fool''s errand to rely on government policies to restrict international capital. George I did not dare to challenge the Great Powers. Greece did not have the strength to challenge the Great Powers. After thinking about it, George I said, "It''s not enough, we stillck emergency funds in our hands! You have to strengthen the contact with the banks of various countries and try to get them to grant some of the loans in advance, just in case!" ... Since the Greek government had prepared in advance, when the Austro-Hungarian Bank stopped issuing loans, the government still had a sum of money in hand and could slowly begin to work with other banks. In the end, it was the wealthy British owner who won and was quick to take over the Austro-Hungarian bank''s im. Well, just another two cents of your interest... minor deal! In contrast, next door, Carol I still lives a perfect life in Romania. The "Pearl of the ck Sea" is not just a figure of speech. The ck Sea''s vast areas and rich mineral resources are desirable even to Russia. Well, Russia is dying for too much, so let''s leave it at that! Anyway, this rich home base provides strong support for the growth of the Romanian industry. Since his session, Carol I encouraged industry development with no major results, though. However, small and medium-sized factories have sprung up and look alive. Like other Balkan countries, Romania was heavily influenced by the Great Powers. The fragile Romanian economy was hit hard by the wave of an economic crisis that erupted with its shearing. After the Austro-Hungarian financial crisis outbreak, they drew money from abroad all around, and Romania was no less. However, before the outbreak of this economic crisis, Germany''s agriculture failed to harvest. Under the alliance concluded with Germany and Austria by Carol I in 1883, Romania also made a profit. It went well for Romania then, except that the financial crisis worsened. Carol I raised taxes on the peasants again to raise money for the military. When looking at the news from the neighboring countries that werepiled, Ferdinand breathed a deep sigh of relief. It was lucky that everyone was unlucky together. There are times when people are like this. They are down on their luck, and when they see others worse off, they rejoice, and Ferdinand is no less. From the data collected, all Balkans countries have been affected by this economic crisis and suffered heavy losses without exception. Bulgaria has made earlier preparations. Domestic capital is dominated by state-owned capital. The government has strongly restricted the domestic capitalists from taking profit from the fire. They started the "Second Five-Year n" to absorb the unemployed people in society and take the lead to get rid of the economic crisis. The Greek government has survived the crisis with loans. The government has helped calm the crisis by providing relief to the unemployed. Romania is fertile and rich in goods. Although it has suffered heavy industrial losses, it has survived the crisis by exploiting the peasantry. The country is still shady, although it could erupt violently. It goes without saying that the Serbian economy has lost a lot of money. Under Ferdinand''s butterfly effect, a small-scale civil war has now actually broken out. Well, Ferdinand admitted that this uprising had his hand in pushing it. As for the future Kingdom of Montenegro in Montenegro, please ignore it. A small country with a poption of less than half a million and almost zero industry is not yet worthy of Ferdinand''s attention. It should not be strange that there is no analysis of the Ottoman Empire. It is not that Ferdinand does not pay attention. The point is that now the Ottoman is a mess with their domestic bureaucrats are busy fighting for power and profit. They have not yet figured out the specifics of the domestic situation themselves, which is bad anyway. With regard to the Ottoman, Ferdinand is also happy to do so. With the memory of his past life, he also knows that the Ottoman Empire''s ethnic conflict is an unsolved problem. All it takes is a spark to trigger. If not, forgive Ferdinand''s guts. He would not have turned his sights on this giant. In order to deal with the Balkans, which might face the next changes, Ferdinand again convened a cab meeting. "Gentlemen, since the outbreak of the economic crisis, we have passed the most difficult moment! But the next problemes again. After the outbreak of the Austro-Hungarian financial crisis and the weakening of control over the Balkans, other Great Powers will surely find a chance to take profit. There is a strong chance of a major diplomatic change in the Balkans in the future! What should we do next in Bulgaria? How can we be invincible in this change, and even gain greater benefits?" Ferdinand said seriously. It was a big deal. Ferdinand doesn''t think that Bulgaria''s alliance with Russia will leave them in peace. Ferdinand didn''t mind tearing up the treaty at any time if there was something more at stake, which of course, was the same for Russia. The meeting room became silent. Although all the Bulgarian elites are sitting here, everyone is losing on this issue. In the long-term strategicyout, except for Ferdinand, Bulgaria now really does not have that kind of long-term vision of the strategist. Seeing that the scene had fallen into an awkward moment, Chekhov said stiffly, "Your Highness, the current status of the Balkans is a mess. The interests of Britain, France, Germany, Russia and Austria are intertwined. It is really hard to see the future course." Ferdinand nodded calmly. He knew that it was not that his men were not acting. It really was that they were confused by the Great Powers that be and did not know what to do. Konstantin knew it was time for his own opinion, the newly appointed prime minister. Everyone else could do without it, but it had to be there as prime minister. The mind is nervous to say... 1) Gold swallowing beasts refers to the great amount of money that someone spends on their army (beast) as if the military swallowed their leader''s money into their own. For example, by buying ammunition for army to train, the army swallowed the bullet, which is not the same as swallowing money. Chapter 87: Election Preparation Chapter 87: Election Preparation Time is passing quickly, and it is October. Due to the economic crisis, the dyed Bulgarian general elections are about to begin. In fact, since the beginning of 1892, the tension of the Bulgarian elections began to heat up. The political parties, which had been quiet for several years, began to sharpen their fists and prepare for the big fight. Despite the mood in Bulgaria, which has be in discord with political parties, it still does not dampen their interest in political involvement. However, the sudden economic crisis disrupted all this. Nobody cares about the election when everyone is so busy with themselves! It was awkward because it was hard to apply for the venue and set up the stage, but there was no audience! One should know that the Bulgarian government now regtes public opinion. However, it is much tougher than before, and the newspaper is liable for the content of the news. The political money that prevails in other countries, and the usual spending campaigns, do not work in Bulgaria now. In order to contain the collusion between political parties and capitalists, Ferdinand issued a clearw that political money was equal to bribery. Moreover, the fine is quite severe. Once found, police will confiscate all illegal profits. They will strip that person in question of his political rights for life. He will be tried in court ording to the amount. With small hands, the Bulgarian capitalists have no guts to challenge the government. Many have tried to force Ferdinand''s hand to step down, and the result is a lesson in patriotism. Nowadays, political parties in Bulgaria can be summed up in one word, "poor". They are not poor in any sense of the word. There is no ie other than the ie from party fees. It is why political parties are now yed by the rich. Ordinary civilians cannot afford to pay even the most basic party fees. There is a fault line in Bulgaria''s political parties. Newspapers now have a hard time. Since Ferdinand came to power, newspapers have been liable for the truth or falsity of news about the country''s affairs. In this case, who dares casually involved in politics and has to pay for y once involved. Might as well focus on entertainment news? Although there are not so many entertainment stars these days, poets, writers, and so on are also popping up, so they can hype them up! Now, except for a few newspapers that the government has absorbed, most of the others have reformed. Some have started serializing novels, some have begun serializingics, and some have created magazines to promote heartwarming stories. Instead, it has promoted the development of Bulgarian culture. For this type of media, Ferdinand''s stance is clear. That is, he strongly favors. In addition to low taxes for the main issues, the Ministry of Culture awards and promotes their spread to foreign countries. ... In order to fully cope with the economic crisis, Ferdinand firmly announced the dys in the general election. Now that the economic crisis has ended, the public is again turning their focus to the general election. After all, it is a parliamentary election. It is difficult not to be lively when it collides with the cab election! And this time, personal status to run for election is not limited. Ferdinand revised the electionw. First, the candidates must have Bulgarian citizenship and be at least thirty years old. Second, they must have no criminal record and no major moral problems, have a secondary school education or higher. Third, they must be physically and mentally healthy. Fourth, they must love their country and have made their own contributions to Bulgaria. Fifth, they must have lived in the country for twenty consecutive years before running for office. Originally Ferdinand also nned to engage in thirty-five weeks but, taking into ount the age of the interim cab members, given up decisively. He cannot hit their own face! The requirements for voters have also changed: long-time residents with Bulgarian citizenship; no criminal record, no major moral problems; education above elementary school level, love for Bulgaria, having contributed to the country; between thirty and sixty-five years of age and mentally fit. Ferdinand knows that young people are the most easily fooled. And from time to time, it is easy to be impulsive. What if someone takes advantage of it? To know the Great War can not be far away. It is still middle-aged people are more reliable to weigh the pros and cons. Moreover, Ferdinand ced special emphasis on contribution and imed the equality of rights and duties. He added patriotism and a moral requirement, all in limiting the growth of party power. Likewise, to show the progressive side of democracy, Ferdinand also opened up the right to vote for women for the first time, even though it was difficult to have female voters in Bulgaria at that time. But in the 19th century, it was a great feat to rify the equal political status of men and women inw. Ferdinand thus tossed a turnover down as a third of the Bulgarian voters and fewer people meet the criteria to run for office. At the time, there were some twists and turns, not least over the issue of women''s suffrage. But with Ferdinand''s strong advocacy, it passed without a hitch. The granting of the right to vote to women was a major event in Europe and the United States. Bulgaria, which is known as a conservative country, was at the forefront of the feminist liberation movement in the world. Ferdinand became a "friend of women" and was supported by the feminists of his time. He gained arge number of female fans and was honored by the International Council of Women, although he did not receive the award. Just after the economic crisis, Sofia is still alive with hype. However, people are much less eager about the election than they were in the early part of the year. After all, it is the capital city, and the people are far keener on politics than other regions. Nowadays, it is impossible to go out without saying three words about the election. ... Bosco is the owner of a shoe store in Sofia. He employs two shoemakers and three apprentices, so he is barely a capitalist! Of course, Bosco never thought so. It is because Bosco was also a shoemaker and was very good at it. Whenever a special guest came to his door, he had to do it himself. In this case, an old friend came over and chatted with each other for a few minutes. They couldn''t help but pull up to the big move. "Lora, which party do you think will win this election?" Knowing that he always cares about politics, Bosco asked with a grin. "Bosco, I hope they all can''t win this time!" Lora said in a low tone. "Why? Haven''t you always supported the Democratic Party?" Bosco asked in great surprise. "That was once upon a time, but the economic crisis made me realize that they can''t make it! You know what? After the economic crisis, I asked them for help, and those guys who usually boast about it said it''s thew of the market. The government shouldn''t interfere and let the market adjust freely! God, those idiots, I was about to go bankrupt, and they wanted me to wait for the market to regte! In a fit of rage, I flipped out with them!" Lora said with an angry face. "Oh! I''m going to buy you a drink to celebrate you getting rid of those idiots!" Bosco said with a smile. "That''s right, it''s time to celebrate! I should have seen it a long time ago! Apart from shouting a couple of slogans, they just go around cheating on food and drinks under the banner of ''freedom''!" Lora said with some sorrow. "Oh, God save you! Got rid of a big problem!" Bosco said with a smile. Chapter 88: General Election 1 Chapter 88: General Election 1 "Yes, God is blessing me! By the way, have you heard? The situation abroad is not very good now. A friend of mine who is engaged in international trade has be bankrupt this time!" said Lora. "Yes! You know, I don''t care much about foreign countries. Yesterday''s paper even said that they again put out the rebellions in Serbia. They were too useless. They were finished so quickly. The situation should be starting to improve now. I haven''t heard of any country in chaos again!" Bosco said, smiling. "Oh, my friend, is war the only thing in your eyes anymore? Is something as big as an economic crisis not even a problem?" Lora said with slight concern. "Isn''t the economic crisis over? Did their government not take measures? Didn''t they pull through, like we did, as the government intervened, even though everyone suffered some losses?" Bosco said sadly. Lora pped her forehead with her hand and said in a dull voice, "Oh, God! How do I know you a bad luck!" "Do you think that every country''s government is the same? Or are the capitalists in every country as moral as we Bulgarians are?" "You know, we have big capitalists in the country. Before the government introduced the bill that prohibitspanies fromying off employees in the economic crisis, they have said that they will noty off employees in the economic crisis and will not raise prices, which helps to stabilize people''s hearts. If not, the government''s bill would not be so easy to implement!" Bosco thought about it and said, "Yeah, that''s right! Even I was against this bill at that time. There weren''t many people making shoes at that time, and it would have cost me a lot! It seems thatpared to Mikail, Franz and Viktor, my awareness is not enough." Loraughed and said, "Come on! Do not be sentimental, we are still simple people. We are still far from their realm of social values. However, they live like that, is the real life too!" ... Anyway, the elections for Bulgarian parliamentarians, which kicked off on October 28, 1892, were in full swing in Bulgaria. Five years have passed. Ferdinand is no longer the king who is new to the country. He has two or three small dogs and cats in his hands. How could he give someone else a chance to do the graft after preparing for the parliamentary elections for so long? All the factories in Bulgaria are his strongest backing. Just over 50,000 of those hundreds of thousands of workers have voter status. That number already represents half of all voters in all of Bulgaria. The new National Assembly, so to speak, is already in Ferdinand''s pocket. The political parties that are now busy ying bombs have lost before they have even started. In a small Bulgaria, there were thirteen political parties of all sizes at that time. If you count the smallmunities, there were even more. Thirteen political parties, which may seem impressive, actually have less than 5,000 members in their entire partiesbined. Both the Liberal Party in its prime and the Conservative Party are far more numerous. One can see the attitude of the Bulgarian public towards political parties now. The Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, once-powerful parties, have long since gone up in smoke. After all, under Ferdinand''s covert push, they threaten everyone in Bulgaria. Those who y politics are smart people. Everyone knows that if they carry the name of the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party, they are lucky if they don''t get beaten up. How can they still want to win the election? So people are very shameless about changing their masks. But under the group without a leader, that split became obvious. They each pulled up a group of people to set up another group. However, since Ferdinand''s rule, Bulgaria has made huge progress in the country''s livelihood. Therefore, there is little interest in political parties. Without supporters, the future will naturally not be easy. In addition, Ferdinand ughtered their own brand and restricted the bill, which is not changed. The political party groups in Bulgaria are struggling right now. Many of them are leaving one after another. Many are ready to make a final push in this election, even those who remain. One such member was Karl, who was once a rising star in the Conservative Party. He was on a steady rise when he faced the Stambolov dictatorship. The Conservative Party''s big shots have been jailed. When he saw that the situation was not good, the smart Karl ran away from it. After the fall of Stambolov, he came out and found that they had abolished the Conservative Party. Karl had gathered a group of people who wanted to take the chance to rise to power. However, Karl ran away at the moment of crisis and became his biggest stain. He was unable to convince the crowd. Coupled with the fact that the Conservative Party had be infamous, Karl simply took his fellow supporters and set up his own party, the Bulgarian Progressive Party. The progress of the Bulgarian Progressive Party was not as smooth as Karl had imagined. One could even say that it was in trouble. On the one hand, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party have gone too far. Now the Bulgarian public is tired of the endless fights between political parties. On the other hand, there are open and secret fights between political parties which pull each other''s legs. The new bill introduced by Ferdinand clearly defines political parties as non-profit groups and prohibits the taking of political cash. It cuts off the main ie of political parties. Karl still held on under this series of blows, but the people under the hands could not hold on. Most of the people who joined the Progressive Party were opportunists or passionate young people who got fooled intoing in. They were not people who could endure patience. They joined the Progressive Party to pursue a career in politics or influence government policy through the Progressive Party. They did note to suffer. Only a small portion of them are people who are fighting for their ideals. Since Ferdinand came to power, Bulgaria has made great progress in all areas. The standard of living of the people has improved clearly. Everything is going well, and the poption does not have high hopes for political parties. The general situation will naturally affect the individual. In addition, Ferdinand has been attached to the campaign work. The concept of "empty talk misleads the country, practical work builds a nation" has been deeply rooted in people''s hearts. In contrast, those with insight felt that political parties could not make things happen, so they left. Spectors saw no return on their long-term investment and were not interested. There are only two hundred left from the best of more than three thousand party members. Even thisst family base may copse at any time, and Karl''s ambition has been almost destroyed. This election has been taken as hisst chance. It is estimated that no party in Bulgaria has this ambition anymore to win the general election and be the ruling party. Karl''s goal is simple, as long as he gets a few parliament seats in this election, it is enough to be able to maintain some influence on the government. "Ding Dong, Ding Dong!" "Come in!" Karl said. A young man of about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old walked in and spoke, "Mr. Karl, what do you want from me?" "Edvin, how are the preparations for the electioning along?" said Karl, looking at his right-hand man. "I regret, Mr. Karl I''m afraid to let you down. Weck enough gold fees in our hands. It is difficult to carry out arge-scale campaign, and the prospects are not good!" Edvin said with difficulty. "I know all this, and we''re not the only ones, right? Our opponents are probably not much better!" Karl said with a bitter smile. "Yes, under the current Bulgarianw, even campaign slogans have to be authentic. The public is not interested in the big pictures we create. On the contrary, many people who are running for office independently have good support. Most of them have a great track record and prove that they have already contributed to Bulgaria, which is in line with the mentality of the voters now!" Edvin said glumly. "Oh, God! This is really bad news from heaven. Now we can only hope for God''s blessing! If not, Bulgaria will soon be a global phenomenon again. We will also be theughing stock of the world, with the total number of votes for political parties being lower than for individual voters!" Karl said with a bitter smile. Chapter 89: General Election 2 Chapter 89: General Election 2 People like Karl, who can see the real thing, are still in the minority. Many people still dream that they will be able to reverse the trend by the elections and lead Bulgaria back to the bright path of "freedom". One of the best of these is the Bulgarian New Liberal Party, a new party born out of the Liberal Party and has carried over the vast majority of the Liberal Party. Maybe it was so badly cursed by the public that it was forced to change its form. Although most of Bulgaria could not tell the difference between the two and still cursed as usual. The current party leader, Karsten Ivanov, was originally Stamborov''s rival in the party and had been under suppression before. It was only after Stamborov''s fall that he was pushed out by the Liberals, who were lost in the storm, as ast resort. Although Karsten lost to Stambolov in the previous power struggle, his influence in the Liberal Party is very simr. As a result, after he took power, he quickly secured the stability of the Liberal Party. Besides a part of Stambolov''s hardcore leaving, others basically stayed. After Stambolov''s fall, the Liberal Party, despite its shame, remains the number one party in Bulgariapared to several other governments that have been suffering from major losses. As for the change of Ferdinand''s cab, Karsten was pleased with it. However, he left behind the Liberal Party and formed an interim cab alone, which was resented ten thousand times. However, because the Liberals were already unable to protect themselves, there were major factions against each other, and there were many rival political parties outside looking in. Karsten also did not have the energy to create trouble for Ferdinand. When he finished dealing with internal conflicts, he had to tear up with other political forces, and all kinds of problems have not been settled by now. The struggle between Bulgarian political parties has led to the copse of their power. Initially, during the period of Stambolov, the Liberals had a blood feud with other parties. There was no room for peace between the two sides long ago. In the smart people''s minds, they understand that if the major political parties continue to fight like this, everyone will be finished sooner orter. Karsten had many secret talks with other political party leaders in an attempt to ease the conflict. However, the Liberals are willing to discuss peace, but other parties are not willing to it. Even if the head of the party can ease the ties for the situation, the people below will not agree to it! It is not possible to resolve the blood feud, especially for those who lost their friends and rtives during the period of Stambolov. Since the Stambolov cab is now in exile abroad, it is not wrong to me the Liberals. After a few years of struggle with each other, all of them are greatly wounded. At the same time, Ferdinand has issued a series of bills to restrict the number of political parties, so it is even harder to move forward. Every major party power in Bulgaria now can be said to be no more than ten percent. Even now, the first major-party - the Bulgarian New Freedom Party has less than 3,000 members. Compared to other parties, the New Liberal Party maintains a strong enough advantage both in terms of numbers and in terms of influence. As the saying goes, the people who have authority are not the ones who are in charge. The first major party that wins the parliamentary elections and gains the majority of seats are given the mandate to form the government, as is the practice in Bulgaria. However, it is evident that this time will be an exception. The party that has won the previous election didn''t get less than 50 percent of the seats in the parliament, so it is, of course, logical to form a cab. At the internal meeting of the New Liberal Party, Karsten was now speaking in a great voice: "Gentlemen, the opportunity we have been waiting for for so long hase! By winning this election, we will once again return to the center of Bulgaria!!!" ... This meeting ended with a roar of cheers from the neo-liberals. As if they had already won and had even prepared a n for future action. No matter what the people thought, the Bulgarian parliamentary elections were held. Ferdinand invited the Bulgarian media to participate in oversight of the elections. Sixty-eight election sites were set up in the country''s major electoral districts. The election started smoothly, this time with anonymous voting. Eligible voters wrote down their choice of candidate on a prepared slip of paper and put it in the designated box. Once the voting waspleted, they opened it on the spot in full public view. The respected local elders were invited to take charge of the vote counting and signing the ballot to ensure fairness and equity as much as possible. Is Ferdinand''s moral integrity that high? Of course not. He is not a freedom and democracy fighter. In order to weaken as much as possible the party people who might give him trouble in the future, the government also released the profiles of the candidates before the election. All of them are with real evidence. The use of the real-life plot is treated equally, and no one can say anything. Besides the basic personal information, it also includes the activities of the social groups that have taken part in, what contributions have been made to the country, etc. It looks clear at a nce. The surface is fair and equitable, but it can be hard for political party people who are all from the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party. Although they have now changed their vests, the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party have left too deep an impression on people. Many people look at their profiles. They hate them so much that they do not hesitate to vote for their opponents in their hands. Not only did political party people take a hit, but many pro-democracy people didn''t reap the benefits either. The main thing is the column of contribution to the country, which is basically helping people to vote. If there were no primary bias, people would easily vote for people who have contributed to society. All of these are real contributions that can be widely recognized by society. For example, the usualments about the world and the past and present, these controversial ones cannot be defined but only recorded in history. Suddenly, they seem to be less useful to this country than an ordinary worker. Ferdinand''s surprise attack caught many people off guard. However, it made it difficult to object directly, and it was totally open and public. Karsten is now in a bad mood. In his opinion, Ferdinand is a typical overkill, although there has been one before. In the case at the time, Ferdinand did not kill all but only expelled the Stambolov cab, and he understood the stance aside. It includes the previous mental illness found for members of Stambolov''s cab, which Karsten fully supports. Of course, these must be true. Otherwise, how could the Liberal Party get back in one piece? There was no need to look at the election results. Karsten knew he was out. What about the 10,000 people killed out there in a mass tomb outside Sofia? No matter how hard he worked before and how respected he was, the Sofia public, who had survived the White Terror, could not support a core figure of the former Liberal Party in any way. In the 19th century, when they poorly passed information, Karsten, who lost a power struggle within his party early on, has not had the chance to enter the political arena. There are really not many ordinary people who know about him. If the custom was to follow, who would reveal the old story? Chapter 90: General Election Ends Chapter 90: General Election Ends No matter what Karsten thought, on October 28, 1892, the general elections in Bulgaria came to a sessful end. The impact was, of course, significant. It marked the end of the general party politics in Bulgaria. Ferdinand knows that this is only a short time. In the long run, political parties will still take the stage of history. In fact, it is also a helpless move. At present, Ferdinand can say that it is easy to form a political party if it is secretly formed, but what are the consequences? The rise to power of Konstantin has been set. At the moment, Bulgaria has no one who canpete with him. If another party supports it, this will certainly affect Ferdinand''s authority. Ferdinand did not intend to raise a rival. He did not dare to underestimate such a historical figure. Politics has no bottom line, and if one is not careful, the tide is turned, and it is toote to cry. Ferdinand did not want to put hearts and minds to be tested. The best way to do this is not to give it a chance. Political parties and the king''s power are naturally contradictory. Constitutional monarchy is still good, but if the direct response is a bad republic, Ferdinand can''t even cry. It is simply to be done once and for all. At least under the influence of Ferdinand, the Bulgarian poption of this generation is not a fan of political parties. Without the support of the people, do they still want to be powerful? Ferdinand would have long been a formidable force when the people had forgotten all this. Just like the British Queen Victoria now, prestige has been deeply rooted in the people. Even if it is a constitutional monarchy, she has begun to detach herself from politics and can still dictate the direction of Britain. The spirit of life is good, and the big picture has been set. This parliamentary election aligns with Ferdinand''s will, plus he has secretly controlled half of the votes. He really can not think of the chance of losing. Ferdinand is now back to his usual self, taking it easy and admiring the beautifuldy''s legs in the royal pce. At this time, Alisa came in and handed over a document, blushing slightly, and said, "Your Highness, here are the results of this election. The lists of members of the National Assembly are all here!" Ferdinand reluctantly withdrew his thoughts. The task at hand was important. The lessons of history taught him the example of Niki II if he acted recklessly. When he looked at a thin page of the list, there was also a thick stack of information. Ferdinand just swept this election without incident. More than half of the seats were in his pocket. There were only a few political party members of parliament, and there was no doubt that all the women who had signed up to run for the election were lost. However, one of the tidbits still caught his interest. There will also be a winner under normal situations, no matter which way it goes. Even if the votes are the same, there can be another round, but here an ident happened. Ferdinand asked in wonder, "Oh, what''s going on? Howe no one won in the Gabler district? Did the candidates make a mistake as a group?" Alisa said cheekily: "These issues, Your Highness, are listed below with detailed reasons. The candidates in this district were all former Liberals, and the local people were very unhappy with them when they found out. A total of more than three thousand people voted, and the highest winner, Kaki Ivanov, did not get more than thirty votes. Not even three percent of the votes were cast for all the candidatesbined. What the others filled out is interesting, you can see." Ferdinand flipped back a few pages and stopped at page sixteen, which caught his interest, with what the voters had filled in was very amusing. The highest percentage of votes was for "God", which took up 48 percent of the votes, followed by "Call for the removal of several candidates from the election", which took up 36 percent. There are also attached a variety of reasons, for normal reasons such as: hiding identity information before and moral problems. The odd reasons such as: too ugly to represent me, they are suspected of being foreign spies and suggest a review, they are the devil incarnate... It must have been so great to see Ferdinandughing in tears. One could imagine what kind of feelings the several candidates, who were running for office at the time, would have had after hearing these reasons on the spot! No one will indeed be elected. Even the unlucky one with the highest percentage of votes - Kaki Ivanov - is too unhappy to announce himself as the winner! If not, he would be the shortest elected member of parliament in Bulgaria''s history. The voters on the scene probably would not mind exercising their right once more - to remove the member from office. Even so, they will be theughing stock of history. The candidates will leap to be world-ss figures and serve as counter-examples to educate future generations - politics is not for everyone. The rest of the people who filled in the content are varied. Some filled their own names but also in the heroes of Bulgarian history, Ferdinand the king, and some in the foreign figures. They have expressed theirints about the candidates in various ways. The organizer is still very smart; as soon as they published the statistics, he announced that no one was elected. The people were assured by not letting the person with the highest percentage of votes be elected as required. They also asked the candidates'' opinions on the spot, without regard to their mood. How awkward the scene, needless to say, that the voters are satisfied anyway. They do not see anything worthwhile and would instead leave the seat of a member of parliament vacant first. They fully exercise the right to be in charge. This incident, after it spread, also left a verysting impact. Since then, there have been boycotts of "candidates" in elections worldwide. These include the presidential elections in European countries, where the people have rejected candidates. There is no doubt that the Bulgarian political parties have been hit hard again in this election. The public boycott was beyond their imagination. Thirteen parties won only five seats in parliamentbined, with less than five percent of the vote. It is safe to say that they will have to continue to stay afloat for a long time toe, with their political influence at its lowest point. A new wave of withdrawals from the party has started again, with one passionate young man leaving in disgrace under constant pressure from his family and friends. Besides hurting the political party people, they also met the results of this election with a cold response in the international arena. The British, Germans, and Austro-Hungarians were all hurt and tried to influence Bulgaria''s future state policy through this election in order to interrupt the pro-Russian trend in Bulgaria. For this election, they also started their own influence to help garner votes, but the results were so tragic. The most disputed right of women to run in this election was rejected unanimously by the conservatives. Well, the neocons didn''t support it either, so one could say Ferdinand was the lone fighter this time. Ferdinand should be thankful that there are no women members of parliaments born in this election and that they are only used as the subject of tea-time talk. Otherwise, it is possible that now the olddies havee to the gates of the Sofia Pce to petition. Chapter 91: Impact Chapter 91: Impact As soon as the parliamentary elections were over, public opinion in Bulgaria was in mes. There is so much to depict: the women getting the right to vote, the few unlucky ones in the Gabler district, or the defeat of the major parties in the general elections. In the evening, Pavel worked overtime again. Now he is getting a headache again. As the editor-in-chief of the Bulgarian Daily, he used to get a headache for no news. This time it is a headache because of too much news. There is too much news that he can make the front-page headlines. Any one of them can be a sensation in Bulgaria, so it is a headache to choose. The articles are carefully selected and have been rewritten by several people, so they are almost perfect, and there is nothing to reject. News is time-sensitive, and if you miss the best time, it''s no longer news. It is not easy to stand out among your peers when all are watching the parliamentary elections and all your peers are getting the same news. After a long career in editorial work, he worked overtime as a rule. The high-pressure working condition made Pavel addicted to smoking, which had be a way to release his stress. Pavel stood up and opened the cigarette case, and there was thest cigarette. He sat down again, lit up and took a deep puff. The smoke-filled his face with traces of concern, and he could not make a final decision for a long time. It is not good to do current affairs news. It is important to be truthful. As the editor-in-chief, Pavel''s pressure is always great, and the pay is very good. As editor-in-chief of the Bulgarian Daily, he had a high social position and a very generous sry. It was enough for his family to live a rich life, which was the motive for Pavel to endure. When his assistant, Kaki, saw that the editor-in-chief was slow to make up his mind, he was a little anxious, and the printing house had already given him a third call. If there is still a dy in making sure theyout, it will affect the printing, and the newspaper may face theck of a sale in the morning. Kaki hesitated but went forward and said softly in front of Pavel: "It''s time for the editor-in-chief to make a decision. The printing house has sent a reminder three times." "Well, I know! What do you think we should choose, Kaki?" Pavel said after taking a deep breath. Kaki is dumbfounded. How can he decide on such a big event! It is not just if it is the usual news, like this great news report rted to the Bulgarian Daily''s status in the industry, a bad one will destroy the reputation. Kaki said in a daze and proposed: "How about we just put them together and forget about it!" "You mean the extra version? It''s not impossible though the risk is greatly increased. If it works out, the benefits will be great! If there is no better way, so be it!" Pavel said to himself. "Ah!" Kaki exims. The result was so unexpected that he had meant to suggest condensing the content and deleting some of the needlessments in it, and it would be enough to put it together. Kaki said at once, "Yes!" Since the editor-in-chief had already decided, he didn''t have any need to exin. Anyway, this kind of big event was not something for a small person like him to consider. As for what kind of impact the added version will have, Kaki does not know. Anyway, he hasn''t met this situation yet. At the end of the 19th century, when the public''s purchasing power was now purely from economic factors, Pavel decided that it was certainly risky to increase the printing costs. Increasing the sales price would be necessary, which might affect the final sales, and the risk of losing money increased greatly. If one considers the impact, then the added version is undoubtedly a conservative one, which is kind of all-around, not showing the core and not leaving out the key points, and will not affect the industry''s status. It was Pavel who had a headache at Sofia and his peers who had a bad time. No matter which side is the focus, people can not give up such a piece of major news. One can think of tomorrow''s newspaper sales to break another record. At midnight, a printing house began to get busy. By now, all the major newspapers had made their choices and were ready to do their best in tomorrow''s battle for public opinion. ... Karl looked at the newspaper in his hand and said in disbelief, "God, how is this possible?" Although he had been prepared to lose the election, Karl still found it hard to ept when he really saw the result. In the previous estimate, it''s nothing more than that no party can get a dominant seat in this election, which adds up to at least 30-40 percent of the seats! They can still pull in some non-partisans and then unite with other parties to form a cab. And now? All the political parties have fallen together, and they have fallen sharply. Even the Liberal Party, which won the most seats, has only two members of parliament. Even if they are more shameless, the new Liberals do not dare to im to be the winner now. Does Karsten dare to propose a cab to Ferdinand in the name of the majority party now? Not to mention whether he can pass it, the public will still beughing hard if this is proposed. In the early morning, on the street of Sofia, the newsboy''s voices rang out: "Newspaper, newspaper, everyone,e and see! Thetest news, thetest news, the results of yesterday''s parliamentary elections have been released. The ending is beyond your imagination! Everyonee to..." When Lora just went out, she was caught by the "new news" from the newsboy. She went up to him and said, "One of the Bulgarian Daily, one of the Sofia Morning, and one of the Global Express!" The newsboy quickly and skillfully took out the newspaper which Lora ordered from the bag. He handed it over professionally and said, "Yes, the newspaper you want, madam, please take it, the total is 1 Lev!" Lora took the newspaper, which she attracted to it at once. She didn''t care about the price, paid for it readily and continued to reread it. When she saw the section on "women''s right to vote", she frowned. Although the government had announced it long ago, she was still unhappy that the event had really happened. After seeing the joke of "no one was elected in Gabler''s constituency", Lora couldn''t help but giggle about the unlucky ones who got knocked out. After seeing the "final election results", Lora said "good" three times over. Like many Bulgarians, all they want now is to maintain the status quo. They are scared by the Stambolov government and fear another failed cab. Now, since the independents won the final election, it also means that there will be no major changes in the government, and the interim cab will remain in ce. This election in Bulgaria in 1892 left a heavy legacy in history. It marked the decline of Bulgarian political parties, and itsted until a centuryter, without being able to change the situation. Inter times, historians also saw it as "a sign of the popr enlightenment in Bulgaria". Chapter 92: Inaugural Meeting Chapter 92: Inaugural Meeting Once the parliamentary elections were over, Ferdinand announced his n to reopen the National Assembly on November 8, 1892, to form a new legitimate government. Although it was just a formality, Ferdinand still took it very seriously and was the first to announce the news. At the end of the 19th century, humanity began to progress towards a society based on the rule ofw. There was a growing concern about legality.e As a person who has a stake in thew, Ferdinand certainly did not want to undermine the dignity of thew. Since Ferdinand seeded to the throne, while he made small changes to Bulgarianw, the constitution was never directly vited. They all found ways to exploit the loopholes or find ways to get around. Anyway, Bulgaria''s legal system is not perfect. Many points are vague and discreet. Even the judges of the time, there are no final conclusions. It was natural that Ferdinand''s small gesture did not attract much interest. Now that a new National Assembly was born, it is a great time legalizing many of the previous rules. In the absence of the National Assembly, Bulgaria is not much change. People still do what they should do. It is the benefit of a conservative country. People are not sensible to politics. Ferdinand has been discredited internationally, with epithets such as "horrible tyrant" and "evil dictator" being mmed over by so-called pro-democracy figures at random. Well, the fact is that there was no European monarch who they did not scold. Everyone was the same. Only Ferdinand was scolded more recently. However, their mouths rise above the others, and Ferdinand can not control them. It is better to let them go, anyway, besides some voices, they will not do anything else. In order to ensure the stability of the country''s mindset, after Ferdinand''s session, the Bulgarian students were no longer going to France. They were going to Ennd, Germany, Austria, Russia, and other countries instead, even Belgium and Sweden. For the French liberal ideas, Ferdinand is always respectful. Yes, there is a positive side for the cause of national liberation and national independence, but that stuff is really cancer to the empire. From the rise of liberalism, the good French Empire began to spend time ying in their own political struggle, the country''s power is gradually declining. The world''s top industrial power actually slowly tossed into one of the usury worlds. Ferdinand was drunk thinking about it. After putting away his troubled thoughts, Ferdinand still summoned the next cab, which had already been decided in the chamber, before the meeting began. ... "How are all the preparations you have made, Konstantin? Don''t drop it at a critical moment! Bulgaria has a history of rejecting candidates, right?" Ferdinand said with a teasing smile. Konstantin replied with an awkward smile, "Please rest assured, Your Highness. We are all ready to go. The sesses achieved by the interim cab in the past few years are all here. With these as a backbone, there shouldn''t be any jokes!" Ferdinand smiled faintly and nodded in agreement. However, the number of members of the National Assembly in this term is the lowest in history. The actual political results are the best weapon to conquer them. Even if Ferdinand did not have a secret operation, the results of this election could now be set. Then he said, "Then you should go over and meet the legitors first, I''ll be right behind you!" As soon as Ferdinand''s words left his mouth, several of them replied in unison, "Yes!" They then bid farewell to Ferdinand and left, boldly heading for the National Assembly hall. The halls of the National Assembly are now bustling with people. The members of parliament are gathering in small groups, eagerly making their way through the debate together. There are also a few isted glowingly, standing alone on the side that can be inly divided. Bulgaria is a small country with a sparse poption. Many members of parliament know each other and have good rtions. There are minimal conflicts between regions. However, the direct conflict between party legitors and non-party legitors is historic. Before Ferdinand came to power, they almost deprived non-party legitors of political speeches. In rtively conservative Bulgaria, non-party legitors see political parties as instruments of power for personal gain. Party legitors see them as having no big picture and old-fashioned thinking. In the past, the political parties in Bulgaria took advantage and could integrate some non-partisan people. Now the tide is turning. Non-partisan legitors take the dominant position. They can not recruit those who can get a little ostracism to show their anger or not. Mr. Karl, who has just been elected, is now awkward. The few party legitors have littlemonnguage due to the previous fights. In turn, the non-party legitors are not fond of him. He no longer has any hopes for the earlier schemes. The story also begins with the parliamentary elections. After the defeat of the New Liberals in the general election, Karsten''s hatred for Ferdinand rose to the point of no return. He then sought out the original backers of the New Liberals behind the scenes - Britain and Austria-Hungary. Obviously, for Ferdinand''s pro-Russian policy, the British and Austria-Hungary have been unhappy for a long time. Previously, it was to make Russia shift for a while and tolerated. Ferdinand was again strictly defensive and did not give them the chance to strike. Now the chance hase, naturally happy to give Ferdinand a lesson. Maybe it can also change the politicalndscape of Bulgaria. With this in mind, the two sides naturally joined forces. The British and Austria-Hungary stepped in to create this coalition of Bulgarian political parties in order to bring together a group of unhappy members of parliament against Ferdinand to take on the National Assembly. In order to keep the secret, this time, except for those involved, no one else knows, so they can''t do the matter of pulling in the legitors in advance. But now, the non-partisan legitors are simply not willing to contact them. There is no way to talk about pulling together. The major political parties in Bulgaria are united. The number of legitors in the National Assembly is only just enough to make up the number of proposals, as the results are not good. As soon as Konstantin and the others entered the room, they became the center of attention. They climbed into talks with weing parliamentarians from all over until the opening of the National Assembly. There are no tricks. Everything goes ording to the usual practice. Well, the parliament speaker of Bulgaria is vacant. In the past, it was nominated by the party that won the general election, but of course, not this time, so let''s leave it vacant for now! Anyway, it does not affect the next meeting, so let the government officials take over his job first. After the ceremony waspleted, Ferdinand came out and directly dered the National Assembly open. Konstantin made the first report on the work of the interim cab. He summarized the progress made by Bulgaria in the economic, cultural, political, and military fields in the previous years. Before that, although there were rted reports in the newspapers, it was never so put together as a series of political results added together. It soon gained a high degree of approval from all the legitors. Even the most demanding people had to admit that the interim cab was doing a good job. The counseling of state affairs that followed went smoothly. Chapter 93: Conspiracy Chapter 93: Conspiracy They knew to everyone that Ferdinand first asked Konstantin to make a report on his work to prepare for the election of the prime ministerter. The first proposal was that Ferdinand nominates Konstantin as the Prime Minister. There is no doubt that Konstantin has done a great service to Bulgaria in the work of the previous interim government. There was no question in the face of real political results, and nobody objected to the nomination, whether willingly or not. The next vote, too, did not fail to surprise him. Konstantin was elected prime minister of the new Bulgarian government with a superb vote share of sixty-two votes yes, five abstentions, and zero votes against. He has sworn in at the Capitol soon after and confirmed by Ferdinand on the spot. Then it was time to consider the "interim legition" that the interim cab had previously made. As a precaution, everyone was prepared, plus Ferdinand was also brought out to vote together in a bundle. It involves huge interest groups. The general public can not care so much. Since Ferdinand came to power, arge part of thews issued is inclined to the interests of the general public, and the standard of living of everyone has improved obviously. The Bulgarian working and peasant sses were now the strongest supporters of Ferdinand''s New Deal. Whoever opposed thesews in the eyes of themon people was against them. Even if the legitors want to oppose, but they should also consider the attitude of the voters outside. They should think about the unlucky few who got removed from office not long ago, and they should not cause trouble in this area. The freshman legitors are mostly confused about these legal documents. Ferdinand is intertwined with the private matter and is attached to thergerw inside. However, many of the controversial contents were passed without any problems. As the meeting went on smoothly, Karl, who had been excluded, was now getting anxious. No way, this time the National Assembly is really held in too much harmony. In the past, the Bulgarian National Assembly did not have a brawl, even if it went well, "argument, argument, argument" was the standard opening of the parliament. Once in a while, the legitors fight each other as a kind of seasoning. Now what? From the start of the meeting until now, the government has brought up bills that have not been rejected. It''s not even a major controversy. It''s not that they don''t try. It''s just that there''s no way to say it! Every time they raised objections, the other legitors quickly jumped out to counter, taking into ount the numerical advantage of those on both sides. No matter how many Karl would have said if they could, they ended up being left speechless. The good thing is that Karl is still smart enough to hold down a radical neo-liberal beside him. Who are you kidding? Even when fighting, you have to consider the value of force! Can''t they see that there are only a few of us? And if there is a conflict, it is impossible to do nothing today. Anyway, looking at the current situation, the chances of sess are infinitely zero, but it is not worth finding a beating for nothing! Sitting in a high seat, Ferdinand is watching the life below smartly and smilingly. If not for the sake of the asion, he really intends to have a pot of tea and slowly get a melon to watch the fun. After seeing several possible conflicts held down, Ferdinand secretly regretted that a good show was missing. Maybe he could also remove a few bastards who did not see good things, by the way. Yes, he is that devious. Thew that they just passed has articles that stipte the ethics of state public officials. Now, if a legitor dares to start a fight, he can deal with him ording to thew. Whether he suspends the rights of his representative or just removes the legitor depends on his mood. Karl is aware that he cannot wait any longer. It is better to do today''s business first, no matter the result. Otherwise, it will not be good to go back! Ferdinand, who saw the political party legitors being sidelined and was still taking a moment tough, did not yet know that a conspiracy was about to unfold against him. ... Karl again met with trouble. ording to the usual practice, he first submitted the previous legitors'' proposals to the Speaker, who would then read them out and debate and vote on them. Never mind the number of bills passed at today''s meeting, but they were all proposed by Ferdinand or Konstantin on behalf of the government, and so far, there has been nothing proposed by legitors. So who should I give it to now? Karl has a few headaches. He can''t give it to the Speaker of the meeting, and he''s not a legitor! The motion is sacred. Not just anyone is entitled to receive. It is logical to give it to the monarch can be, but Karl and a few people do not dare. It is aimed at Ferdinand. If it is handed up to be held down, they can not cry. A day or two of dy in the motion is the norm. Even if it is dragged on for months is not always the case. The chances of sess are infinitely zero, and if they are exposed in advance, even Ferdinand can''t be upset. After the lunchtime session, Karl and a few people secretly once or decided to make trouble. For other reasons, to turn the water into chaos, being excluded for days was really inhuman and too humiliating. At the beginning of the afternoon session, Ferdinand had not yete. When Karl took a look, he was relieved that he was not there. He did not care about the rules, Karl at once announced in a high profile: "Gentlemen, Members of the House, please take a few minutes while I have a draft here that needs to be voted on!" As soon as Karl''s words left his mouth, someone else picked up: "Can''t you see we''re busy? Do you still know the rules, where are your qualities? Don''t you know it''s rude to interrupt people at work? Now we are discussing national issues, we do not have time to y with you in the game for little children!" A burst of agreement followed it. "That''s right!" "There are no rules!" "What are they up to again?" ... As he listened to the crowd, Karl looked as usual. Politicians have always been very thick-skinned, and these are child''s y. He continued: "The five of us jointly propose that we vote to amend the Constitution and implement a constitutional monarchy!" The crowd was shocked. It is to be a disaster! Then they rxed again, whether to change it or not, but required his approval. Why listen to you. At once, someone spoke up: "I oppose! Now Bulgaria is on the right track to tell forward, we can not let some evil-minded viin destroy! You think this is a child''s y?" Someone next to him: "But the constitutional monarchy, indeed in line with the future development of the mainstream! The British relied on the constitutional monarchy to be the world''s leader!" Another person said: "You are stupid! Aren''t Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia all monarchies now? We are doing well, and Bulgaria is doing well. Why should we listen to them? Even if we want to reform, we should be the ones to propose it!" The man dawned on him, "You mean they have a conspiracy! What kind of conspiracy could it be?" "What do you care? Those political parties are no good anyway! Whatever they support, we just oppose!" Another person said. Chapter 94: Disturbances and Attitudes of the Great Powers Chapter 94: Disturbances and Attitudes of the Great Powers Ferdinand, who arrivedte, was just in time to see the familiar scene. ''Whatever the enemy supports, we oppose!'' A very popr phrase in thetter days. Oppose for the sake of opposing. It is clear that the people below are still doing a good job of bringing the rhythm. It is important to know that although the Bulgarian public is not a fan of political parties, these parliamentarians are much calmer. How can they also be so negative? Of course, Ferdinand''s minions are to me. Arge part of the people below is his own people. As long as someone starts to coax, others agree at once. The other legitors were hostile to Karl. The majority of them, who Bulgarian citizens influenced, did not have a good feeling about political parties and chose to distance themselves from Karl not to be isted. Karl has not easily found an opening to take advantage of Ferdinand''s absence to make an attack, but the result is painful. One should note that the constitutional monarchy in Bulgaria can be pretty popr, and there is no shortage of supporters among parliamentarians. It is logical to say how this proposal shoulde from a group of supporters! The result is the same as during the political parties period. We oppose all the proposals of the enemy, whether they are right or not. Even if they are right, it doesn''t matter. The big deal is that we will revise themter and then take them out and vote again. Ferdinand watched the farce quietly from the sidelines, with no intention of intruding. Anyway, no one hase out to show their support up to now. They are all busy criticizing Karl with their righteous anger. A few people who were just neutral on the sidelines are being pulled into the fray! "Hey, my friend what do you think about this?" A asked. "This, I''m still a little confused!" B stammered. "What''s there to be confused about! We are legitors and we have to represent public opinion! Now the Bulgarian people hate political parties, right, so of course we have to hate them too, right!" A said in a righteous voice. B is more confused. What you say makes sense. I can not believe that I have no words to say! In the name of representation, for the sake of justice and righteousness in the world and the future of Bulgaria, he then firmly joined the ranks of the critical pair. Well, there was no need for a vote either. The result is already obvious. Other than Karl, who proposed it, a few people have been more or less critical of them. Some even educated them on patriotism, saying that they themselves should feel ashamed. Karl and a few others looked at each other and then tacitly chose to be silent. They would never mention the vote, toozy to make a fool of themselves. It was such a small episode that it passed. Ferdinand had no intention of asking for trouble and simply let him fade away like the wind. He is not like some protagonists for the sake of pretend. Let the opponent y to his fullest, next bring to vote, and then turn around and hit the face. Ferdinand said that he is a qualified, great patriot. His face is precious and cannot be used topete with a few small fishes. No one else came out to show their presence. The next meeting went very smoothly. Basically, it was a government proposal that was voted on and approved by the National Assembly and sent to Ferdinand for signature and approval. A three-day session was nned to be finished ahead of schedule on the first day with an efficient statement. Ferdinand was open-minded enough to dere a recess. Except for one-half of the members of the National Assembly who were to be based in Sofia, the rest could go their separate ways to their homes and wait for a reshuffle ore back for the next major meeting. Karl and a few people were frustrated and applied to leave. What a joke, in the current situation, there is no ce for them in the National Assembly! If you don''t "wimp out" now, do you want to stay here and be angry every day? As for partisan interests? The current situation in Bulgaria, how much worse can it be? Even if there is a proposal to ban political parties, Karl can guarantee that they will pass it with arge number of votes. The majority of the Bulgarian people will probably set off fireworks to celebrate! The political atmosphere in Bulgaria is now very strange. The country is developing in harmony, except for a few political parties that are having a hard time. One can not help it that since the end of the election after the media have spared no effort to cover the problem, many people can not stand the strange eyes of the people around. With the new wave of withdrawal from the party, several minor parties finally could not hold on, and gloomy announced the closure. With the formation of the new government, Bulgaria has once again resumed its usual busy schedule. The whole country is like a big construction site on which everyone is working hard to add bricks and mortar to the country. The Austro-Hungarian diplomat in Bulgaria - Christoph Waltz - wrote in a letter to the old emperor - Franz Josef I. "Your Imperial Majesty, your vassal Christoph Waltz greets you. The situation in Bulgaria is very stable. Your nephew is doing a good job and has inherited your greatness and wisdom. He now dominates the country''s course, the king''s power is supreme, and all sses support him firmly. Under his rule, the political parties became dogs in distress, scorned by the people. The capitalists became lions without ws and teeth, trembling on the sidelines. Even when the government introduced bills that seriously harmed their interests, the capitalists were forced to dere their support. It may be a legacy of Stambolov''s time that the emerging Bulgarian capitalists now have little guts, behave like saints, and are morally impable. It may be another species. They do not have a bit of themonality of capitalists. Probably even they themselves haven''t found out yet about it. ording to them, the Bulgarian capitalists have high moral integrity and are willing to contribute to the country. I wouldn''t believe it anyway. I''d rather think they were scared. After all, people sent their predecessors to God! Well, it is basically the politicalndscape we were looking for it! It''s basically been achieved here. Although Bulgaria is only a tiny country, its growth has been stunning, leaving its neighbors far behind. I can assert that if Bulgaria continues to develop at its current telling pace, another country that haspleted its industrialization will appear in the Balkans in less than ten years. If not for the poption and resource restraints, I would even be concerned that they could threaten Austro-Hungarian interests in the Balkans in the future. In short, the future direction of the situation in the Balkans can no longer be left without Bulgaria. It''s a pity that they are now allies of Russia. Despite working hard with us, it''s a pity that the Russia-Bulgaria Alliance is still so solid. Bulgaria needs Russian industrial raw materials, and Russia needs them as a temporary nail in the coffin of the Balkans. There is also the same traditional culture. You know Bulgaria as the birthce of vic culture..." Christoph''s letter also reflects the attitude of the Great Powers towards Bulgaria at that time. Chapter 95: Visit to St. Petersburg Chapter 95: Visit to St. Petersburg "The earth spins as usual without anyone, and the sun rises as usual without anyone!" -- Demon King Quotes With the birth of a new cab government, Bulgaria is back for another year riding on the highway. The defeated political party leaders of the election, such as Karsten and Karl, could not bear the pressure from all sides have chosen to leave the country. Ferdinandughed it off when he received the news as a few loss of life was not worth his attention. After dealing with domestic matters, Ferdinand''s trouble came to the door. "Matchmaking" is a fierce topic, especially for ~ ~ ~ ( I really can not stand, a single man writing this is just asking for trouble! I can imagine the shadow area of the author''s heart now!) Before he traversed, Ferdinand did not have to go on fewer blind dates with houses, cars, tickets... this is a serious problem. Better than ordinary people, Ferdinand was an orphan in his previous life and was asked to marry by his mother-inw to fulfill his parents'' request, who were both dead. Before traversing, Ferdinand is a single man because of theck of parents and relies on his own efforts. Naturally, the house and car do not exist, barely enough for the ticket, it is certainly not meet the requirements! In his previous life, Ferdinand suffered from "dating phobia". After traversing, it is much better. It raised the original one with golden keys, house, car, etc. Ferdinand now can not figure out how much. Anyway, there are a lot, of course, no one mentioned to him again. The "love" thing is also more distant from him. The first thing to consider now is "status", followed by "politics". Ferdinand has now given up. Sooner orter, it is bound to be a marriage, simply to sell himself for a good price. Anyway, it is an open secret that European aristocrats keep lovers. They keep ten or eight for themselves as a kind of satisfaction. It is enough that marriage can be done with respect to each other and passed on to the next generation. Well, Ferdinand admitted that he was tricking himself. A marriage without feelings, if the other party is beautiful, then it''s not impossible to consider; if it''s ~ ~ ~ (forget it to this point, before you write about me ~ ~) On December 5, 1892, at the urging of his mother, Princess Clmentine, Ferdinand finally set out for St. Petersburg with hisrge entourage. He was invited to Russia for a state visit, and believe it or not, he does. It''s a simple state visit and doesn''t have a dime to do with matchmaking. It must be a mistake on the part of Tsarist Russia as to why they gave the invitation to the ball. It is not unusual for the Tsarist bureaucrats, the well-known ones, to make a little mistake. With a feeling of anxiety, Ferdinand entered St. Petersburg. Russia is really fucking cold in winter. The snow-covered the city. In a curious mood, Ferdinand just stuck his head out of the carriage, and the cold air rolled over him, and the wind was biting. However, Ferdinand felt that his cheeks were no longer his own in a sh and hastily retracted his head. At this moment, Ferdinand had to admire the resilience of the Russians. St. Petersburg has only winter and summer, four months of summer, and eight months of winter. After living in such a harsh climate for a long time, Tsarist Russia actually did not move the capital. One should know that in the vast territory of Russia, there are countless ces with a better climate than St. Petersburg, and they have almost every kind of climate. However, in order to strengthen the control over the country and maintain political influence on Europe, no one from the aristocracy to themon people paid attention to moving the capital. The harsh environment has made Russians resilient, and it is not just a fighter nation. No matter how the world has changed in thest hundred years, Russia has always stood firm. When they entered St. Petersburg, Ferdinand and the others were given a grand wee. The Imperial Crown Prince Niki and his wife were personally in charge of the hosting. After looking at the reception details, Ferdinand knew that the rules of the aristocracy did it. Ferdinand, this time over, is not only on behalf of the Bulgarian royal family. He alsoes on behalf of the face of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family. It is clear that the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family deserves the respect of the Niki family, both of which are the most powerful families in Europe at the moment. If it is really ording to the principle of equal diplomatic rtions, those who came out to receive is a Grand Duke. The European aristocracy is linked tightly to each other. The messy kinship tie is unable to be traced. In order to keep the right bloodline honorable, the ability to marry each other to only a few families is inevitable. The weather in St. Petersburg was terrible, with a low temperature of -20 to -30 degrees Celsius. Ferdinand and Princess Clmentine were not cold-resistant beings and stayed inside, except for the necessary visits. "Ferdinand, when will this damned weather in St. Petersburg ever end!" Princess Clmentine said with sorrow. Ferdinand rolled his eyes. He didn''t know how many times he had heard his motherint in front of him in the past few days and said feebly: "It''s about half a year away! You know that the winter in St. Petersburg has eight months, how long has it been? Who cares? We can''t wait until summer to leave anyway!" "Oh, God, give me a break! This damned damn weather! We shouldn''t havee now, Ferdinand. I would have chosen toe in the summer if I had known it was so cold! No, I should have let youe by yourself, you''re an adult and can be left on your own!" Princess Clmentine continued toin. Ferdinand looked at the depressed Princess Clmentine, secretly spat: ''I do not know who said earlier that they like snow. To spend Christmas in the country of snow and ice, but also hurriedly urged to embark. Now well the street is full of snow, that is, will freeze people into popsicles!'' Of course, Ferdinand will always be a good son. At least his mouth is never done stiffly on his mother. He saidfortingly, "Don''t worry, dear mother! I''m already looking for ways to reduce the travel time in St. Petersburg as much as possible. We will try to leave this hellhole as soon as possible!" "This kind of nonsense, you say it every day! Let''s believe you once and tell you this - Ferdinand, if you dare to lie to me, you have to consider the effects yourself!" Princess Clmentine threatened fiercely. Ferdinand could only smile awkwardly. God knows when this ball is. A week after arriving in St. Petersburg, Ferdinand did not miss the various balls but the "matchmaking ball". It is Aleksandr III who gave his daughter in marriage. It was up to others to decide when to start. Ferdinand at least knew the rules, so he waited honestly! At the Gatchina Pce, Aleksandr III was discussing with Empress Mariya Fyodorovna. They approved Ferdinand, both in terms of his background and personal skills, but to be his son-inw, then it was natural to have a different set of criteria. Chapter 96: Betrothal Chapter 96: Betrothal Ferdinand likely did not expect that they collected many small things he had done from his childhood to growing up into a thick book of information ced in front of Aleksandr III. The Russian Empire''s intelligence system is not poor, so it''s a good idea to ask about these things that are not very secret. It should not be so much required for authenticity, as long as more or less on the line. Aleksandr III looked at Ferdinand''s affair history in recent years and said with a frown on his face, "It''s so unusual for a monarch instead of governing the country properly, he actually kept a group of courtesans in the royal pce who spend all day in frolic and pleasure, fooling around, not thinking about progress, and doing anything wrong..." Well, due to the improper private life, all of Ferdinand''s merits are just blithely erased here, pped with a hat of lust and immorality. Mariya Fyodorovna has also frowned upon it. They know all about the corruption of the aristocracy. In the case of Ferdinand, who kept several courtesans as part-time maids, it was all minor, and at most, it could only be said to be a bit of frivolity. However, it is discovered by the future father-inw and mother-inw that it will certainly not be using the same set of criteria. The good thing is, in the current situation in Europe, Ferdinand had very few contenders. As for private life, both of them are aristocrats. Who can be purer than who? If one does not keep a few lovers, how can one say that he is a knight of honor? "Compared to the former ones, these are minor problems. At least now, Ferdinand does not have illegitimate children! It''s just a matter of time for Xenia to restrain him. Now it''s better to arrange for them to meet first!" Mariya Fyodorovna reassured herself. Aleksandr III also sighed deeply, so yes! ''No fear of not knowing the goods, but fear ofparing the goods!'' While Ferdinand has many problems,pared to several others, these are minor, in terms of ability in the same age, can also be regarded as the best. For example, one of the candidates, ''King Aleksandar I of Serbia'', is a miserable fool in terms of personal ability, as proven by the chaos of Serbia. He is said to have fallen in love with a courtdy and is ready to marry her as the queen. Who cares if it''s true or not? Since the rumors have been spread, one shoulde out to dispel the rumors! Also, for example... In contrast, Aleksandr III''s mood is much better. Ferdinand is not without merit. At least the ability to govern is well known, and his political skills can be called the world''s first-ss. The single man went to a foreign country to be a monarch. It took him only two years to turn the tide and take back the power from the powerful ministers, and alsopleted the reform of Bulgaria with great sess. At the same time, it was also perfect for throwing the me on the former regime. The me is for others to carry, and the credit is indeed firmly in Ferdinand''s hands. From these aspects to open, Ferdinand is indeed apetent monarch. He would have been shocked if Ferdinand knew what Aleksandr III had to say about him. Since the traverse, one must know that he had always practiced low-profile actions and tried not to draw attention to himself. At that point, even if it was a nned power grab, he only hid behind it to push and make the best of the situation. As a result, Aleksandr III guessed it by virtue of his keen political sense. "Alright then! If Xenia doesn''t have any issues, let''s arrange for them to meet first! Let''s talk about the restter!" Aleksandr III said in a gloomy voice. "Yes, I will arrange it!" said Empress Mariya Fyodorovna with some headache. Xenia''s age hase, and they can no longer dy marriage. If there is no spouse with equal status, it does not matter if a man waits until 30 or 40 years old to get married. However, women can not. Once the age has reached it, one must consider marriage, or else other aristocrats will shame them. Of course, as a Grand Duchess of the Russian Empire, there is no way that she will not be able to marry. In fact, a few years ago, there was an endless line of marriage proposals, and Ferdinand was one of them, although he did not know it yet. In order to select a suitable son-inw from among so manyter candidates, Queen Marie Feodorovna also took great pains. The thick pile of information about Ferdinand was not easy to get in a short time. Ferdinand was able to escape from inducement, except for his obvious born, personal ability and ethics is also won over severalpetitors. However, this is a stricter era, and Ferdinand''s victory was not based on his own character but on his terriblepetitors. Ferdinand, who was frozen like a dog, is still hiding in the warmth of his bedroom. He knows that the purpose of this visit is so crucial that he wisely kept his distance from the courtesans and did not look for a woman in St. Petersburg. Alright, Ferdinand admitted that he was a wimp! Many people visited their parents-inw''s house in the previous life, which is not a rule? Not to mention that the father-inw is now a powerful tsar. If you annoy him, you do not want to lose your life. As time passes, the bored Princess Clmentine, who has barely adapted to life in St. Petersburg in order to pass the time, goes out to have a social life, leaving Ferdinand alone in the torment to spend his days like years. As for taking the initiative to go out and "socialize", it was too awkward for Ferdinand, who was a geek, to do so, other than the unavoidable invitations, Ferdinand stayed at home for half a month in St. Petersburg. When Christmas arrived, Ferdinand finally met his future wife, the Grand Duchess Xenia, at a grand Christmas feast. She was an exquisite girl, which was Ferdinand''s first impression. Beautiful hair draped over the body, like a stream of small brown waterfalls rippling with golden light. While European women are a bit more maturing, Grand Duchess Xenia is not very old and still slightly shy, but she is already starting to take shape, not much away from the waves. When coupled with the graceful and noble manner, you will be the center of attention wherever you go. As soon as the feast was over, Empress Mariya Fyodorovna took Grand Duchess Xenia by the hand and asked with concern, "Xenia, how are things going for you?" "How about what?" Xenia said shyly. "Asking you how Ferdinand is, of course. Is my precious sister happy?" At the back, Niki said teasingly. ... (30,000 words omitted) Besides a quick pass at the feast, Ferdinand also attended a few balls with Xenia, kind of dating. Ferdinand is not very good in terms of male and female rtionships, and Grand Duchess Xenia is simr. Themon topic between the two is shallow! After that, Ferdinand and the Grand Duchess Xenia got engaged in St. Petersburg. The marriage between aristocrats does not give so much time for developing feelings. As long as both sides do not hate each other, they are a good pair. Chapter 97: Early Career Course for Military Cadres Chapter 97: Early Career Course for Military Cadres It was February 1893 when Ferdinand returned to Sofia, and he spent more than two months in St. Petersburg. The most important thing he gained was a fiance and a rough map of his march. After he returned to Sofia and saw the sketch drawn by the Royal Guard, Ferdinand realized that he had missed a once-in-a-lifetime chance! Luckily, there is another time there is a chance. Ferdinand has already made up his mind. The wedding event must be a great sess, and tens of thousands of troops shoulde together so that he can not miss the chance to learn about Russia. In order to draw a detailed map of the Balkans, the intelligence agency has done its best. First, it stole military maps from various countries and revised the maps to improve them, but it took two years toplete a small part of it. It is not the case with vast Russia. It isn''t easy to draw a detailed map, but it is much easier to walk directly through the army, and the entire geographical terrain is visible. When the news of Ferdinand''s betrothal was announced, the Bulgarian media was buzzing. Various entertainment gossip has emerged and divided into several factions to the war of words. There is affection at first sight debate as well as... For this purpose, the press authority also sent a telegram to St. Petersburg, asking Ferdinand whether to ban such news. Given the terrible nature of entertainment gossip, Ferdinand still approved it decisively. This kind of news definitely will spread faster with more tension. It''s better just to let the newspapers try to write about it, and they don''t dare to poke their noses into it anyway. Do not think that ''watching the gossip never enough'' is unique to us. In fact, foreign entertainment gossip is no less important. Thanks to Ferdinand''s good prestige, the Bulgarian public is also very interested in his life events and is happy to hear about such news. Many people have spected based on their own interpretations, and many versions of the story have been derived. Later, these stories were collected and brought together in a book, ''The Love Story Knyaz Ferdinand and Grand Duchess Xenia had to tell''. After entering the 21st century, it has also been adapted into movies and TV series several times. Ferdinand does not know the future, but the present problem is enough to depress him. How does this ''love story'' thing rte to him? He and Grand Duchess Xenia had a story. Even if they had met before, it was his previous. Anyway, after traversing, the two met in St. Petersburg for the first time. Love, at first sight, may exist, but it definitely has nothing to do with him. Grand Duchess Xenia is indeed a beautiful woman. If it was the previous life, Ferdinand was eager, whether his feelings or not, having a beautiful wife is enough. However, addicted to aristocratic life, Ferdinand became more pretentious. If possible, Ferdinand would like to stay single! He is entirely free to do whatever he wants when he thinks about all thedies in the pce. Whether it was lust in the daytime or sleeping together, it was Ferdinand''s passion. Now, all this degenerate life will have to leave him, at least in the royal pce. He must control his behavior. Grand Duchess Xenia, as the daughter of Aleksandr III, such a preciousdy, is needless to think, has her own pride! In the Western tradition of monogamy, coupled with the new rise of feminism, it is already liberal in tolerating Ferdinand to go out and find a lover. Dare to mess around in the royal pce. Who knows what will happen? Anyway, Ferdinand did not want to try until the end of the Russian Empire. He had to restrain himself. When he thought of the impending faraway sexual life, Ferdinand decided to seize thest time to enjoy the good life. The maidens are diligently dancing, with theirrge white legs swaying in front of Ferdinand, and one winks at him constantly... Ferdinand could not resist and got up and rushed down, wrapped an arm around a young girl with beauty appeal, quickly stripped, and a battle began... The happy life is always short, and countless cases have taught Ferdinand that if he does not want to follow in the same steps as the history of the former for the rest of his life, then work hard! After being away for more than two months, even though most of the political affairs were taken care of by the cab, many things required Ferdinand to make decisions personally, and not everything could be telegraphed. At least now, the reports from the Military Council are top secret files. Even Prime Minister Konstantin has no right to ask about them, except for Ferdinand. It was in the pce now that Ferdinand summoned Chief of Staff Petrov: "Colonel Petrov, why is the process of military reform so slow?" Petrov said with concern: "Your Highness, we are short of officers! Since the army''s restructuring, two deputies have been added to each regr officer. The army has nearly doubled in size. Our officer requirements have increased about five times out of nowhere, greatly exceeding our reserves! The most basicpany and toon officers are fine. We can promote a part of the veterans with outstanding ability to serve and make up most of the personnel. However, we cannot get that many officers for the middle and senior officers while ensuring quality!" Ferdinand nodded with approval for the military''s pragmatic attitude. Historically, the Bulgarian army''s fighting ability is the best in the Balkans, known as ''Prussia of the Balkans'', especially in the Great War, which attracted the world''s interest. The military''s pragmatic attitude is not unrted to the current one. "Well, it''s better to have the shortage of officers than the shortage of soldiers. You guys are doing a good job! Have you then thought about sending some of the best soldiers to the military school for a short period of internal training to make up for the shortage of officers at the base? We can do the same by sending some of the less capable officers back to the military academy to continue their studies for some time to improve their tactical abilities?" Ferdinand asked suggestively. Ferdinand has always believed that professionals should do something professional. He knew nothing about the army, and if the military data on Baidu is reliable, he can barely be considered a talking expert. Although this provisional training mechanism for officers has proved to be very effective in the previous life, the cultural differences between the East and West are significant. It is difficult to say whether it will work in Bulgaria in this era or not! Petrov pondered for a moment and answered Ferdinand with serious hesitation: "Your Highness, I am sorry! I''m afraid I can''t answer this question. We have no experience in this area, and no one is sure how effective it will be! However, I personally think that your proposal is constructive and worth a try!" Ferdinand nodded sullenly. The German Army had always been an object of study for the Bulgarian military. Now, even the officers were working with them without realizing it. Whether this change is good or bad, Ferdinand is not sure. History proves that it seems to work well, so just let it go! "Then let''s have a trial run first! Let the military school especially open a short-term training ss and choose a group of people to try. If the effect is good, then carry out the whole army to promote. If not, cancel!" Ferdinand pped his hands and said. "Yes, Your Highness!" Petrov replied strongly. Chapter 98: 1893 Chapter 98: 1893 The year 1893 was a very turbulent one. On January 17, Queen Liliuokni, thest monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, attempted to amend the constitution. However, this led to a coup d''tat in which the Hawaiian Kingdom was finally copsed. It is worth mentioning that the coup was made possible by the rapidnding of American troops in Hawaii after the coup. After the coup, the Queen was ced under house arrest in the Ini Pce. The monarchy was reced by a rebel provisional government, leading to a republican period and eventually bing part of the United States in 1898. One hundred years after the coup, the U.S. Congress passed United States Public Law 103-105, also known as the "Apology Resolution," which officially issued an apology by the U.S. government for its role in supporting the coup in the Hawaiian Kingdom. U.S. President Bill Clinton signed this resolution on November 23, 1993. The demise of the Hawaiian Kingdom signaled that the U.S. had be ungrateful and had set off a call for expansion into the Pacific, which alsoid the seeds for future U.S.-Japanese conflicts. In 1893, the British dered a ''Southern Nigeria Protectorate'', and France upied the adjacent area of Dahomey in the same year. The British ''Royal Niger Company'' shed with the French ~ on the western border of Nigeria. This Niger crisis led to an almost war between Britain and France. The conflictsted until 1898 when the two countries signed an agreement to divide West Africa. In the same year, the Anglo-German South African crisis broke out. In order to prevent Britain from acquiring the whole of South Africa and annexing the two Boer republics, German capitalists, with the government''s support, built the railroad from Pretoria to present-day Maputo in 1893. The Boer Republic was given ess to the Indian Ocean and freed from port dependence on the British. In the end, Germany controlled most of the Boer trade, and tensions between the British and Germans in South Africa increased. ... These international events, which have little impact on Bulgaria in a short time, are very important for studying foreign rtions. Ferdinand kept the good habit of gathering information and sending a copy to the military and political officials, which helped broaden their horizons. The economic crisis broke out in 1893, and the United States, far away in the Pacific, suffered this time. Because the legacy of over-investment in railroads broke out, the railroad bubble was burst, causing a full-blown economic crisis. As soon as the American railroad crisis was reported, it caused concern in all sectors of Bulgaria. Bulgaria''s big railroad n also caused widespread concern and anxiety in all sectors of society. In order to calm people''s minds, Ferdinand sent copies of "factual" reports in the major Bulgarian newspapers. The paper describes the causes and symptoms of the U.S. railroad crisis, focusing on "ovepping projects and unhealthypetition" as the core of the problem. It cites plenty of evidence that the Bulgarian railroad n is feasible. It publicly announces that the government will not approve the construction of multiple railroads on the same line - to avoid unhealthypetition. The year 1893 was a crucial year for Bulgaria. On August 15, the first Bulgarian steel mill, the Mercedes Volkswagen Steel Works, was put into operation, with a daily production capacity of 525 tons of steel, of which it produced 105 tons of steel and 420 tons of iron. (Remark: the maintenance of the 19th-century steel nt machinery took up a lot of time and could not ensure daily production) The production of Mercedes Volkswagen marked the beginning of a new page in the Bulgarian heavy industry. Mercedes Volkswagen steel nt was thergest steel nt in Bulgaria at that time and ranked in the top 30 even in the world. Thanks to the big railroad n in Bulgaria, the Mercedes Volkswagen steel nt can produce to its fullest and not worry about sales in the short term. Due to theck of coking coal for steel production in Bulgaria, importing from the Ukrainian region is necessary, which raises the cost of steel nts. It is notpetitive with the steel price on the global market now, but the Bulgarian government still chooses to support domestic production. In fact, as soon as the Mercedes Volkswagen steel nt went into operation, Ferdinand called a halt to the import of steel from abroad, even though it was cheap in the midst of the economic crisis. (After the economic crisis, the price of world steel fell by a third) Ferdinand is well aware of the importance of steel to a country. Even if the Mercedes Volkswagen steel nt is notpetitive in the short term and will even incur losses, it must persist. The founding of the Mercedes Volkswagen steel nt made Ferdinand another small profit. Although the product is not very profitable, but the future maintenance of the equipment is a big deal. It is only the only one in Bulgaria and even the entire Balkan region that has the technical strength. The newly established Royal Bank weed its first business and found a sales outlet for its iron ore, albeit at a cabbage supply price, but ites with some conditions attached. The Royal Bank insured the financial business of Mercedes Volkswagen, and it was a good deal any way one looked at it. The benefits ofpleting the First Five-Year n are already starting to be felt in Bulgaria. It shows where there has been a spate of good news recently. For example, better ess to transportation led to a sharp decline in logistics costs in Bulgaria, sped up the trade of goods, and boosted the economy. The Ministry of Economic statistics showed there was 13% economic growth in Bulgaria in the first half of 1893pared to 1892. Another example is the spread of new agricultural technology that greatly increased farmers'' ie. In this era, there were not many leisure activities in the countryside, and a good life naturally came to create a family, and newborn babies were born one after another. Experts estimate that in 1893, the number of newborn babies in Bulgaria was up to 185,000-191,000. The birth rate remained at a high level, about 4.725%-4.775%. ... In the summer of 1893, it was extremely hot in Sofia. The sun was zing, and thend was like a steamer. It was so hot that people could not breathe easily. On August 18, Ferdinand hastily got into the carriage with the rising sun and hurried out in an attempt to escape the intense re of the sun. Today is a big day, the first Bulgarian university graduates. As the rector of the university, how can Ferdinand be absent? Ferdinand is now in a bad mood, and God seems to intend to work against him. The weather today is unusually hot and can be said to be the hottest day since the beginning of summer. Although the carriage was cooled by locally crafted ice inside, but Ferdinand was not a greedy man. He thought that the weather in the morning should not be hot and show the spirit of sharing the pain and suffering together. He told the soldiers to withdraw from the carriage before he left. He now regrets that the summer day really can''t be reasoned by normal sense and the weather before leaving home is still good, now suddenly bing hot and humid. Ferdinand, who wanted to cry, was now unable to resist the urge to chew his teeth, just hoping to reach his destination earlier. The trip did note with Ferdinand''s hopes. It had been going on for more than three hours before the convoy slowly entered the University of Bulgaria, at which point Ferdinand was already sweating. When he got off the carriage, he looked at the university''s staff and students who had been waiting for a long time under the hot sun. Ferdinand''s mood was much better, and he was not alone in suffering. Compared with the usual training of soldiers, a few hours of driving in the hot sun is a child''s y. He receives a warm wee from all the students and professors. Ferdinand stepped up to the podium and began his passionate speech under the intense sun. "Good morning, students and professors. I am d to meet you here today! You are all the elite of the country, the hope of the nation! Today, we stand here! We stand on thend of the Bulgarians! We stand on Sofia, thend that our ancestors poured out with blood and dignity! When you open our history books, we have so much glorious history that is worthy of being remembered! What about now? A small Balkan country!!! One might say that one would find a whole lot of objective excuses!!! Today I want to tell you that it''s all bullshit!!! Why did Bulgaria weaken in our time? Simply put, more people are talking, and fewer people are doing!!! In essence, a big theorist who boasts about his contribution to this country is no better than an ordinary worker or a hardworking farmer!!! Some educated people in recent times have sought the road to power from European powers. But I would like to say that they are all wrong!!! The reason that Bulgaria is strong is simple. It''s not the idea or the system! In fact, we all know that there are only two core issues: one is resources, and the other is poption! If you look at the world''s great powers, all of them, without exception, have these two things! Most people are afraid to face up to this problem. Why? Are they ipetent? Had not found these problems? Of course not!!! ''Empty talk misleads the country, and practical work prospers the nation'', don''t hold any hope for a bunch of bloviators!!! They are not the hope of this country. You are!!! Behind us are the four million Bulgarian people whose hard work feeds us!!! For what purpose? Dignity! The dignity of being a human being!!! To be recognized as one of the world''s great nations, we can proudly say: Bulgaria has risen! Identify the problem, confront it, and find a way to solve it! The country is not strong overnight. If we can''t do it in ten years, so what about twenty years? Otherwise, it does not matter if we can continue to work hard after fifty years, after a hundred years, one day we canplete the great rejuvenation of the country, the nation..." Chapter 99: Secret Military Education Chapter 99: Secret Military Education Ferdinand finished acting like an actor at the University of Bulgaria. He personally awarded diplomas to more than four hundred students on the spot and ate with the entire university in the cafeteria before returning to the pce. Ferdinand, who had been busy all day, hadn''t had time to rest when Minister of Education, Chekhov, came running with sweat on his face. Ferdinand asked, puzzled, "Chekhov, what is so urgent?" "Your Highness, I am sorry to have disturbed your rest!!! We have a problem regarding the cements of university graduates!!!" said Chekhov, wiping his sweat. Hearing this, Ferdinand was more puzzled. One should know that this ss of university graduates with quality is great. Moreover, all science and technology majors are rare talents, and it is not simple to ce them in jobs! Thus he asked, "What''s the problem?" Chekhov looked at Ferdinand and said with some trouble: "Your Highness, we did not estimate enough. We surveyed the allocation of university students ording to their wishes. However, the university has just sent us new applicants. Many of them have given up their original positions in administration and hope to do technical work in the front line!" After listening to Chekhov''s exnation, Ferdinand knew why and how. Mostly, his speech today inspired this group of young schrs. When their minds got passionate, they decided to throw themselves into the tide of building the country. At the same time, he was more puzzled, "This is a good thing! Haven''t we been advocating it?" "This ~ because we did not expect such a change. We could not get so many suitable positions for a while!" Chekhov gulped and said. "Oh! I got it. That''s a real pain in the ass. Let me think about it first!" Ferdinand said with a headache. If it is usual, this is only small trouble. Some people are ced first, and some wait for a few months, and then ced, there is no harm. The problem now is that Ferdinand just went to act tough today, in the face of the entire faculty and students with a clear promise of cement, so you can''t hit your own face! That''s why Chekhov rushed over. In fact, this year''s college students are in demand, and many sectors are ying with the idea that there are simply not enough scores. The list of job cements has long been finalized and has been sent to the schools. However, because of the cause by Ferdinand, many of the previous ns have been nullified. Ferdinand kept wandering for a moment, and after a few moments of time, he suddenly had a bright idea and said uncertainly: "Didn''t the reserve program start! Why don''t we organize them and train them for three months first?" Chekhov said cautiously, "Yes! There is a three-month buffer, enough time for us to take care of thetter! Moreover, now that the national reserve has beenunched, they will have to join the training sooner orter, and no one can say anything!" This time it was Ferdinand''s turn to be surprised. He also did not expect that Chekhov would express support for this unreliable proposal. He also found a legitimate excuse. Does the Bulgarian reserve program include this group of college students? Obviously, as long as Ferdinand is not an idiot, sending them to the battlefield as cannon fodder is impossible. They are his entire generation! After giving it some thought, Ferdinand decided to do just that! All students who graduate in the futuree to three months of basic training. They will be able to exercise their bodies and train their willpower, killing two birds with one stone! "Why not simply promote it? From elementary school to university, all students should have no less than one month of military training every year and three more months after they graduate! Yes, we must also increase the number of hours of patriotic education. I have already asked the experts from Austria-Hungary to prepare the teaching materials, so take a look at them first!" Ferdinand waved his hand to make a decision. The startled Chekhov was stunned, froze for a while before reacting, and nodded in confusion. The students in Bulgaria then suffered bad luck. The original happy holidays have now turned into painful training. Ferdinand also said beautifully that the students should improve the overall quality, but it is utterly militaristic education. In the 19th century, however, militarism was not yet notorious, especially in the Balkans, where countries had more or less militaristic stigmas. Patriotic education, it goes without saying. Loyalty and patriotism at the time were almost one. Ferdinand mixes his private matter, but he can not fault it in in sight! This generation of students does not have the spoiled life of the future times. Several families are not yet educated to scream for them. With less vacation, more time for study, and no extra costs, what a good thing, parents don''t care about their feelings! Ferdinand knew that because it had not yet fully entered the age of electricity. The task of students in Bulgaria is not very heavy now. At least the morning and evening self-study in the future is not yet possible. The contents to be learned are not as much as inter times. The piano, painting, dance, etc., are still the domain of the aristocracy. If not for the cost, Ferdinand really does not mind taking his own work schedule to Bulgaria. After some thought, Ferdinand still gave up. The electricity of this era is not cheap! The annual electricity bill of the University of Bulgaria alone makes the Ministry of Education scream. Moreover, it is only for ssrooms,boratories, and offices. Sorry, Bulgaria is not such a rich pay for the rest of the dormitory and cafeteria. Even at that time, Bulgarian students were the most miserable in the world. From the beginning of the Second Five-Year n, it changed weekends to only one break. Summer and winter vacations were non-existent, and the longest Christmas holiday was only three days. The concept in education is ''if the quality is not enough, use time!'' The extra effort always pays off anyway, and it has proven to be effective. In thest two years, the graduation rate of primary and secondary school students has increased dramatically. At the end of the 19th century, the standard of living of the European poption was still mostly ck bread. It was not always possible to eat meat a few times a year, and it was good to have a full meal. Bulgaria has developed well in recent years. The raising of the standard of living of the people is limited to being able to fill their stomachs, have more vegetables and fruits on the table, and be able to eat meat once per week. Ferdinand knew that if military training were carried out, many children from poor backgrounds would have problems in terms of nutrition. He also knew that the Ministry of Education had proposed a food subsidy a long time ago, but only some students with good grades could receive it due to financial constraints. He asked, "Chekhov, how much would it cost if we subsidized students'' meals all over the country during military training?" Chekhov, who was still in deep thought, quickly reacted and said, "Your Highness, there are more than 364,000 students in the country. If we calcte one month of military training per year for students and three months for graduates and give the basic allowance, the annual expenditure will be around 500,000 Leva." After hearing the number of people, Ferdinand was shocked. He thought it would be a huge number, but the price quoted by Chekhov was much smaller. There is no need to think. Ferdinand also knows why. Bulgaria itself is a major food producer. The government unified the purchase price per unit to be much lower. Chapter 100: Government Is Running Out of Money Chapter 100: Government Is Running Out of Money The first thing he did was to send Chekhov away, and Ferdinand was somewhat proud of himself. He had perfected his ability to bring in private matters. The things that are not rted to each other were pulled together, but also so logical! ... Chekhov is now in a terrible mood. The Ministry of Education''s funding proposal was rejected by the Ministry of Finance, even honest ones can be angry! Simply 500,000 Leva, the Ministry of Finance dares to say that there is no money and suspend the funding. He is clearly not to give face! At that time, Chekhov burst into the Ministry of Finance in a rage and went straight to the Minister of Finance, Kenedi Ivanov. "Mr. Kenedi, can you tell me why the Ministry of Education is being withheld from this funding, don''t tell me that the Ministry of Finance doesn''t even have half a million Leva!!!" Although he has tried to suppress his anger, the meaning of hiring the teacher is still very obvious. In the face of Chekhov''s protest, Kenedi was not annoyed. The Ministry of Finance has seen a lot of such things. It is still smiling and said: "Mr. Chekhov, believe it or not, we really can''t get this money out of the Ministry of Finance. Of course, it''s not that the Ministry of Finance doesn''t have money now. The problem is that all this money ~ has already been set for a certain area! We don''t need to wait long either. As soon as the revenue from the tax sector is received next month, I will allocate the money to you at once!!!" Chekhov did not believe in Minister of Finance Kenedi''s im. He exactly knew how Bulgaria''s finances were, so how could they be short of 500,000 Leva! He looked at Kenedi with a cynical smile and said with contempt, "Is that so! Then I''ll ask Mr. Kenedi to go and exin to His Highness in person!" After hearing this, Kenedi''s face changed, and he knew Chekhov was furious, and he still didn''t have the strength to resent the cab minister, who was a close friend of Ferdinand. He opened the vault, took out a stack of files and handed them over, and said with a bitter smile: "Mr. Chekhov, now Bulgaria is using money all over. In addition to the previous budget, you should know how many project allocations have been added to the back! The Ministry of Finance just has more money, but it''s not enough! If it continues, we will face a financial crisis in the near future. The details are here and are being ready to be reported to the cab!!!" Chekhov took the files and looked at them carefully. The content has be rming the more he read about it. He never thought how the government could spend so much money! After half a minute, he closed the files and said in disbelief, "Is this all true?" "Of course! Every expense on this is clear, especially after the outbreak of the economic crisis. In order to get out of the crisis early, weunched many projects in advance, which greatly exceeded the budget. The previous savings, and loans, are now about to run out!" Kenedi said seriously. Chekhov knows that the trouble is big. The outbreak of the financial crisis to not much, but many projects will be affected, abandoned, or postponed! It means that the rapid development of Bulgaria is about to end, which is now the government can not ept! "I know! Why didn''t you report the problem in advance if the problem is so serious?" Chekhov asked skeptically. Kenedi said with a bitter smile, "Mr. Chekhov, we didn''t expect before that so many new projects have been added in thest two months, and many of them are not part of the ''Second Five n''!!!" When ites to this, the two are really decided to shut up! It is all Ferdinand''s woes, many projects behind this are personally approved by him, and then it is to proceed to discuss their own bosses to reprove. ... After looking at the report sent up by the Ministry of Finance at the cab meeting in August, everyone is distressed! On the surface, there is nothing wrong now. That ispletely manageable as long as there is no need to add new gold-devouring projects. But this is impossible, not to mention the ''arsenal project'' to beunched at the beginning of the year. It can not be stopped, right? There''s no less than 5 million Leva to be spent on it! There is also the big wedding of Ferdinandter, and it is a big expense. They can not save this, they can not lose the Knyaz''s face, and they can not deny the face of Russia! And so on... Konstantin broke the silence by saying, "Gentlemen, you''ve all seen the Ministry of Finance''s report! If we are to carry on andplete the projects that havee behind us, at the most optimistic estimate: In 1894 we will face a deficit of twelve million Leva. In 1895, we will face a deficit of thirty-five million; in 1896, we will face a deficit of fifty million Leva; and in 1897, this figure will reach eighty million Leva, which is already more than half of our present revenues!!! In other words, we have a financial crisising to Bulgaria!!! This problem gued Bulgaria many years ago, and now it ising back, and what are we going to do?" Now there are only two choices before for the cab: either to get money to solve the possible future outbreak of fiscal deficit; or to cut some projects and save money! At present, the Bulgarian government''s international debt is already as high as 1.5 billion Leva, and the annual interest payment is 11 million Leva. Compared to Greece''s six billion, Serbia''s three billion, it is not much! However, everyone is reluctant to take out foreign loans, not to mention the high-interest rate. The key is to mortgage the sovereign! All those sitting here are in high positions of power, and no one wants to carry the name of traitor. "Your Excellency, I propose to suspend certain not particrly vital projects and start them again when the finances improve!!!" said Minister of Finance Kenedi discreetly. "No, I''m against it!!! The sess of the ''Second Five-Year n'' decided whether we, in Bulgaria, canplete industrialization or not! We can''t dy or even give up just because of short-term difficulties!!!" The Minister of Industry instantly retorted to him. "I support it!!! The government''s current financial situation can no longer blindly start so many projects, or I fear that the amount of funding that follows will press us into bankruptcy!!!" The Minister of Foreign Affairs agreed. "I am against it!!! It is already the most crucial moment for Bulgaria, and once we get through this one, nothing can stop Bulgaria from going strong anymore!!!" The Minister of Transport retorted. ... Konstantin pped the table with a loud ''bang'' and said, "Enough! If you keep arguing like this, I think we will still be sitting here for the rest of the day! The old rule is to vote by raising your hands. The minority obeys the majority. There is no abstention! Those who agree with the Minister of Finance, please raise your hands!" After he finished speaking, those who supported the idea of cutting the project raised their hands one after another. After sweeping the room, Konstantin also slowly raised his hand and said, "Five votes in favor, four votes against, passed!" Chapter 101: National Debt Chapter 101: National Debt "Your Highness, this is the policy formted by the cab to deal with our uing fiscal deficit!" Konstantin handed over a copy to Ferdinand in nervousness. After taking the documents, Ferdinand carefully flipped through them. In fact, after the cab meeting, Ferdinand just received the news, and he was not surprised by the result. Frankly speaking, the cab''s decision was not wrong, and it did not blindly pursue political gains while ignoring the actual situation. But it does not mean that Ferdinand is willing to ept this result! As a traverser, he knew the cruelty of the future battle! An overview of the behavior of the Balkan countries in the Great War: Serbia, as a trigger, was directly wasted; Romania was beaten into the ground, shaky; Greece yed the game foolishly, their own problems are not fixed; Bulgaria was on the wrong side, the behavior is good again for nothing! Ferdinand knows very well if they can not build up enough strength before the first battle, at that time will certainly be cannon fodder, and the ending will be the word ''tragic'' in any case! The projects that started in 1893 are not going to change, and the projects that the cab ns to cut are for the next three years. It is easy to stop the cab''s decision, Ferdinand can easily veto, but it will be a problem to solve the fiscal deficit! How about international loans? No way!!! The extra conditions alone are enough to bring anyone into infamy!!! What about issuing bonds? It seems feasible if someone is willing to buy it! That''s right!!! On the issue of bonds, they can not sell their own bottom part. It is business anyway, this year''s currency is directly linked to gold, and there is no devaluation! So they can solve at least the deficit of 1894 well! "Well, Mr. Prime Minister, hasn''t your cab thought of any other way? You know that these projects are crucial for the future development of Bulgaria!!!" Ferdinand said in the pretense of distress. In Konstantin''s mind, it''s reallying! He gulped and said: "Your Highness, in addition to this, we can only borrow from the international market! But you know, while the economic crisis is still going on, the price we have to pay to find international loans is too great! We have no choice but to cut back on some projects that are not important!" After listening to Konstantin''s exnation, Ferdinand''s face did not change in the slightest, and he said calmly: "You have told me that you are aware of all these cases! But why have you not considered the domestic? With the government''s prestige, issuing bonds at home and abroad, even if it sets a higher interest rate, we can afford it! In this way, all we pay for is just some financial gain!!!" When he heard Ferdinand''s words, Konstantin''s eyes lit up and darkened again. He said with a bitter smile: "Your Highness, I''m afraid this is difficult to do! Even if we set the interest rate higher, it would be good to be able to sell 10 million without making sales to corporate investors!" Ferdinand said casually: "Even so, we can solve the 1894 capital turnover, no? Thetter will be discussed at that time, and if we really can''t do anything about it, we will proceed as per the current n! After some thought, Konstantin said: "Your Highness, in theory, all this is possible, but we also have to consider the interest problem! Now we have to pay more than 12 million Leva a year in interest on our loans, and if we add these bonds, then our future interest expenses alone could be as high as 30 million Leva, which is close to two times of revenue!!!" "Oh, it''s double what the revenue is now, right?" Ferdinand asked instead. "Yes!" said Konstantin. "Then it''s good! Don''t forget that our economy is not growing slowly, and by that time, the revenue will definitely be much higher than it is now!!! Well then, interest is not a problem! The premise is that you are able to sell out!" Ferdinand said with a clear mind. What a joke, when the "Second Five-Year n" ispleted, Bulgaria''s national power will be greatly increased. It is still simple to escape the crisis! ... After dismissing Konstantin, Ferdinand knew it was time to raise funds. He already knew that the international financial has limited interest in Bulgaria, and now that the economic crisis has just started, everyone is busy! The domestic is even less to consider, except for Ferdinand, who is a big buyer, all the others are worthless!!! Ferdinand is still thinking about how to raise money. The cab is already making ns for the issuance of bonds. After leaving the pce, Konstantin did not dy and convened a cab meeting about the economy in a hurry. Konstantin didn''t whine. He just spelled it out: "Gentlemen, I''m calling you here for the same fiscal deficit issue as before! I went to the pce a while ago to report the cab''s final decision to His Highness, but it was not approved! Moreover, a new idea has been proposed by issuing bonds bills using public interest and borrowing money from the private sector to solve the deficit! Now our task is to determine if it is feasible? And if it is feasible, how should the bonds be issued?" After hearing Konstantin''s words, there is no doubt that another door has been opened and everyone has been lost in thought. The fact is that issuing bonds is not been something new for a long time. However, unlike future generations, in the 19th century, the purchasing power of ordinary people was limited, and it was the wealthy corporations that could really afford to buy. The sale of bonds could also usually only be endorsed by the bank and sold to themunity by proxy. Anyway, they all have to be drawn by the banks for an ie and investment tform, so often, people prefer to go to the bank for a loan, rather than relying on the bonds that may not be able to sell out! "Your Excellency, there is no problem in theory to issue bonds, but how to sell them out? You should know that our capital deficit is not ten or eight million Leva, but up to one point seven hundred million Leva, and may even eventually exceed two hundred million Leva!!! There are not many financial agencies in the world that have the ability to take it, and without enough interest, I''m afraid it will be hard to push them?" Chekhov raised the question. The crowd turned their gazes of hope to Konstantin in unison, expecting him to have something good to say. Konstantin exined, "This problem, in my opinion, can be solved in smaller amounts!!! We don''t have a shortage of funds because that will happen at once. We don''t need to issue so many bonds all at once! It can be divided into smaller numbers and promoted to the market slowly so that the financial structure has the strength to ept much more. We can also pay as little as possible!" Chapter 102: The Bonds - Gold Mine Chapter 102: The Bonds - Gold Mine After waiting for a moment and seeing that no one was speaking, Konstantin asked on point, "Mr. Kenedi, you are an expert in finance, what do you think about this?" "Your Excellency, with all due respect, even if that were the case, we couldn''t possibly do it!!! The Bulgarian government''s international reputation is not good enough to be trusted unless a corporation is willing to take it over! It would be possible to sell 20 to 30 million and that would be the limit!" said Minister of Finance Kenedi with certainty. His judgment, no one refutes, at this era, when Britain and the United States issued bonds, all require the support of corporations, or we can not sell the same! The general public simply does not have much money. There is no way to talk about purchasing power! "What about raising the interest rate?" asked Konstantin, unwilling to give up. Kenedi thought about it and said, " From my personal initial estimate, if: the annual interest rate is 7%, it can probably sell twenty to thirty million; the annual interest rate is 8%, it can probably sell forty million or less; the annual interest rate is 9%, it can probably sell about fifty million; the annual interest rate is 10%, it can probably sell sixty-five million; the annual interest rate is 11%, it can probably sell ny million..." Konstantin suddenly interrupted him and said, "No need to say the rest, Mr. Kenedi, I think we can''t afford to pay the interest even if we know it! It is better to say directly, what is the maximum interest rate we can afford!" "With the interest rate of 10.5%, plus the current fees rate of no less than 2.5% for issuing bonds internationally, it adds up to the interest rate we are bearing is actually over 13%! Once we exceed that line, it will be not worth it to issue bonds!!!" Kenedi said without hesitation. "That''s almost twice the interest rate on the loan!" Chekhov eximed. "You can''t count it that way! It is true that the interest rate on the loan is lower on the surface, but what about the terms thate with it? If you take a total long-term view, it is essentially more costly to pay for international loans!" Kennedy exined. ... After some research, the cab still decided to issue bonds, although the interest rate is a little higher, but does not involve sovereignty! As long as the country haspleted industrialization, the revenues will certainly increase enormously by then, and slowly pay back the debtter, it is better not to carry the name of the traitor! It is not an easy job to issue bonds, although people in great demand buy the bonds in the future, but the people of this year are poor! No matter what the interest rate, it takes money to buy! Minister of Finance Kenedi is now in a difficult position. Although the government has decided to issue bonds, how much and high the interest rate are to be calcted and justified by the Ministry of Finance itself before reporting! "Mr. Minister, the personnel are all in ce and ready to start!" The secretary reminded. Kenedi still has the decency to invite all Bulgarian mathematicians and financiers to join in the analysis in order to arrive at a reasonable figure as urately as possible! After hearing the secretary''s reminder, Kenedi got up while saying, "Let''s go then, don''t keep everyone waiting!" In the meeting room, experts and academicians are gathering in groups with each other to exchange words. "Staudt my friend, do you know what the Ministry of Finance has invited everyone here today?" Rehmann Holman asked dubiously. "Rehmann, are you kidding me? I am engaged in mathematical research, but you are the one who is engaged in economics, as well as the adviser of the Ministry of Finance, right? If you don''t know, how can I know!" Staudt red at him and said resentfully. "God forbid, I just asked casually! You know how normally the Ministry of Finance and you guys don''t have much to deal with, and this time you were suddenly invited over, and I thought you knew about it?" Rehmann Holman said, depressed. ... Kenedi''s arrival interrupted the exchange of words, and the scene fell silent. "Good afternoon, gentlemen! It''s a pleasure to meet you all here, and your time is valuable, so I''ll keep it short! I invited you all here today for the issuance of national bonds, and my secretary sent you the data! You can browse through it first, but the content must be kept confidential!" Kenedi said cautiously. They took over the document, and all of them carefully browsed it, and the more they read it, the more shocking it was! After half a second, seeing that everyone had finished reading, Kenedi said seriously. "I hope you all understand the current situation, the next step is up to you! But please note is that this matter must be kept confidential, once leaked out, it will cause unthinkable effects!" The crowd nodded in unison, and the group sitting around here took what should be subsidized by the government. These theoretical studies done at the end of the 19th century are of a public interest nature. There is not much other ie! In Bulgaria, it is challenging to give businesses as advisers in such a small country. It isn''t easy to brush the presence in the newspaper. Everyone is far more interested in the industry than theory! It is not enough to invite experts to participate. Kenedi is clear that this group of experts and academics are only for their opinions. The Ministry of Finance itself has to calcte its own, as the final result for validation! Ferdinand was not very concerned about the interest rate calcted by the Ministry of Finance, but he knew it could not be too low anyway! How could it be cheap to borrow money without coteral when the international interest rates of this era exist? For the gold standard, Ferdinand remains painful. Gold reserves are not easy to get! If possible, Ferdinand really does not mind changing to the fiat standard. Of course, it can only be just an idea! In the present situation, which issued loan funds, it is estimated that intion canpete with Zimbabwe! The Balkans have always been a major gold-producing region in Europe, dating back to ancient times when it was mined. Ferdinand can''t remember how much Bulgaria''s gold reserves are, and in any case, it still exports gold to China in the 21st century. Anyway, at the end of the 19th century, the Bulgarian economy was sorge in history that it always took gold out from the country to make up for the deficit in foreign trade. Ferdinand, whocks money, will now target the gold mines. It is important to know that the previous takeover of the Austro-Hungarian Bank''s assets in Bulgaria, which includes several areas of mines, although due to the short time in hand, has not yet had time torge-scale mining. There is no shortage of gold mining expertise. After all, Ferdinand has United Mining Co., Ltd., which has been in operation for several years, and the technical equipment is at the forefront of the world! There is not much technology in the mining industry in this era. The internalbustion engine is not yet widespread. There is not much machinery that they can use. It is mainly by human power. Mining is not a good job because it isbor-intensive, dangerous, and risky. Ferdinand estimated that the previous Austro-Hungarian Bank did not haverge-scale mining. There are not enough workers is also a reason for it! After all, mining is a high-risk job, and Bulgaria''s poption is limited, and they will recruit a few miners to do it! "Karl, have you finished surveying all the gold mines under the Royal Bank?" Chapter 103: Immigration Chapter 103: Immigration Karl replied: "Your Highness, we''ve figured it out! At present, the Royal Bank has a total of fiverge and small gold mines, with a rough estimate of reserves around one hundred and eighty tons. There are also several other mining properties in the region that have not yet been explored!" "Hmm, the ces that are not explored, we should organizebor to explore them as soon as possible! The gold mines that have been located, is there a mining n?" Ferdinand asked. "Yes, Your Highness! We will at once organize ourbor and conduct arge-scale exploration! The five gold mines that are already being mined were formerly mined on a small scale, with less than a thousand mining workers! Our first n is to focus on two of the mines that are simple to mine, and the other three mines will be mined on a small scale for now! We n to recruit more than 20,000 miners, mainly in favor of foreign workers!" Karl said. Ferdinand nodded. He was satisfied with Karl''s n. The first is easy, then the next is difficult to mine, is no doubt in line with the reality, but also to meet Ferdinand''s short-term purpose of raising funds. All the miners have recruited from outside. It can maximizebor costs, and mining is a high-risk job, which happens to be inevitable casualties. Bulgaria has a limited poption, and every nation''s life is precious! Also, if there are too many deaths, there is no way to suppress public opinion in the country. After all, there are more family members! Foreigners will not matter. Before they are integrated into it, it does not hurt Ferdinand how many die. Anyway, the Russian side has plenty of people! "Do it with all your might, the Immigration and Resettlement Department will help you, and I hope the gold mine can be put into business as soon as possible!" Ferdinand said seriously. "Your Highness, please rest assured !!! You will receive good news in theing year!" Karl said with a smile. ... Count Pavel has been in a very good moodtely. Since he became ambassador to Bulgaria, although his position is notparable to Germany''s, his wallet is much bigger, and he has made a new group of friends in the country. Since creating the Russian-Bulgarian Alliance, the number of immigrants from Russia to Bulgaria has been rapidly growing! Of course, it also needed Count Pavel''s help, and themissions were not small. The Russian Empire is now in its golden age. The country is not to say that it is peaceful, minus the Jews that everyone curses, but it is generally still peaceful! Naturally, there are only a few immigrants in the usual way, so how can Bulgaria''s needs be met? But it doesn''t matter, as long as there is money, one can always find someone! With the gradual spread of mechanized agriculture, the Russian aristocracy realized that the ''serfs'', once a valuable asset, we''re no longer of much use! Historically, these ''serfs'' or ''peasants'' were left behind by the aristocracy and moved to the cities, where they became workers. Now the aristocrats have a new option, to ''sell'' it to Bulgaria! No, it''s a great strategic idea to integrate Bulgaria and expand the territory of the great Russian Empire! Count Pavel''s business has be numerous, the reason for the change of position, to help hold a line and more, one of the most massive human trafficking cartels in human history was born! Now it can be said to have been ''professionalized''. All can be clearly priced: young men, women, children, the elderly, all prices are different; not only that, the price of different ethnic groups, also different! It looks like you want to buy from a supermarket, as long as you can afford it, it''s possible to have them all! Ferdinand was not a fool to take anyone. Besides the honest peasants, others like street thugs, criminals, revolutionaries, etc., were rejected. One should note that the Russian Empire has more than two hundred ethnic groups of all sizes, and Bulgaria does not want all ethnic groups. First of all, thenguage, culture, and customs are too different from each other, and secondly, they do not want a race with too strong a sense of independence. It is best if arge group of people do not know a lot of words and can not even figure out which ethnic group they are! When such a conditiones down, most of the people of the Russian Empire are excluded. Putting it all together is: Bulgarians are the most popr, but sadly not many. Next are the vs, but as the main ethnic group of the Russian Empire, their small life is still rtively good, and they do not have a strong will to emigrate. Once again, it is the Ukrainians, perhaps because the Ukrainian in is so rich and shining that they do not have a strong nationalism. Then there are a bunch of minorities. The poption base is too small, has no cultural heritage, etc... For this, the Russian aristocracy has not stopped mocking Bulgaria. It ispletely in the garbage! What''s the use of a bunch of illiterate peasants? The Great Migration has begun until now. The total number of immigrants from the Russian Empire to Bulgaria has exceeded two hundred and fifty thousand, but the poption''s quality is surprisingly low. ording to the Immigration Department, literacy per capita is less than twenty! However, Ferdinand is pleased with this. It is good not to know how to read and write, simple mind, it is easy to make the brainwashing! All they need to do is tell them to call themselves Bulgarians, and they''ll get an extra loaf of bread, and then they''ll be Bulgarians, and anyone who dares say they''re not will be at your mercy!!! This problem, the officials of the Immigration Department had the most experience. Once they released a rumor, and after they actually gave out an extra loaf of bread every day, the Bulgarians suddenly grew bigger for no reason! One should note that Ferdinand is not a charity. The Bulgarian government is not a charity. All expenses for migrants are first advanced to pay by the government. Thetter is required to repay personally, including interest! But if it is the Bulgarians, you only need to pay back half, and free of interest! It is not a small amount to know the cost of migration and add the resettlement fee of the Bulgarian government, and counting the interest, the figure is even more terrible. If it is an ordinary worker, you can pay it back without eating or drinking and working hard for five years!!! After knowing this news, people are more afraid to reveal their original ethnicity for fear of being chased for immigration fees! It is better to be a Bulgarian. You only need to pay half of the immigration fee, but do not have to pay interest, deducted ten percent of sry every month. You can slowly payback, all forgiven once you join Bulgarian citizenship! If you tell a lie a thousand times, it will be true. Anyway, when the next generation rises, it will be the real Bulgarians ultimately. Although many people did not understand why he did this, but with Ferdinand''s insistence, ''Bulgarianization'' was still implemented as a national policy! After a decade or two, you will know the benefits of arge number of one main ethnic group! Chapter 104: Human Trade Chapter 104: Human ''Trade'' Is there better assimtion than what they have in the world? They share themonnguage, culture, and customs and have no national sense, so they can directly tell them that all the ancestors are one family, which they believe! The big deal is to distort the historical data and fabricate a batch of evidence. However, in his previous life, Ferdinand saw a lot of fraud expert professors. It was not a minor problem! Is there any fear of low education quality? Never mind! We can militarize and turn them in, so they know the rules!!! What are you afraid of if you can''t read or write? It''s okay! I can open a literacy ss and learn slowly! ... Looking for mining workers now, the first thing that came to Karl''s mind was Count Pavel. How could 20,000 miners be put together in Bulgaria anyway! In these days, if you stay at home for a long time, you will have to get some help from the police, and they will be very eager to provide you with a job. You don''t have to worry about not working. You can build bridges and roads or go to construction sites. These ces are short of people! It does not matter if you can''t do it, you can also bring your family to mobilize your family and continue to do ideological work, and your passion for the work is great! It is also the creation of Ferdinand. It does not cost much anyway. As long as the food is provided, there is a task force for ideological education! Karl and Count Pavel are also old friends and have a good rtionship with each other, so they get straight to the point: "Pavel, I came here today to ask for your help!" Karl is now serving as Ferdinand''s chambein, a very special position in Bulgaria. When he heard that this man needed help, Count Pavel said in doubt, "Oh, what is it, you, my lord chambein, that needs my help?" "A favor that really only you can do!!! I need 20,000 miners now, and they better be in ce before Christmas!!!" Karl said with a smile. Count Pavel''s mood was better when he heard this, another big business at the door. However, he was still a bit surprised and asked, "Why do you want 20,000 miners again? Didn''t you ask for 40,000 minersst year? Is His Highness doing something big again?" "You were right, it''s just a few small gold mines! How about that, any questions?" Karl said confidently. Count Pavel''s eyes lit up when he heard about the gold mine, and then it dimmed down. If it were someone else''s, by virtue of his own position, that man would not be able to get a piece of the pie, but it is better to leave Ferdinand''s estate alone. He has not lived long enough! "Don''t worry. I''ll contact the other side right away. I will do it as soon as possible. It will not hold up the business of His Highness!!!" Count Pavel said grandly. He does have the strength. The Russian Empire now wants to do this kind of business, and people are still quite a lot, for the sake of profit, that gang of aristocrats does not have the courage not to do much!!! Many of the peasants hired under the nobility are no longer assets but rather obstacles to their mechanization! They can also make a profit by taking this opportunity to get rid of them or cheat and bankrupt ordinary civilians with no skills at all!!! Anyway, these are known to everyone. Aleksandr III is likely to be eager to increase the number of immigrants to strengthen the influence of Bulgaria and reduce the conflicts in the country. Count Pavel, in this aspect, lead a bridge without pressure! In St. Petersburg, after receiving the telegram from Count Pavel, Count Volensky was busy preparing the ''goods''. As a fallen aristocrat, he could not get such a good thing, but Count Volensky''s mother was a cousin of Count Pavel, so he took a share of it by getting involved. Since the 19th century, after theypleted the first industrial revolution, capitalists have emerged strongly, mainly investing in industry or financial profits, which far surpass those made by agriculture. The aristocrats who have not yet switched sides are having a hard time, and the ie from agriculture is no longer enough to meet their rising expenses! There is no doubt that the family of Count Volensky is one of them, which alreadygs behind the already transformed aristocrats in terms of financial resources. Despite his great efforts in St. Petersburg, Count Volensky has missed the best opportunity to enter. The oligopoly has formed and is not something that a small or medium-sized aristocrat like him can shake. Count Volensky is taking great pains to maintain a decent aristocratic life. And now that the chance came, the clever Count Volensky, who quickly thought of a way, did not go to force the pariahs of his fiefdom to leave, which would have been inefficient and prone to a disaster! First, under the cover as a factory went to recruit workers, they were brought to the port, tricked and sent to the ship, took the money, and left. The rest is the job of the Bulgarian Immigration Service, and he has nothing to do with it. Count Volensky has recruited workers who are found from remote areas, without much literacy and are young and strong. It was totally qualitybor, very popr with employers. This time was no different, Count Volensky chose to target the Ukrainian region of Sumy, which at the end of the 19th century was still a backward countryside with simple people, and this year''s poor grain harvest was just right for him. When he arrived at the city of Sumy, Count Volensky said to his servant, "Viki, go and find some local ''snakes'', I want to see them for your Lordship!" At his words, his servant Viki at once knew what Count Volensky meant, "Yes, Your Lordship I''ll get right on it!" Having said that, Viki left in a hurry, knowing that Count Volensky was not a patient man, especially when it came to money! The cat has its way. The mouse has its way! To find the ''snake'' in the ground, Viki is very good at it. If you are going to Russia, the tavern is a good choice! ... In less than two hours, Viki brought the three ''snakes'' to Count Volensky! Count Volensky cast a mischievous nce at the three, didn''t make any courtesy, and asked in a certain tone, "You are all the local snakes here, right?" Having seen Count Volensky''s rank, all three knew that this was an aristocrat lord. The Russian Empire has a strict hierarchy, and people in any capacity have certain kinds of rank! The three men replied appropriately, "Yes, Your Lordship!" Count Volensky nodded, then said lightly: "Very well, my factory now needs arge number of workers, and this task is handed over to you. You must keep in mind that it must be a strong young man or woman! The pay is for food and housing, and 5 rubles per month! The more, the merrier! I''ll give you 20 rubles for every hundred people you recruit and another hundred rubles for every person over a thousand! Any questions?" "No!" The three men answered in unison. Count Volensky waved his hand, signaling that the three could leave as if one more word with them was too damaging to his status! The three of them did not mind. They bowed properly and left happily! It''s normal for aristocrats to be arrogant. It''s only a problem if they politely talk to them! Chapter 105: Bond Release Chapter 105: Bond Release "Hey, what do you two think? There seems to be something wrong with this!" said one of the taller men. "What do you think, this is not understood by Luka! An aristocratic lord, intends to build a secret factory that was held here, why do you care so much, as long as we can earn a sum on it, it is beyond our reach anyway!" A middle-aged man with a slightly obese build said back. "Fatty is right, Luka, the affairs of the aristocrats, it is not for us to interfere! If we have the chance, we might as well think about how we can recruit a few more people for the money!" Another man said. "I know the logic of what you say, but I always feel very strange, it''s not simple for an aristocrat to recruit workers? With their power, where do they still need our help? Do not you think it is unusual that the wages are so high?" The tall man named Luka exined. When they heard Luka''s words, the two had some thoughts. After a few moments of time, the chubby middle-aged man seemed to think of something. His face changed greatly, and he said with some fear: "He will not open a shady business, right? I heard that some rogue capitalists go around to cheat people to go to the mine, and they all go without return!" "Then what should we do? He is an aristocrat, if we agree and do not do it, I am afraid ~ ~; if we do it, how can we still have a base in Sumy? Looking at this situation no one can afford to send a thousand or eight hundred people, if something happens, how many families won''t tear us three?" Another person said. "It''s not that serious! The ones who dare to do that are mostly small mines in the middle of nowhere, and there are not many workers. This aristocratic lord recruited many people, with several thousand workers up in arms. Does he really dare to do anything? Once the word gets out, even aristocrats will have to eat their words!" Luka said, shaking his head. "What do you mean, we try to find him a local man, and we have a way to look after each other, at the same time, the more people the better?" Fatty asked tentatively. "That''s right! A few civilians are ants in their eyes, what if there were hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of people? There is no way it can be done too much!!!" Luka confidently said. ... For the sake of the ruble and their future lives, the three called on their friends and urged everyone to go out to work. Thanks to the natural disaster some time ago, most Sumy had a poor harvest, and many people were worried about their livelihood. The result was great. In just one week, more than a thousand people signed up. Count Volensky was cautious and did not appear in person but only sent his servant Viki to appear. In the priest''s witness, who is God''s representative, the people signed thebour contract on behalf of Count Volensky and the workers. In his opinion, he did not break the contract! The contract does not specify the workce. The sry is not a lie. Mining in Bulgaria does have this ie. There will not be enough to work overtime, but always have! Such a low investment, high return, zero-risk business is difficult to find. In Count Volensky''s opinion, the Bulgarian government ispletely ''natural'' stupid, doesn''t want high-quality intellectuals, and spends a lot of money on a group of stupid pariahs! If Prime Minister Konstantin knows, he will surely curse. Why is it their business? The Knyaz entirely insists on it. Ferdinand, who is usually happy to listen to advice, has a firm opinion this time: You can have an opinion but still have to carry out 100%. If you dare to make a mistake, you can go home and work thend! It''s not that Ferdinand doesn''t want highly qualified people. At least scientists, engineers, and doctors, he wees them and is willing to pay a high price! However, these people are scarce talent in any ce, nor have you seen you get a few over? The poption trade is still going on eagerly, and shrewd people like Count Volensky are still a minority in the end. Most aristocrats also took a position as loan sharks, which used to be a problem for the poor pariahs. After all, the manpower of Russia was worthless! It is simple, squeezing the money first and then exporting together with the whole family packed immigrants to Bulgaria. It can make another profit, no matter how old or weak, but as long as there are strongbourers, Ferdinand said they would not refuse, just a little lower price! The young and strong workforce is more valuable in the short term, but it''s easier to integrate in the long term when the whole familyes together. After spending most of the month in pain and suffering, the Ministry of Finance finally came up with a scientific figure approved by most experts at least! It is nned to issue, within three years, a total of 200 million Leva of state construction bonds, with interest rates of 5%, 7.5% and 10.75% per annum on five, ten and twenty-year terms, respectively. Are these interest rates high? In Ferdinand''s opinion, not at all! The longer the time, the greater the risk, and the higher the interest rate. Naturally, there is still a risk of intion even on the gold standard!!! Society was growing, and thete 19th century was the beginning of the second industrial revolution, and human wealth was booming! Don''t look at the low-interest rates on international loans, but if you count the other attached strings, you''ll see that it''s not as good as issuing bonds! At the end of the 19th century, there was no ''Debt holders are the masters'', and what was most popr during this period was ''Justice is within the range of the cannon''. The cannon will make you a new job if you dare not pay your debts! If it is a bonds issue, it is different. Most of them will be in cirction to people. For this part, it is really ''the one who owes the money is the master''! Just find an excuse to postpone payment, suspend support, or set up a set ofplex processes to dy payment time. These tactics have been seen so much by Ferdinand in his previous life! Anyway, the ordinary people are helpless against the rogue government. Of course, this hurts credibility, except Ferdinand will not do it as ast resort! ... Having received the Treasury''s n, Ferdinand called upon Minister of Finance Kennedi and asked, curiously, "Mr. Kennedi, how does your ministry intend to sell these bonds rolls?" Two hundred million Leva, which is not a small amount, is worth sixty-nine tons of gold! It was 1.25 times the revenue of the Bulgarian government in 1893, and it was not an easy task to sell it! Kennedi stammered, "Your Highness, this ~~, I''m afraid we ~ can''t ~ ensure a sale!!!" Hearing this, Ferdinand red hard at Kennedy. If there is no way to sell out, why did you make this n? Is it to tease me? Dare you today if you do not have a proper exnation. This matter is not over!!! Seeing that Ferdinand was about to get angry, Kennedi hastened to exin: "Your Highness, such arge-scale issuance of bonds, we are the first time to do, and the Bulgarian government''s credibility in the international arena, in the end, we are not sure how to define! In order to solve the financial gap, we nned only an idealized figure. How much we could sell out was an unknown! In fact, for the first batch of bonds, we only put on sale 50 million Leva. Our Ministry of Finance is prepared to negotiate with bank groups in various countries in the hope that they can act as sales agents. Unless they are optimistic about us and can eat part of it, the oue is not optimistic!!!" Chapter 106: Bond Release 2 Chapter 106: Bond Release 2 Ferdinand nodded. He knew the situation and feared it would be worse than the Ministry of Finance estimated! There is no joy and anger, and he said, "Hmm! I know the royal family will take the lead in buying five million Leva, and the rest you will have to figure out yourselves!!!" ... After leaving the pce, Kennedi''s mood was instantly much better after gaining the support of Knyaz Ferdinand, with one-tenth of the first bonds sold before they even were released. With the lead role of the royal family, it is necessary to show the capitalist side and then call on the national public to buy so that they can sell out arge part of the domestic sales, then the pressure of thest sales to be much less. In fact, the Bulgarian government is trying to publish the news of the debt papers, and by now, the word has spread. Most of the world is still in an economic crisis, which holds back the energy of many corporations. Otherwise, they would have already sharpened their knives. The scenes Kennedi expected did not appear. They sent out the letter of offer from the Ministry of Finance, but most banks just ignored it. At this point, is everyone busy trying to snip them? How much profit can be made from regr bonds, not to mention the current economic situation is bad. Who can sell them? What kind of money do you have to pay to buy? Might you as well have gone down the river? The number of banks involved in the brokerage process was much smaller than expected, and none of the major international banks came. At this moment, the Ministry of Finance is facing difficulties. Although there are nominally more than a dozen banks, but if ites to strength, the top three are actually local banks, which give a face to the three, and all the CEOs are here! Karl from the Royal Bulgarian Bank, Viktor Ivanov from the United Bulgarian Bank of Industry and Commerce, and Niki from the Bulgarian National Bank. There is no doubt that the first two are Ferdinand''s estates, only the first is publicly known, and the second is not! In order to show the priority of this tender, Prime Minister Constantine also came to the scene personally. He was also dumbfounded, not to mention the tender or the fact that all the banks that came together could eat the first batch of debt rolls, thank goodness! There was no choice but to turn his attention to the Minister of Finance, hoping that he would have a n to solve the problem. Konstantin asked in a low voice: "Kennedi, what should we do now? Where did all these bankse from it? Howe I have not heard of most of them!!!" Kennedi said with a bitter smile: "Not only you have not heard, but I also have not heard! Who knows how these vampires will suddenly note! The first thing you need to do is ask the National Bank to provide a guarantee. At least first get through this hurdle to retain the government''s credibility, to say it! Konstantin was silent for a while, then said ruthlessly: "In that case, anyway, there is no need to continue the talks, let''s just announce our conditions! Do as you like, we can''t trust it anyway!" Kennedi gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, let''s do it! If anyone buys less than five million Leva, they are out, i won''t ept them!!!" ... In a bad mood, Kennedi took the host''s seat and opened the door, "Wee, everyone, to the tender for the licensing of the National Debt Agency of the Bulgarian Government today! I won''t say much more since the relevant information has already been sent to you before! To qualify as an agent is simple, as long as the following three items are met. First, banks acting as sales agents shall have a guaranteed sales quota of not less than five million Leva each time and shall pay the funds for the bonds in advance to the Ministry of Finance. Second, the agency fee, within five million you take 1.5%, five million to ten million you take 2%, and so on, after each increase of five million increases the fees by 0.5%, up to 3% capped. Thirdly, other aspects perform ording to international practice. In case of doubt, the two sides will negotiate and resolve!" As soon as Kennedi''s words fell, there was uproar below. How is this a negotiation? It has beenpletely settled. Does not this put everyone a pain in the ass? The guaranteed sales are a little higher, so it''s just a big deal, and this one could still be handled by a few banks jointly. The problem is that the rate is too ambitious. The international fees are in the range of 2.5%. ording to Kennedi''s request, there is a 2.5% fee for addered vertical rate with abined debt volume of 30 million Leva for the agent. Of course, it is more profitable to surpass, and if it is lower than this figure, naturally, it is a loss. It is clear to tell everyone, if you don''t have the strength, don''te. These small banks now can note even if they want to unite, and the average share is more than five million for each. Without preparation in advance, taking so much at once, it may have to be finished if something goes wrong. It would be best if you did not think that the 2.5%mission is very high. You should know that the exchange rate in the 19th century was not low. After the sale worldwide and then converted into Leva, this process is not a low cost. The bank can only do this business. If otherse to do it, the exchange rate alone can make you lose money! "Mr. Kennedi, is it too much to ask for such conditions? There is no way we can ept it! Is it possible that your Bulgarian National Debt was originally a joke, for the sake of humor?" Klinische Bank representative sat up and said in mockery. Kennedi did not feel angry and said with a smile: "This gentleman is too much. We in Bulgaria set the conditions, is not to select a strong partner? If your side can not afford to bear it, leave the opportunity to a strong bank!" Hearing Kennedi''s words, the representative of Klinische Bank angrily said back, "Humph! In that case, then we''ll take our leave!" After saying that, he wouldn''t let his head down and left, followed by several other small banks'' representatives. The scene became more terrible, but Kennedi does not regret it. It is important to know that the risk of cooperation with these small banks is huge. If one is not careful when the money runs away, where to find it? There are only three local Bulgarian banks left, and all of them are considered old acquaintances. Konstantin is not afraid to lose face anymore and walks straight out from the back. "All of you, gentlemen, as you can see, the outsiders have all gone! Now that we are all old acquaintances, the next one will be a good deal for you to handle!!" Konstantin made a formal gesture to the three people. Well, even old Karl is dumbfounded, so it is a trick! We haven''t even taken a position, and then they threw the entire $50 million debt roll at us. Karl swept a nce at the other two who were confused, knowing that he still had to step in himself, and said with his signature smile, "Since Your Excellency thinks so highly of us, then the three of us will eat it jointly, and we will all contribute together to sell these 50 million bonds!" "Mr. Karl is really generous enough, so I''ll leave this amount of bonds to the three of you!" said Konstantin excitedly Chapter 107: Sales Chapter 107: Sales Kennedi was dumbfounded. There is this kind of a move? Mr. Konstantin is worthy of being the Prime Minister. He has this trick! At this moment, the baffled Viktor and Niki also reacted. It means that it is decided for them. Viktor is no more than a capitalist behind the scenes anyway. The shareholders have also expressed their support for him to this national debt. It is not a big problem to buy a share of one or two million, and a part of it is almost digested internally. Niki has a headache. The Bulgarian National Bank also appears deeply rooted with its title scenery on the surface. He had old customers who got screwed years ago and new customers who hadn''t grown up yet. It also has the fatal weakness of a state-owned bank with a rigid system and has fallen behind in thepetition. In terms of strength, he is no match for the Royal Bank; in terms of connections, he is no match for the United Bank, which has arge number of capitalist connections. When the three banks jointly sell 50 million bonds, they are most problematic. However, the two private banks are so devoted to supporting the government. As state-owned banks, they can note out to hinder it! At this moment, Kennedi also came back to his senses and was ready to quickly take out the contract that had long been prepared and distributed to the three. Niki is anxious that the Bulgarian National Bank will be in trouble if this is equally distributed down. He still does not know what level the salesmen under his hands? If not for the state bank being supported by the government and relying on them to go out and pull deposits, it is estimated that the coffers can run off with the rats. As soon as he got an idea, Niki thought of a good way, simply pull people down! With three teams taking responsibility together, which is better than their own bad luck, it is involved so much, when the government can not be held responsible! With a smile, he said, "Since it is a joint project, there is no need to sign separately! I suggest that Mr. Karl take the lead and sign on behalf of our parties!" The faces of the people changed slightly, and after thinking about it, they found nothing wrong. Bulgarian National Bank is a public bank fully controlled by the government. The possibility of default ispletely zero, it also gave the Niki a face, and both parties signed the contract. ... Ferdinand expected the failure of the government to issue bonds to the international market. It was 1893, and the European countries suffered from an economic crisis. The people did not desire to buy bonds but did not have the economic strength to buy bonds. The government also tackled on time, moving decisively into domestic sales, keeping the country''s credibility, and not allowing international capital to ride the fire. The least affected by the economic crisis in Europe is now Russia. One wonders if Wilhelm II regretted tearing up the German-Russian alliance too early. Otherwise, the Russian market is now the best cure for the German economy. Of course, Ferdinand is overthinking. In the economic crisis, Germany is starting a second industrial revolution, which will soon be reborn by fire. It will then run wild, and the United States, which also carried out the second industrial revolution, has overtaken the British Empire. However, the Russian market has now be a good cure for the Bulgarian economy. Ever since the Russian-Bulgarian alliance, trade between the two countries has expanded, and it is now Bulgaria''s number one trading partner. There was no problem in selling the bonds. Ferdinand once again thought of the Russian aristocrats. It would be best if you did not look at the financial strength of the Russian government, which is not very good, but their aristocrats are wealthy. As long as many people are interested in the bonds, there is no worry about the sale. ... The Bulgarian construction bonds were soon getting hyped up in the country. The newspapers were making propaganda every day, encouraging the people to promote the spirit of patriotism and support the country''s construction. In general, the effect was quite good, especially after Ferdinand took the lead in purchasing five million Leva. Thanks to the significant increase in the ie of the Bulgarian poption in recent years, there is still a delicate bnce in hand. Bank deposits? In this day and age, the high bank fees are not so cost-effective for small customers. Buy bonds has be a new option! To increase the gold amount of the national debt, Ferdinand also announced that the national debt could be used to pay taxes, but the interest that they did not pay would be lost! This project is undertaken by the Royal Bank and the Union Bank together. They ept the coteral of the national debt. Moreover, it is the full amount of coteral, which is the same as currency, only that it is not very convenient to circte. It could not be helped because Ferdinand couldn''t print more money in the standard gold era but only changed the issuance of currency. As long as they can freely exchange the Bulgarian government bonds for currency in the bank, then there is no worry about sales. ... Elenira is just an ordinary textile factory worker working in the development zone, and her ie is barely enough, right? Her husband, Vibert, is also a skilled worker in a machinery factory and earns a rtively good ie. After deducting the family''s expenses, the two people''s sries together are small savings every month. Over time, it is now a considerable amount for them to save in the bank. Still, after seeing the interest rate of treasury bonds, Elenira was tempted again, ready to go back to discuss with Vibert! After dinner, Elenira looked for an opportunity to speak up, "Dear, what do you think of the national debt?" "National debt, why are you suddenly asking this question? Haven''t you always cared little about the political aspect, no?" Vibert was a little surprised at his wife''s behavior. Elenira exined, "Honey, it''s not the same! It''s not politics, it''s simply a nation-building bond!!!" The speechless Vibert nodded. He has not cared about the news for a long time. In recent months the machinery factory always does endless orders, he has to work hard and busy every day, do not know whether it is a month or two months, there is no vacation for repairs. Whenever he wanted to take a break, the supervisor had toe over and give him a thought, telling him that overtime was only short-term and that there was no chance to work overtime after this period of work! When he thought of the vast overtime pay, Vibert finally persisted. Vibert still loves the machine nt and loves his boss, his supervisor! Not because of anything else, because the wages in the machine shop are slightly higher than in other factories, and the supervisor never deducts wages; even if he is assigned to work more overtime, but the overtime pay has never been less. These are enough for Vibert. Compared to his previous job, it''s a heaven and a hell. Although a little busy, he cherished this job, and the ie is high! Since he entered the machine nt, his status in the family has improved a lot, and he is always asked to take care of important matters! "That, I will go to the factory tomorrow to ask someone and then make a decision!" Vibert thought about it and said. "Well, then, you have to remember it! I heard that the interest rate on treasury bonds is very high!" Elenira advised again. "Got it!" Vibert said wearily. ... Chapter 108: Minor Character Vibert Chapter 108: Minor Character Vibert (Trantor: This chapter has many ''unbelieveable'' names. Bear it!) The following day, Vibert went to the factory in high spirits when the workers were rushed over in small groups. No other reason is for the canteen for the free breakfast, but also can not bete! It was a great way to save money for the budget-conscious Vibert, and the food in the cafeteria was good, with enough bread and a small portion of vegetables and the usual milk. When he thought about it, Vibert was very proud of the fact that in the whole development zone, and even the whole of Bulgaria, the factories that can provide three meals for free are few, and the machinery nt is one of them. After a quick greeting with a familiar colleague, Vibert entered the cafeteria. This time is the peak lunch period. Many people are already sitting in the cafeteria. After getting a buffet, Vibert casually found an unupied seat and sat down. The news of the national debt is spread quickly after all through the newspaper in just a few days. Even a group of technical nerds who deal with machinery daily talked about it, and Vibert, who was eating, was soon drawn to it. There is no doubt that the Bulgarian poption at the end of the 19th century had not yet developed the good habit of reading newspapers, mainly because of poverty! After all, the cost of printing in this era was not low. The cost of an ordinary newspaper is the ie of an average worker for a few days. The general public is aware of the national debt, they have all heard about it from others, and the details are unclear to everyone. "I heard that this time the interest rate on treasury bonds, the highest actually exceeded 10%? Do you guys have any idea??" A man said with a raised eyebrow. "Really, Saddam did you guy not lie to me? The state actually gives such a high interest rate, so why not take a loan from the bank?" Another person asked suspiciously. "No, don''t listen to his nonsense! A distant rtive of mine works in a bank, and the highest interest rate on treasury bonds is 10.75%, but the term is twenty years! At the end of the term, you can pay back the capital and interest, think about it, is it still high?" Another person said with disdain. Hearing the words questioned by Bush Jr, Saddam was like stepping on the tail. Became angry suddenly and asked sternly: "How not high? Not still more than 10%, did I say wrong? Mr Bush Jr.!!!" "So what? Mr. ''Saddam'', can you wait for a national debt of up to 20 years? What if you have to use the money in the middle of the process? Or what if there is a change in government? I think it is better to short-term to be reliable, although the interest rate is a little lower, at least the risk is less!" Bush Jr. said with a sneer. Saddam gave Bush Jr. a mischievous look and said, "You coward! What do you want to do without taking risks? You can choke to death on your food!" ... Maybe it was too emotional, the sound of their conversation was so loud that it attracted the attention of the cafeteria management and a young man came here to stop that. "Gentlemen, please keep the discipline of the cafeteria and eat in a civilized manner! If any more loud noises ur, then please get out!" Frightened, Saddam and Bush Jr. instantly apologized, saying in unison, "We''re very sorry, we got too carried away, we''ll change right away, never again!" Influenced by Ferdinand, the rules of the machinery factory were stringent, or now that all factories in Bulgaria attach great importance to the rules, almost the same as the military barracks! What can do and what can not do, are clear rules. Once broken, the consequences are dire. Don''t seem to say it lightly. It''s easy to ''get out'', but it''s hard toe back. That also means a long time to say goodbye to the free meals in the cafeteria, three meals a day and ready to take care of themselves, which is a lot of money for them! Of course, they could also choose to leave, but workers in 19th century Bulgaria were still very simple. They could leave their jobs for any reason, but not for personal reasons, because they were punished for viting the rules and would not be able to hold their heads up in front of their rtives and friends! Besides, the machine nt is a very sought-after job, with good pay and benefits, ranking among the top of all factories in Bulgaria! There are many people outside who want toe in. Saddam and Bush Jr. are through five stages for this job from a group ofpetitors toe out. A minor incident passed, and before Vibert even made an inquiry, he heard the news he wanted. He thought to himself, ''Looks like the news about the national debt is true''! At the same time also more interested in making things clear. After all, Saddam and Bush Jr.''s talks were too short. The specific details have not been saying. It was interrupted by the cafeteria staff. The situation, he is not good to go over to ask again. Vibert is a typical technical nerd, not good at socializing, knows few friends, each day is to workshop - cafeteria - back to the rented dormitory, three routes week after week. Although he sometimes finds a day off, at most, he sleeps at home and has no bad habits. Now he has to ask for information, which is difficult for him. Dealing with people has always been his biggest problem of Vibert! Yet what was promised to his wife had to be done! With something on his mind, Vibert was distracted all morning and made several mistakes in a row, which attracted the attention of his workmates. It is important to know that such a mistake is subject to a deduction, and under normal circumstances, a skilled hand like Vibert would not make it, let alone a continuous mistake! "What''s wrong with you, Vibert? Is there something wrong with your health? Why don''t you talk to your supervisor and take two days off? You haven''t had a vacation for a long time?" Korchin, who was in the same group as him, asked with concern. "It''s okay Korchin, don''t you know my body well? When have you ever been sick, huh? Besides, everyone is working overtime, who is not working overtime every day in recent times!" Kuwait said with a smile. Workers in the 19th century were not as spoiled as inter times. On a daily shift of 15 or 16 hours, in the case of sickness under normal circumstances, rest for two days is even a luxury. If you were not seriously ill, you would not see a doctor! For ordinary workers, a visit to the doctor basically deres the bankruptcy of a family. Although Ferdinand issued abor protectionw, the workers did not improve much despite the increase in ie and job security. In order to earn more money, workers voluntarily choose to work overtime. Anyway, as long as the overtime pay, the government is also pretending not to see. Korchin looked at Vibert, who also did not look sick, and again urged: "Well, that''s good! You have to be careful about it. Oh, if something goes wrong again, you''ll be working for nothing today!" After hearing Korchin''s reminder, Vibert thought and quickly withdrew his mind. If there is a mistake, it will be a waste of time today, for which Vibert will not dare to take it lightly! Chapter 109: The World of the Minor Character Chapter 109: The World of the Minor Character The abnormal behavior of Vibert also attracted the attention of the workshop management. No matter how big the machinery nt with several thousand employees, a slight problem is expected. The managers have a lot of experience in this kind of case, and during the lunch break, Vibert''s supervisor, Supor Ivanov, came over to talk to him. "Vibert are you not feeling well today at all? Or have you been too tiredtely and not rested well?" Supor asked tentatively. Faced with the supervisor''s questions, Vibert knew he was in trouble, and if he couldn''t exin himself clearly, he would probably have to be taken a break! He wanted to take a break, but he gave up decisively when he thought of the ie. He said: "No! No! Mr. Supor, do I look sick to you?" After thinking about it, Supor said, "Why don''t we do this? You should not go to work this afternoon, the factory has invited a doctor at the clinic, you go over to see it first!" When he heard the supervisor say that he would see a doctor, he was so scared that Vibert waved his hands and said, "No, no! Mr. Supor, I''m really fine!!!" At the end of the 19th century, medical treatment in Europe was really described as "expensive", "very expensive", " extremely expensive", "extraordinarily expensive"... One can say that doctors are exclusive to the rich, and ordinary people are avoided. Despite the good ie of the machine nt, ordinary workers cannot afford the huge medical expenses. There was a limited industrial level in the 19th century, the high cost of Western medicine to produce, and it was a vendor''s war. After Ferdinand traverse, the idea of making drugs is not without a problem, but he is not a student of medicine. There is no way to improve the process. The cost still can note down. Not to mention the 19th century, even in the 21st century, where many people, the general public, is not still hesitant to hospitals? No matter how big or small the disease, the cost of the trouble adds up and can easily consume a month''s sry. It is still not a major problem. If there really is a major disease, an average family will immediately face economic struggle. Of course, Supor knew about this situation and exined with a smile, "Don''t worry! The ones who came this time are only interns from the medical university, mainly to gain experience, and the diagnosis is free!" When he heard that it was free, Vibert''s anxious heart calmed down, nodded, and went with the supervisor. After living most of his life, he had never seen a proper doctor. At most, he had only been exposed to the countryside''s local practitioners, and he also wanted to meet them, even though they were only interns. But when they arrived at the ce, they found that there were long lines of people from the medical room to the outside corridor. With the situation inside, Vibert is not sure. He looked at the pairs of people outside who were only increasing and not decreasing. He knew that he would not get his turn this afternoon. After thinking about it, Wibert decided to tell the supervisor to forget it. He was not sick anyway, so he didn''t need to waste time, so he said, "Mr. Supor, you see so many people, and I''m not sick, so I don''t need to give other doctors any more trouble?" Supor looked at the flow of people and said with doubt: "You really have no problem? You know it''s a good chance now, it''s organized by the factory, if you are sick, hurry up and cure, the cost will be much lower than outside! The big deal is to wait in line a little longer, not today, tomorrow again?" Looking at the warm-hearted Supor, Vibert was on the verge of tears and said with difficulty, "I''m really not sick! It''s mainly becausest night, my wife and I talked about the national debt, and today I''m going to find someone to inquire about it, so I was a little distracted in the morning!" Supor asked, "Really?" Vibert said with great certainty, "It''s true!" Supor thought for a moment and said, "Okay then! You write a 500-word report and give it to me, and this matter will be over! Remember, the review must be impressive!" When he heard the need to write a report, Vibert''s face instantly went down, could not help but own a p. If only he had known to do so, how couldn''t he say that! He asked with a bitter smile: "Ah! Can I not report it?" Supor red and said, "What do you say?" "Do I need to remind you of the factory''s rules?" "Also, how about the usual literacy education you have skipped? It is clearly stated in this newspaper, it won''t read it yourself, do you still need to inquire?" Hearing Supor''s words, Vibert was startled and said, "It''s all in the newspaper?" When he heard Vibert''s words, Supor was not happy and criticized, "We usually teach you to read more and read more newspapers! Those who don''t take it seriously each and every one of them, Vibert is out of touch now!" When he heard Supor''s words, Vibert was embarrassed and wanted to find a hole in the ground. The factory has a special reading room for newspapers and books, and the management often asks people to read more books and newspapers (mainly to facilitate brainwashing). However, like many ordinary workers, Vibert did not feel that reading books and newspapers rted to themselves and those who are management should read. The ordinary people who can know a few big words are enough. The books and newspapers in the reading room became exclusive to the management, even if the workers once in a while went in to take a look, but they were also rare. So even if the national debt has been rumored, Vibert still did not know that the newspaper had been published in detail! Knowing that writing a report had be a final decision, Vibert did not dare to discuss it with the supervisor. After all, it is his own loss. He rushed back to continue to work. He did not want to be deducted from his sry! Probably with his mind already relieved, Vibert''s afternoon went very well, and there was never another mistake. In a good mood, Vibert, who did not choose to continue working overtime today, walked into the reading room with his employee card as soon as he got off work, which was the first time he came over on his own initiative. He borrowed thest few days'' newspapers about the national debt and brought them directly home. Thanks to Ferdinand''s mandatory literacy education, Vibert has now also learned themon words and can barely manage to read newspapers freely. Vibert began to study word by word at home, afraid to miss any word. It took more than two hours to finish reading the content about the national debt. Although Vibert''s level is limited, the newspaper''s content is awe-inspiring, and he can only understand a general meaning. Vibert also decided that he had to buy national bonds as support for national construction. Anyway, the Royal Bank and United Bank promised to protect the fund, even if one could exchange the money at once in a hurry. The big deal is no interest, so it is simr to the deposit of money in the bank. There is no interest in early withdrawal. Royal Bank is the king, and the United Bank is said to be the joint creation of domestic industry andmerce. They heard that the machine nt in which they work also has its shares, they are not bad with money, the reputation is reliable! After making up his mind, Vibert was ready to wait for his wife''s return to discuss the specific purchase, which is cost-effective. Chapter 110: Restructuring of Banks Chapter 110: Restructuring of Banks Vibert and his wife are among the faster responders, ready to buy the treasury bonds as soon as they are issued, and many more have chosen to wait and see. In general, the middle ss is the vanguard of the purchase. One can not help that the financial market in Bulgaria is so conservative? There is no way to y even stocks, and most people find it hard to find other investment channels besides the bank, so you can''t specte in real estate, right? In Bulgaria, in this era, you''ll lose money to specte on real estate! Buying treasury bonds to invest in is not a surprise. Niki found it very strange that Royal Bank and United Bank are doing very well, but the Bulgarian National Bank is untouched. It can not be. Although he is prepared topete with the Royal Bank and Union Bank, and for this reason also spared his face on the sale of treasury bonds, they have to tie the three together, but the gap can not be sorge, right? Niki secretly thought: "Must think of a way, or the gap behind so big, it will let the government think that the national bank is purposely tearing down the stage, not to cooperate with the sale of treasury bonds!!! When the timees, there will certainly be a major overhaul of the national bank..." Niki''s political sense is still very sharp. In the moment of life and death, he decisively chose to convene a high-level meeting to figure out how to do it! "Aren''t you all usually verypetent? What are you doing now? Look at your performance on the sale of treasury bonds, and then look at the performance of others! Last week, the Royal Bank sold more than 13 million Leva. Even after deducting the 5 million Leva purchased by our monarch, there are still more than 8 million; the United Bulgarian Bank also sold more than 12 million Leva. And look at us? I''m embarrassed to say it out loud. My face is scared! Eight hundred and eighty-eight thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight Leva, a very ominous number! It''s a pity that it''s not enough for a fraction of what others have, or at least you can give me another eight! The reputation that the national bank has built up for so many years has been lost by you all at once! All of you will summarize the reasons and quicklye up with a solution for me. I don''t want to surpass others. At least we can''t be too far behind!!!" There was silence at the base, and at this moment, even those who usually do not deal with Niki did not dare to speak easily! They were stunned by the National Bank''s poor performance in selling treasury bonds. If there is no contrast between the Royal Bank and the United Bank, it would be okay to find excuses. Now there is no need to exin anything. Everything that happened shows - their ipetence! ... In fact, the ''excellent'' performance of the National Bank has attracted Ferdinand''s attention. He had not seen such a bad! At least it is still a state-owned bank. It has deep roots, and it does not matter if two upstarts overtake it in the sale of government bonds. They are open! It is not even a fraction of others so far with so many quality resources. It is too much! What is ridiculous is that no effective measures have been taken after such a long time! Ferdinand ignored the measures taken by Niki. The point is that he has long regarded the Bulgarian National Bank with dissatisfaction!!! As the only state-owned bank in Bulgaria, it has not even understood its main responsibilities! Profit or not, Ferdinand can not care, but it is always necessary for them to go with the state''s policy, right? Since there is no government policy, it should be profitable to operate purelymercially, right? If annual profits of several hundred thousand Leva are counted, it''s barely profitable! However, think about the government''s annual hundreds of millions of money. A big interest has not been given. At the same time, the government also exempted it from taxes and attached many privileges. Ferdinand would like to kick it out right away! ... At a regr meeting of the top government in November, Ferdinand threw the question out there. Ferdinand: "Prime Minister, what is your cab going to do about the mess at the Bulgarian National Bank?" After hearing Ferdinand''s words, Konstantin immediately understood that since the boss has been defined as a ''mess'', it is to be dealt with seriously! Konstantin was not impressed with the National Bank either, especially with the Treasury bond sales, which were a p in the face of the government!!! If the other two banks hadn''t performed well, he wouldn''t have known how to end it? After sorting out his thoughts, Konstantin said seriously: "Your Highness, the Bulgarian National Bank has a long history of problems, a chaotic management system, and severe internal problems that have rotted to the roots! If we take, for example, the recent sale of treasury bonds, which the three major Bulgarian domestic banks undertook simultaneously, we canpare, as of now, more than half a month has passed. The sales channel of treasury bonds of the Royal Bank was 18.75 million Leva; the sales of treasury bonds of the United Bank was 19.68 million Leva; the sales of treasury bonds of the National Bank day 3.56 million! From the above data, we can see severe problems with the National Bank, and it has be imperative to restructure the National Bank!!!" When they heard Konstantin''s words, the crowd was slightly surprised. The sale of treasury bonds went very well. If not for the National Bank dragging its feet, perhaps the first batch of treasury bonds would have been sold out by now! The issue of restructuring the National Bank, the ones who are present did not oppose. They are all the ones Ferdinand promoted at the back. The chain of interests in the National Bank has little to do with them. Naturally, they are not guilty of voicing their disapproval. The anti-corruption chief, Boris Christoff, can''t sit still. They haven''t had a chance to make a big move since the big anti-corruption fight a few years ago. After all, stability trumps everything during development! There is an opportunity now, how bad the Bulgarian National Bank, besides themselves, is Boris is the most informed, one can say that one can casually find out a lot of problems too. "Your Highness, the records of the Bulgarian National Bank may have serious problems, I suggest that along with the banks that are being restructured, we also send a task force to verify them!!!" Boris said with a serious face. Listening to Boris'' words, the others looked at each other withplicated expressions, and the anti-corruption bureau crowd was respectful and deterred. There was no sword above its head, which he could cut down at any time. And the anti-corruption bureau''s status is supreme, nominally led by the government. In fact, it was directly under Ferdinand''s authority, as He did not even pay the Prime Minister''s bill to Boris! Ferdinand is delighted for his little one to cooperate and sternly says, "Check for me! This time, Boris, your anti-corruption bureau should investigate the end. I don''t care how many people are involved, how many big shots, catch one and count one, no mercy! If someone dares to intervene, they will be arrested first!" After saying that, Ferdinand also nced at the people sitting in the crowd, which looked very angry. In fact, Ferdinand''s heart was happy. Someone is sent to the door when the government is short of money. No wonder the ancient emperors like to keep a few corrupt officials because it is simply a great tool to solve the financial crisis! ... Chapter 111: Audit Chapter 111: Audit Under Ferdinand''s strict orders, no one in Bulgaria has dared to disobey. All government ministries are fully cooperating, and the cab is keeping a close eye on it, just waiting for someone to fall in. It would be best if you did not think that only Ferdinand is thinking about this group of worms, the fact that the cab government led by Konstantin has long been eyeing them, except that the implication is toorge, it is not suitable for a while. Who asked the government to have no money now? Although the issuance of many treasury bonds can solve the urgent needs, but the funding gap in 1896 has not been solved yet? Anyway, once the treasury bonds are issued this time, don''t expect to be reissued for several years. Bulgaria''s bottom is thin, private capital is limited, and being able to take in the first 50 million is already a sign of support for the government. Since the fall of the Stambolov government, the government has reaped many assets, and everyone has lived a few years offort. Now government officials are having a hard time going through the motions, and fighting corruption seems to be a good choice with no money! With Ferdinand''s support, the anti-corruption bureau breaks out with fullbat power, the executives of the National Bank are invited to tea one by one, and those in the government are then linked to a group of officials. Human nature of the world is all prevalent everywhere in the world. National banks are no exception. Good benefits, high treatment, easy work, and not being tired are perfect ces to mess around. However, it is not good to inspect. Once the inspection began to surprise them, everywhere was full of connections from top to bottom, inside and outside. If this is all, it is not worth it to make Boris difficult. Anyway, this is the government''s trouble, and he has nothing to do. But the question is that the gang of rtives is not frugal in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling, so it is natural to reach out to the bank. There is no doubt that this time, all of them were taken by Boris in his head, and thework involved behind it gave him a headache. It involves various ministries in Bulgaria, including the Anti-Corruption Bureau. The size of the cadres can add up to a battalion. How does he deal with these people? "Chief, we should report it, the top will handle it! These people who are involved in the problem is neither big nor small, it is not easy to reach a verdict!" A smart boy gave Boris an idea. Boris said helplessly: "You think I have not thought about it? This problem is a headache for anyone to deal with it. There are so many involved now. How many more are behind it? If they all the big problem, that is easy to do directly arrested the thing! But you and I both know that most of them are minor and trivial matters, and at this standard, it is likely that the government buildings will soon be empty! Forget it. It''s better to report it!" ... After listening to Boris''s report, Ferdinand was not angry. On the contrary, he was also delighted. He thought that this time there would be one more arrest, but he did not expect the officials in the government. The moral has increased. In fact, there are few messy hands. The trivial matters, Ferdinand did not have trouble with it. No one is perfect. He is not a fault-finding person! In contrast, Ferdinand was more concerned about how much revenue could be made this time. Looking at Boris, he asked indifferently, "How many people are involved in the case and what is the total amount of stolen money seized?" When he saw that Ferdinand was not angry, Boris also rxed. He said, "Your Highness, all the staff of the Bulgarian National Bank are involved, including those who have left, with a total of three hundred and eighty-six people, and the total amount involved is up to 35.45 million Leva. A series of criminal means including direct float money, fabricated name, letting rtives and friends with airspace credits, illegal lending, and even using bank funds to put usury outside for personal gain, and so on!!!" Hearing Boris'' statement, Ferdinand became more interested and asked with concern, "How much damage can be recovered if full recovery is made?" Boris thought for a moment and said: "Your Highness, it is impossible to estimate this for a short time! Some of them have spent and squandered it directly; some of them have used the private profits they made to make new investments into the business, having losses and profits, and ording to the new anti-corruption bill, all of these are within the scope of recovery and the value is difficult to calcte!" Ferdinand nodded in satisfaction. The more difficult it is to estimate means that the broader the scope involved, also means therger the amount. He was somewhat impressed by his own wit in revising the scope of the recovery against corruption in advance. ording to the new rules, all the property is directly counted as illegal ie as long as it is corruption. In other words, if one person embezzles, all of the family''s assets will be recovered and confiscated by the government, along with the investment ie. Ferdinand thought about it and said, "Take the list of other officials with lesser circumstances and give it to the cab, let them deal with the mess! Also announce to the public that the National Bank ispletely shut down and restructured, and inspect all the loans to see how many bad and doubtful debts there are!!!" Boris really wanted to say that these are not my work. His political level has improved a lot after being in the government for a long time. Since Ferdinand had spoken, he wisely did not raise objections. The big deal is that when other ministries deal with it, he went over to supervise it well, and it is considered to havepleted the task! Ferdinand did not care what Boris thought. It was on purpose. The officials will naturally be more efficient with someone to keep an eye on. ... On the other hand, Prime Minister Konstantin''s feeling was not good, and after receiving the list, he had a headache. "Damn why are so many people involved?" In order to have aplete response to the problem, Boris submitted all of them as long as they were rted, in the same principle of not letting go if there is a mistake. Now all ministries in Sofia, almost half of the officials are on the list. "Chekhov, my friend, what do you think is the best way to handle this?" After thinking about it, Chekhov said ndly: "Konstantin, you worry too much. Boris is showing us his displeasure! Look at this man named Jael, who has had several dinners with executives of national banks. It can be the other side''s treat, right! What kind of a problem is that? At most, it is a matter of personal morality, the dinner ce chosen in the nightclub! If there was any kind of deal, I guess they would have caught them long ago. Why would we react to the problem!" Konstantin pondered for a while and said, "Yeah, that seems right! If all these 700 or 800 people are involved, we don''t have to do it, they can just resign and forget about it!" "But these people shouldn''t be indulged, let''s publish criticism within the government! All of them will then have a return to education, and then organize an examination, and if they fail, they should be sent out directly!!!" In a few words, Konstantin decided the future of this group of unlucky people. As for how much of the list provided by Boris is false, it is out of his hands, and he has no interest in pursuing it! The storm of the Bulgarian Bank, whichsted until the end of 1894, mainly involved auditing the property. Since Ferdinand''s session is the secondrgest corruption case, involving more than 300 people, all sentenced to heavy sentences, at least ten years or more years, and more than a group of forcedbor at the mines. The audit revealed a total of more than 53 million Leva in bad and doubtful debts, so one can say that the Bulgarian National Bank has been emptied, and if it were a private bank, it could now be dered bankrupt! Luckily, this group of worms is not all just a bunch of pub hangers. Many of them still have good financial management skills, and their families are well off, which allows the government to make up for the losses. In theory, the seized assets totaled 98 million Leva, but in reality, many of them became shares in factories or were turned into fixed assets such as farms, and the cash was less than 10 million Leva. At first, that ruined Ferdinand''s attempt to solve the financial crisis by fighting corruption. Chapter 112: Grand Wedding Chapter 112: Grand Wedding Another year has passed, and we have entered the year 1894. This year, the world was shocked by the outbreak of the ''Sino-Japanese War'' the Japanese losers have perfectly started the road of invasion and finally joined the ranks of the Great Powers. This incident, which has little to do with Bulgaria, is too far away from it, beyond the whip''s reach. Ferdinand can do nothing about it except for a long sigh. The traverser is not omnipotent. Was he still busy preparing for his big wedding? A royal wedding is not a trivial matter. Whether in the East or the West, there are tedious rituals. This big wedding will undoubtedly make Ferdinand earn a lot of money again. Although Russia''s finances are not rich, but the Tsar''s family is definitely wealthy, and for the face of the aristocracy, the dowry is not tiny. Referring to the mother, Princess Clmentine, Ferdinand knew roughly. The cost of the wedding, which is a political union, has been prepared by the cab. It does not need Ferdinand to worry about it. In fact, the Bulgarian government attached much more importance to this wedding than Ferdinand. Profit is always the best catalyst, and with the Russian-Bulgarian alliance, the two countries economies are almost linked together, and both sides have gained! In order to show the importance of this wedding, Ferdinand directly sent 20,000 of his troops as a bride''s honor guard. No one in the cab has ever objected, although it did not use Ferdinand''s prepared rhetoric! Aleksandr III, who was already on the verge of dying, was in an unusually good mood these days, and the toon Ferdinand put up was too much in line with his status. A direct take out 20,000 troops as a guard of honor, the cost of such a big deal is not simple. Few in Europe can take it out! It is Ferdinand''s power in Bulgaria, and the two sides are political marriage, so no one opposed. It is not surprising that no one found out about Ferdinand''s hidden purpose. If you are an average person, do not think Bulgaria would dare to y Russia, it is simply a fantasy! Mariya Fyodorovna interrupted Aleksandr III''s good mood and said with a frown: "My dear, it seems that we have not prepared enough before, at least the number of honor guard is too small, which will lose our face!" After some thought, Aleksandr III said, "Of course! Don''t worry, it won''t happen! Since Ferdinand can evene up with 20,000 honor guard, let''s just double it, we can''t let people underestimate us anyhow!" "But what about the cost? It''s not a small figure?" Mariya Fyodorovna asked worriedly. Aleksandr III smiled and said: "This is an opportunity, isn''t it? We can take this opportunity to show the world the strength of the Russian Empire! How can we miss it when little Ferdinand knows how to take advantage of it?" "A show of strength?" asked Mariya Fyodorovna. Aleksandr III said with certainty: "That''s right! I can bet that if the Bulgarian army performs well this time, the rest of Bulgaria''s voice in the Balkans will be greatly increased!" Empress Mariya Fyodorovna thought about it and frowned: "I didn''t expect that there would be so many details about a wedding, which made me unhappy!" Aleksandr III smiled, looked at Niki, who was in deep thought, and asked, "By the way, what do you think, Niki?" Niki asked suspiciously, "It''s time for the Russian Empire to show our strength to the outside world, especially to our ally France, on whom Germany is now putting a lot of pressure! But if we want to show our strength, why don''t we make the scene a little bigger?" Hearing Niki''s words, Aleksandr IIIughed aloud and said, "Good, Niki, you''ve grown up, but you''re not mature enough politically! At this point, Ferdinand has done a good job! Think about what our purpose is?" Niki was not yet a Tsar who was high and mighty and had not yet reached the point of being rigidly selfish. After thinking about it, he said, "I understand that the main purpose of this demonstration, apart from providing a morale boost to the French, is to deter the European countries, but it does not mean that we have to help the French receive the pressure from Germany!" "That''s right, we just need to deter Germany and just take the pressure off of France! There is no need to really start a war for an ally to dump the country and take revenge for them!!! Now Britain, Germany, Austria and Italy, are leaning on each other, which is very bad for our diplomacy!" Aleksandr III said in a serious voice. "But what do we have to do with resisting the British, Germans, Austrians and Italians by doing this?" Niki asked, puzzled. Aleksandr III rubbed his head and said helplessly, "Niki, you''re still a failure in international diplomacy! Think about it, who else is more worried than our reluctance to see an alliance of four nations?" "It''s France!!!" Niki said without hesitation. "That''s right, after we relieve France of the pressure on the European continent, France will have the courage and strength to break up this unformed ''Four Power Alliance''!" said Aleksandr III with a sigh. After hearing Aleksandr III''s exnation, Niki deeply pondered how a small event in a wedding could involve such deep international diplomatic rtions. ... Leaving aside how Aleksandr III educated his son, Ferdinand''s wedding went off without a hitch. A huge army came to borrow the road in Romania. Luckily there is no ''fake road to conquer the Guo''1) in Europe. Otherwise, Carol I would not be able to sleep! If they reallye in one wave, Russia and Bulgaria''s most elite 60,000 troops, enough to drink a pot of Romania. Of course, Ferdinand can only be a little dry. If you dare to do so in Europe, it will not give you a chance to live. It was a good lesson for the Bulgarian Logistics Department to learn from this joint armed drill. Fortunately, it was only a march, and supplies were still barely avable, and they could purchase the shortfall locally. Ferdinand could have gone directly back to his home if it had been a war. Shortly after leaving Bulgaria, there was difficulty resupplying supplies due to the poor transportation conditions! In fact, the behavior of the Bulgarian army has already caught the world''s attention, with a neat and uniform formation and superb marching speed, all of which have refreshed the outside world''s recognition! Putting asidebat strength, in terms of discipline and marching, they at least surpassed the Russian army and won face for Ferdinand. For the purpose of each, this wedding has begun to turn out to be something unique, both in scale and in ss. Even a centuryter, they can still be a source of interest. When he looks at the bill, Ferdinand''s heart bleeds deeply. The wedding alone costs as much as two million Leva, and if this is counted in the armed training, it could not be done without five or six million Leva, which can make two dreadnoughts. It would probably be harder to bear if the harvest were not equally impressive words to mend Ferdinand''s wounded heart. In politics, this marriage consolidated the Russian-Bulgarian alliance, and at the same time, it was a deterrent to the Balkan countries. At least Romania was hurt!!! In economic terms, it deepened the civil exchange between the two countries, and Ferdinand personally profited a lot. In addition to a pile of valuable gifts, the dowry of Grand Duchess Xenia is the biggest. Despite theck of real powers, the mineral resources of the Grand Duchess''s fiefdom alone are beyond measure! ... Trantor: 1) This Chinese idiom meaning refers to the practice of destroying the other side by pretending to use a road. It means to borrow a road. Guo was a small state during the Spring and Autumn Period. The meaning is to use A as a springboard to destroy B. After achieving the goal, turn around and destroy A. Chapter 113: Opening Arsenal Chapter 113: Opening Arsenal After half a year of torment, they sessfully finished the wedding of Knyaz Ferdinand and Knyaginya Xenia in the Sofia Pce, which ended the wedding of the century. Ferdinand, who was too busy to enjoy his ''happy'' married life, put his energy into domestic projects. In the 19th century, as human development changed rapidly, weapons and equipment were also changing forever. By the mid tote 19th century, front-loading weapons had gradually withdrawn from the world''s mainstream and were reced by breech-loading weapons! Since the building of the Bulgarian Arsenal, for decades, weapons production lines have been adopted from Russia, Britain, France, Germany, and Austria-Hungary, adequately made in all countries. The Balkans has always been highly prone to war. Each country attaches great importance to the renewal of weapons. People are buying almost as long as the Great Powers have new technology installed, so the Balkans are also a kind of testing ground for new weapons of various countries. Of course, Ottoman Turkish was an exception. The aristocratic lords were always slow to react. The breech-loading weapon became the standard in the Bulgarian army as early as 1885, after the period of the Bulgarian-Serbian War. However, up to now, arge part of the Ottoman army was still equipped with front-loading rifles, not to mention artillery. Perhaps the aristocratic lords feel that the older the weapons, the better it is, more in line with the heritage of their old empire! In the Balkan Wars of 1912 on the space-time parallel, the front-loading rifle and artillery were present on the battlefield. It''s nothing impossible to ept that they haven''t changed now! In order to unify the caliber of ammunition, they unified the whole army to change, and the military council has now made a lot of noise, making Ferdinand also have a headache. After all, he is only an amateur military fan, although he knows that many weapons are famous in future years, after all, he just listened to the insights of the experts in future years! Whether this is involved in many personal feelings, how true it is, is a big question mark. When ites to weapons and equipment, anyone in the military council is much more professional than he is. At least from the first line troopse from, the parameters of weapons performance not described as backward, said out is also an eight or nine not far from it. After all, it is best to be the most suitable. Ultimately, in this dispute, but also with the personal concepts of the military highmand, there is no absolute right or wrong!!! The German system is the world''s leading army today. In the Franco-Prussian War, the excellent performance of the German army, together with German armaments, became the object of replication in the world, and the use of German armaments was the most widespread in the army equipment. In contrast, Russian-made weapons, which have the benefit of being cheaper and more lightweight, simple to operate, and withstand the cold, have previously been the norm in the Balkan countries. Another part favors a big blend, where the best matches of weapons are selected from the equipment of the world''s great powers. Thest idea is good in theory, but there is a doubt about its feasibility. Thepatibility of weapons is a serious problem, logistical pressure, and the literary demands on soldiers are very high! It is a good reason that Bulgarians'' level of basic education, which is ranked among the top in all of Europe, can meet these needs. As for theter problems, the big railroad and highway ns just solve the transport problem! Of course, this is limited to defensive operations. If it is a cross-border operation, it will be tragic unless the logistics are mounted or hard enough!!! Atst, Ferdinand still vetoed the mass importation of weapons and decided to be self-reliant! First, get the finished product from the hands of the great powers, let the engineers copy, and then make their refit, or spend a lot of money to poach the talent from European countries, it would not be a waste of time. It was already three years ago. It has been dyed until now, and the renewal of the equipment of the Bulgarian army! The arsenal, which had burned money for several years in a row, finally made a stage to achieve a breakthrough after the engineers'' relentless efforts. As early as two years ago, the arsenalpleted the dissembling of the rifle technology. Whether it is the German Mauser, the Russian Model 1891 Mosin-Nagant (Shui Lianzhu/China Version in Warlord Era), the British Lee-Metford, or the American Martini-Henry, etc., there is no pressure to imitate! On this basis, the designers also developed a bold idea to design a rifle belonging to Bulgaria''s own, which is simple to operate, resistant, and maintainable, and has been well received by the majority of officers and soldiers! Of course, it looks slightly different in design and slightly lighter in weight, simr in performance to the Shui Lianzhu (which is its copy) was shamelessly named ''Bulgarian Model 1889 rifle'' by Ferdinand! Due to Ferdinand''s foresight, once the Russian Model 1891 Mosin-Nagant rifle was born, the secret service paid to get one, brought it back, and then quickly copied it by the arsenal. The result was that the Bulgarian Army had more priority in installing it than the Russian! Of course, there are no more royalties. It can only be a sh of ideas! Ferdinand was too afraid to collect royalties anyway, although, in this day and age, weapons and equipment manufacturers don''t take royalties seriously either! For example, the Martini-Henry rifle: "All the rifles of the neenth century must look like me!" Even if everyone imitated, no, borrowed his idea, there is none and have not seen a few give a royalty! Like the Turkish Martini-Henry rifle, which used Henry breeching, there is no Henry on the rifle despite what the name implies, not to mention any royalties!!! In fact, as early as 1874, after the Martini-Peabody rifle had begun production, Alexander Henry went to the United States to bargain with Providence to ask them to pay royalties but was refused. The Scotsman was angry and went home. And then there was no more. So in the areas of weapons production, if you want to receive royalties, you can only hope that they will be the other party''s saving grace! Artillery technology has been a breakthrough, with the sessful copying of the French M1897 75mm gun monly known as Mademoiselle Soixante-Quinze), which marks a breakthrough across the ages for Bulgaria in the field of rapid-fire artillery! Don''t get it wrong, the M1897 type gun, not that it was only born in 1897, but rather that it was listed. In fact, as early as 1891, the French began to design, when exactly how long theypleted it, Ferdinand does not remember! Ferdinand initially did not have the idea of doing it now. After all, it is still in the design! But two years ago, a Paris secret service agent, Legoff, essed the design sketch of Mademoiselle Soixante-Quinze by ident. At that time, he did not bother to care, submitted it as ordinary information, and then passed it back to Bulgaria. Ferdinand also ignored it and threw it directly into the arsenal. Still, he did not expect to attract the attention of the artillery designer Gustav. Thetter thought it was a major breakthrough in the history of artillery and reported it to Ferdinand along the way. Chapter 114: Rebellion in Serbia Chapter 114: Rebellion in Serbia It was only with hindsight that Ferdinand suddenly realized that the rapid-fire gun of this period was not theter famous ''Mademoiselle Soixante-Quinze 75mm field gun''. This version of ''Mademoiselle Soixante-Quinze'' 75mm field gun, with its recoil mechanism, had a much higher rate of fire, reaching 15 rounds/minute, and was considered the beginning of rapid-fire artillery! When he saw the movie ''Drawing Sword'' in his previous life, Li Yunlong attacked Ping''an County. Ferdinand still wondered what the hell is the ''Artillery of Italy''? He also specifically looked up the information on the Inte, only to learn that it is the "Mademoiselle Soixante-Quinze" into the East after the alias, or rather its imitation! What more needs to be said? It was the main artillery equipment of the French Army in WWI and was still in use in WWII. It goes without saying that this artillery''s performance was superb at that time! Of course, it was built immediately with funding. Then the arsenal began to work on the ''Mademoiselle Soixante-Quinze'', Ferdinand also tried to go to Europe ~ each major artillery production nt to poach people, which made a breakthrough! After receiving the good news from the arsenal, Ferdinand immediately ordered the arsenal to go into full production and try to produce 500 ''Bulgarian Type 75 Artillery'' within two years! Well, Ferdinand has once again grabbed the note, and if he didn''t have to keep it a secret in order to keep the firepower advantage in the next war, he''d want to sell the technology to bring back a profit! The technical details of artillery are much higher than rifles. Without design drawings, at that time, it takes no more than three to five years to copy and produce results! ... "What?? Five hundred units of ''Bulgarian Type 75 Artillery'' produced in two years?" Stoyan Mikhailovsky, the factory manager, said in surprise. "What? Is there a problem??" Chief of Staff Petrov asked dubiously. Stoyan shook his head and said in a slightly excited and slightly warned tone, "No, it seems a bit much! Mr. Chief of Staff, you should know that the cost of the Bulgarian Type 75 Artillery is not low! Would it be too much to produce 500 guns at once? You know the capacity of our arsenal now. We can onlyplete 12 guns per month. Toplete five hundred in two years, we must expand the production line again!" Chief of Staff Petrov nodded, showing his approval, and then added: "By the way, Mr. Stoyan, the previous tasks of producing field guns are all terminated from now on, and we will concentrate on producing ''Bulgarian Type 75 Artillery'' with all our strength!" "Mr. Chief of Staff, I admit that the Type 75 artillery is indeed a revolutionary weapon, but although the other artillery is a bit slower, it is not without merit, right? Wouldn''t it be a waste to just give up all of them?" Stoyan asked in wonder. "Of course, you heard it right! The future will definitely be the era of rapid-fire guns, and those guns still seem to be usable now, but they are destined to be obsolete in the future!!! If only as a supplement, we have enough artillery in service!" Petrov exined. "Yeah, okay Mr. Chief of Staff, got it, in that case we can increase our production by another five units per month, in that case two more artillery lines will be enough!" Stoyan said after thinking about it. "Oh, you are the professional in this area. We all listen to you. Please make a budget as soon as possible to report! Also, consider ammunition production, which must meet the basic consumption of these 500 guns!!!" Petrov added. "Okay, I''ll take care of it, you''ll see the budget in three days!!!" Stoyan said with a shrug. ... The sun in April, so warm that it is intoxicating, a many quietly in the sun on the greenwn, with his head hung down, free to enjoy the dynamism in the sun and enjoy a moment of leisure. Next to it, there was a pair of coffee tables with a set of ceramic tea sets, with fragrant tea of Longjing1) brewing. Nearby there is also a beautiful young woman, holding a cup of mellow, fragrant tea, sitting quietly on the grass, surveying the sky, and from time to time, she takes a small sip, reminiscing. The scene looks so harmonious. It is exactly what Ferdinand and his wife do after marriage, respect each other, in and cozy married life!!! Leisure time is always short, especially for a monarch with power in his hands. Things cane to him at any moment!!! Ady-in-waiting ran over and whispered, "Your Highness, Mr. Hoover is here, it''s urgent!" "Well, tell him to wait in the lounge for a while! I''ll be right over!" Ferdinand said helplessly. With a nce at his wife, Ferdinand smiled bitterly. He couldn''t help but miss his date again! "Go ahead and do your work, I''m used to it!" Xenia said with a smile. Think about it, being in an imperial family. Affection is supposed to be a luxury! As the ruler of the Russian Empire, how could Aleksandr III have less work to do? Ferdinand nodded and turned to leave! Between power and family, he did not hesitate to choose power. No way. Who called him the Knyaz of Bulgaria? The Balkans are known as the powder keg of Europe, and if you want to get a foothold here, you must always be on the alert, as war can happen at any time! In this respect, Ferdinand is more deeply touched by the fact that history tells him to work hard!!! The shadow of the World War always pushed him to lead Bulgaria forward! Looking at the sweating Hoover, which was still spring, Ferdinand asked suspiciously, "Hoover, in such a hurry, what has happened?" Hoover said in a panic: "Your Highness, something has happened to our men in Serbia!" After a long life as monarch, Ferdinand has developed the skill of not changing his face when the pressure of the mountain is on him, and he said, "Oh! Slowly, what happened?" After calming down as much as possible, Hoover said, "Your Highness, you know that earlier our secret agents in Serbia, soon after the infiltration, a rebellion broke out in Serbia!" After Ferdinand nodded, he said, "I know this! I also ordered you to add as much chaos to Serbia as possible, and didn''t it always go well before? Could it be that our infiltrators have been exposed and caught by Serbia!" Hoover exined, "No, but it''s close enough! You know our people got caught up in the rebellion and got some position in the rebels, and then we got in touch with the rebels and gave them some support! ording to sources on the inside, thest weapons supplied to the rebels were intercepted by government forces. Now the Serbian government has probably discovered our presence and even has evidence of our involvement!" Ferdinand''s heart was shocked but pretended to be calm and said, "Don''t worry, haven''t we been prepared to be discovered before? Anyway, with our rtionship with Serbia, we don''t care about this one time!" Trantor: 1) Longjing tea, sometimes called by its literal tranted name Dragon Well tea, is a variety of pan-roasted green tea from the area of Longjing Vige in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. It is produced mainly by hand and is renowned for its high quality, earning the China Famous Tea title. Chapter 115: Should I Get Involved? Chapter 115: Should I Get Involved? After hearing Ferdinand''s words, Hoover also calmed down. Anyway, the rtionship between the two countries has always been like this, and what can be worse? So what if they had evidence? Would Serbia dare to go to war now? He started to think about his next n. "Your Highness, what should we do now with the rebels inside Serbia? They are in a very bad situation! If we hadn''t been funding their efforts, they would have been finished long ago!" Ferdinand thought for a moment and then said, "What was meant to be! They are just a bunch of rascals. We didn''t expect to rely on them to make things happen! It was a surprise that they could fight the government forces for so long! Since it has been exposed, it is simply to do some tant, soon, the army will be equipped, and all those rags will be either sold or sent and threw part of it to the rebels!" Hoover said firmly, "Yes! I know what to do next, Your Highness!" ... Ferdinand was not prepared to seek the bad luck of Serbia now, they had not yetpletely fractured with Austria-Hungary, and this time it will not take much of a chance to go up! "Intentionally nted flowers, unintentionally willow will be gold!"1) It was not expected that, under the butterfly effect, a small riot in the history of Serbia would turn into a civil war! When you think about it, it''s normal. Serbia is already poor. A few years ago, also beaten by Bulgaria, it has not recovered and just happened to be a mediocre king and foolish cab! When they see the expansion of the Bulgarian army, they do not consider whether the finances can bear it. They are foolish to follow up and raise taxes when there is no money! It''s a misfortune that the economic crisis hase back! Another disaster for Serbia, the poption couldn''t take it anymore, and a spark ignited!!! They should have quickly suppressed it. It so happened that the Austro-Hungarian financial crisis broke out again, with the original loan gone, which dyed the suppression because of the government''sck of money! It happens to be on Ferdinand''s radar again, with Bulgaria, an international donor, offering favorable support to the rebels, which are not so easy to deal with when they have a nanny!!! Even if it is a group of mobs, but he has a gun! They can not deal with the regr army, but when ites to guerri warfare and hide and seek, who is afraid of who! After all, the rebels represent the struggling masses. The mass base is beyond doubt! The people who could not survive were their constant source of new blood, so they expanded with the government forces. There is no big battle. Today they took out andlord, tomorrow they took out an aristocrat thing, and the day after tomorrow they broke a town or not less! It is Serbia''s weakest time, and Ferdinand is unwilling to let go of this opportunity! If you can give him a hard time, at least for twenty years, you can not worry about the threat of Serbia without cedingnd and paying reparations! After wavering from side to side, Ferdinand decided to call a military and political meeting to see what judgment the Bulgarian elite would make! ... Ferdinand is going to me. It definitely is not his own sabotage in Serbia has been found, which concluded that Serbia has destroyed free trade and seriously harmed the interests of Bulgaria! ... The military''s opinion is purely on military concerns,pletely ignoring the political and diplomatic impacts, summed up as ''to fight'', ''to revenge''! Those who do not know still think that the previous war in Bulgaria was defeated and was beaten to Sofia? Now it will raise the country''s army to avenge the past nine years!!! Ferdinand decisively chose to ignore that things of hatred can not be eaten as food. When needed is good medicine. When not needed, leave it aside to cool off! Anyway, thest loss was not Bulgaria. The hatred value is also greater than in Serbia. Now the revenge should also be Aleksandar I it! With setting eyes on the government, the military manner still yed a role, at least gave them enough bottom! Chekhov was still the first to open his mouth. Having experienced the Bulgarian-Serbian war, he had been a staunch anti-Serbian. Still, after he joined the cab, he began to take a well-rounded view of the problem and gradually put away his hatred. Mixed with an angry tone, quite a bit of cynicism, "If it were just a mere Serbia, it would be no pressure for us! Ever since they lost the war in 1886 in the Bulgarian-Serbian War, they have been having a bad time. It has not had time to recover, catching up with the economic crisis, then the civil war broke out again. However, the rebels have been suppressed, with two consecutive years of unrest, and now Serbia can be said to be in the weakest period! ''The country is poor. The people are deprived, and internal and external conflicts are the best picture of Serbia! We have been the opposite of our rapid development. In terms of national power has been far away from us! (Remark: Bulgaria was exceeded by Serbia before 1885 due to civil strife until the outbreak of the Bulgarian-Serbian War, which took over Serbia''s advantage by the Bulgarian army toplete the reversal of weakness, which interrupted the development of Serbia!) The key issue now is the attitude of the Great Powers. At the very least, the attitude of Russia and Austria-Hungary is crucial, at least to get their consent tacitly! If not, think of 1886, when the army reached Ni, and if not for the Austro-Hungarian intervention, Serbia would not have existed! The result was that it turned all our efforts into nothing!" Seeing that the mood was not right, Ferdinand spoke up and said: "No, our efforts were not in vain, although we did not get the spoils we deserved, but we have struck the invaders, haven''t we? Serbia has not even recovered, and this is the biggest gain! Now everyone should consider the oue of our move against Serbia in terms of political diplomacy, weigh the pros and cons altogether, and make the strongest possible decision! Let''s all continue!" Hearing Ferdinand''s words, Chekhov also realized a slip of the tongue, although what was said is never to be told in politics! For a while, awkwardly at a loss for words, looking gratefully at Ferdinand, andbined with a few shame! After a few work moments, the meeting returned to the topic again! The next speaker was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Georgi Rakovsky. Rakovsky spoke: "From the diplomatic point of view, the Serbian government is also in a tough position! After the outbreak of the Austro-Hungarian financial crisis, the major banks have adopted a constraint strategy in the international arena. Serbia has been affected by the loss of loans that they had signed! The poor and crazy Serbian government approached the Russians. Thanks to the Russian lead, they got a batch of loans from France, and the minerals promised to the Austro-Hungarian Bank, with the Austro-Hungarian Bank defaulting to recover, once again mortgaged to France. However, it is over under the intervention of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The rtionship between the two countries also dropped to freeze! The French forces entered Serbia, which upset even the Austro-Hungarian government, and Franz Josef I is said to have been furious about it!" Don''t be surprised. The Great Powers in the 19th century were so aggressive, I can break the contract, but you can''t! If you don''t like it, you can be convinced by the cannon! Trantor: 1) From the ancient book "Zengguang Xianwen". It is a metaphor for wanting to do something and using a lot of energy and effort, but the result did not turn out as desired, while the unintended thing, on the contrary, went well and got a good result. In Taoist terms, it means to let nature take its course and not to force everything. We can also see that the willow tree has a robust vitality from the side. Chapter 116: Done Chapter 116: Done In fact, from the end of the 19th century to the 20th century, Serbia has always been a tough position! In 1885, King Mn ordered an invasion of Bulgaria, but to no one''s surprise, the defeat wasplete and crushing!!! One should note that the Bulgarian army was a disorganized group of militia without decent training, and Russia recalled its officers. The Bulgarian army could not even raise officers, and even so, they defeated Serbia! With the strong intervention of the boss, Austria-Hungary, Serbia ended the war without much cost! However, it is easy to invite God and harder to leave God. Henceforth one can no longer separate Serbia from the influence of Austria-Hungary! It supposed only that was the case after the failure of the war to protect the Serbians under the face of the Bulgarian gaze. In that case, Serbia can only seek asylum from Austria-Hungary! However, the Serbs have never been a quiet subject, and their gratitude to Austria-Hungary for shielding them didn''tst a few days before they were thrown out! They want to build a Greater Serbia due to the Russian neglect, and Austria-Hungary bes the biggest roadblock! It is terrible because the boss who sheltered himself is his worst enemy, and the hot-headed Serbian thinks he has to jump ship ande back to fuck it up! That''s why the Serbian government decidedly approached the Russians after the Austro-Hungarian Bank defaulted! Do you know many people in Europe can provide loans? Small countries like Belgium, Switzend, and the Nethends can provide financial loans just as well and still not cause discontent with Austria-Hungary! Ferdinand can only say that the Serbian talent formitting suicide is too strong! How good was Austria-Hungary? Inter years, Austria-Hungary is a foreign power with weakness; but in thete 19th century Austria-Hungary is by no means the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I. The five great powers are still true to their names, and internal conflicts have not yet intensified! Chief of Staff Petrov said happily, "So, Austria-Hungary wishes Serbia bad luck, too! Can''t we ~~" Minister of Industry dimir Ivanov shook his head and said, "No! Austria-Hungary is hoping to see Serbia unlucky. With the previous rebellion, they refused to help and watched the joke from the sidelines, but do not assume that Austria-Hungary is willing to see us get bigger! They intervened in 1886, not to mention that now that the ''Russian-Bulgarian Alliance'' has been formed, they''re even less likely to watch us annex Serbia!" When the words of dimir came to the ground, everyone fell into deep thought. Then the Minister of Finance Kennedi suddenly spoke up and said, "Is it possible to divide Serbia with Austria-Hungary? We should take a little loss and take less!" The people rolled their eyes. Are you kidding! Instead of eating the meat, you''ll be in trouble! Leaving aside the reactions of other Great Powers, how do share the spoils? Take more Austria-Hungary will not agree. Taking less and Austria-Hungary as neighbors is not a good thing! Now Bulgaria is doing well, not without borders with the Great Powers, with weak neighbors, and defense pressure is not great! Once the border with Austria-Hungary, the good times will be gone! Please think of the terrible Great War, which he would be forced to get involved in as soon as the war started. Ferdinand decisively threw the proposal out of the window. Of course, if the benefits arerge enough, he would mind taking a chance, but Serbia is not worth the price in this era! At this point, Konstantin spoke up and said: "It is not realistic to divide Serbia, we are still too weak, and it is too dangerous to be neighbors with Austria-Hungary! The Austro-Hungarian government is definitely unhappy with Serbia, and the most important thing now is to find out to what extent? Is it possible for us to get anything out of it? If Austria-Hungary needs it, we can totally cooperate with them and teach Serbia a lesson, just collect a littlebor fee from it!" After listening to Konstantin''s serious words, Ferdinand finally understood the worst of politicians; many things are not so simple as seen on the surface. It is possible to make a deal entirely behind the scenes! If the Austro-Hungarian government is really upset with Serbia, Bulgaria is willing to cooperate with the Austro-Hungarian Empire to put on a show and teach them a lesson. Ferdinand estimated that the old emperor would agree in nine out of ten cases! Anyway, the unlucky is Serbia. Even if Bulgaria can reap the benefits, the biggest gains are still for Austria-Hungary! ... At the end of the meeting, Ferdinand felt terrible and, in the end, came back to the original point - the attitude of the Great Powers! This kind of out-of-control situation is what each power in control resents! Even with the greatest reluctance, Ferdinand sent a telegram to Franz Josef I in his private capacity to test the Austro-Hungarian attitude toward Serbia! Inside the Schnbrunn Pce in Vienna, the old Emperor was lost in thought when Franz Josef I received Ferdinand''s telegram! Serbia''s little antics are clear to him, and it often seems to him that these farces are baffling! It is important to know that the current situation is that one cannot separate Serbia from Austria-Hungary; otherwise, Bulgaria alone is not something they can cope with, and Ferdinand''s telegram is the best evidence of this! And Austria-Hungary is still Austria-Hungary away from Serbia. The impact is minimal! Since this is the case, it is eptable to follow well behind the boss as a minion. The result? The Serbs seem to be afraid of being forgotten. Every now and then, out to brush up on their presence! The Russians were the only ones who did it in secret, but they did it so obvious that they were afraid of not being discovered! Franz Josef despises the Serbian government. Even if he wants the boss to pay attention, you can''t hook up with the enemy! Do you not know whether or not the fastest death is never the first? Originally, he was very optimistic about Aleksandar''s ability to take over the government at a young age but never expected to see it wrong; it was a skewed talent with all the ability points added to the political battle! Whether to agree to Ferdinand''s proposal, Franz Josef could not decide for a moment, although he was eager to teach Serbia a lesson! "I want someone to inform the cab to meet in the afternoon!" ... The result is not surprising. The Austro-Hungarian government has run out of patience with Serbia, especially with the slogan ''Greater Serbia''. Do not you know that this is shing your boss''s flesh? ''One can eat rice carelessly, but words can not be said carelessly!''1) Being a boss to discipline the minions, they must be taught a lesson, but it can not all rely on brute force. That is the next best thing! Bulgaria is willing to work on behalf of, that is the best, there is a man who wants things, so the two sides hit it off! Since Austria-Hungary agreed, Ferdinand did not hesitate to order preparations for war! To fight against Serbia, Bulgaria doesn''t need to do its best. At least the Type 75 artillery will not have the opportunity to show their faces this time! Trantor: 1) A Chinese idiom means that we will hurt our bodies most if we eat carelessly. In contrast, if we speak carelessly, we may hurt others, the society, or even the country, causing unnecessary trouble and great harm, which is how ''troublees out of the mouth''. Chapter 117: The Preparation of Serbia Chapter 117: The Preparation of Serbia Despite knowing that the enemy doesn''t have great strength this time, Ferdinand still wants to minimize his losses! As a matter of fact, Ferdinand did not intend to interfere with themand of the army as a part of the training! There are still things to be done on top of weaponry. There is no need to think about artillery. Poor Serbia can''t afford to buy shells even if they have guns. Otherwise, the rebels would have done that? As far as the Bulgarian Army is now equipped with artillery, it already has the advantage! What were the Army''s inter-generation weapons at the end of the 19th century other than a rapid-fire gun? The Maxim gun was the first of its kind! 1894 was the year when the Maxim gun made its debut! The Maxim really made the spotlight on the First World War when it equipped the German army with the MG08 Maxim gun, which killed 60,000 British troops in the Battle of Somme in one day''s work, bing thergest number of deaths in the First World War. Since then, the armies of various countries have been equipped with Maxim guns, and the Maxim has be a famous killing weapon. The power of the Maxim gun is known. The arsenal may also be partially copied, but the Maxim gun of this period was too heavy. It has to be filled with water at any time in use and is prone to jamming. Once discovered by the enemy in advance, the utility is greatly reduced! At present, the Bulgarian army is also equipped with only a small amount, mainly for the training of machine gunners. Ferdinand originally nned to wait for a technical breakthrough, directly on the M1897 Hotchkiss machine gun for copycat. At present, there is no need to care so much. He immediately ordered the arsenal to rush the production of three hundred Maxim machine guns, with the already equipped, so that eachpany of the main force had one. It is not that you do not want to allocate more. The key is that the consumption of bullets is too big, the Bulgarian arsenal''s capacity is that small, and it will not supply the logistics of more machine guns! The most critical thing is still money. Arge-scale battle under a machine gun, per the calction of the consumption of 50,000 rounds of ammunition, so that ten million rounds of bullets are gone, which are all money! The good thing is that this is only a local war, and the goal is only to weaken the military power of Serbia, which is considered a preventive war! The staff estimate is that it won''tst more than two weeks before Serbia will ask for help from Austria-Hungary, and then they can wrap up the scene! It may really be a constant battle for just a day or two, or maybe even just a few hours, to decide the winner! They had turned on the Bulgarian war machine. The history of the Bulgarian-Serbian war was once again published in the newspapers, revenge became themon ground, and Serbia was the number one enemy! Anyone with a mind knows that there''s going to be a war! The Balkans have always been a high-risk area for war, and since the Serbian invasion of Bulgaria nine years ago, rtions between the two countries have never been better. Now it''s only natural that the ground is clear! Bulgaria''s big move, naturally, could not be hidden from the Serbian government. The young king, Aleksandar Obrenovi, was now anxious and desperate. He had not settled the domestic troubles, and the Bulgarians wereing again! Even if he was more arrogant, he did not think that Serbia could win the war now! As soon as the emergency meeting began, Aleksandar could not help but speak up, "Gentlemen, Bulgaria''s evil intent is already known to everyone, what should we do now?" The Minister of War angrily said, "We need to mobilize the country immediately and give Bulgaria a serious blow!!!" After hearing the Minister of War''s words, Alexander asked, looking forward to it, "Oh, what is your Ministry of War''s n? How many troops need to be mobilized to win this war?" The Minister of War thought about it and said, "This ~ depends on how many Bulgarian invading troops there are? They now have 130,000 regr armies, but they can also carry out civil mobilization. The army''s invasion may be more than 100,000, or even 200,000 may be! And we only have 100,000 troops and have to divide our troops to suppress the rebellion. At least we need to mobilize another 200,000 troops to be sure to defeat them!" As soon as the Minister of War''s words fell, the crowd inhaled a cold breath. It is already the strength of the whole country! For a small country with a poption of two million or so, The Minister of Finance was frightened by the Minister of War''s bold statement and questioned, "But what about weapons and equipment? Where are we going to get so many weapons to arm such arge army?" The Minister of Finance did not mention the money this time. He knows that there is no longer care at this time whether the financial copse, the winning the war is all good, lose the war cab is ready to leave and does not need him to continue to worry about it! After hearing the Minister of Finance''s words, Alexander looked at the Minister of War with hope and asked, "How many weapons do we have in stock now, and how many troops can we equip?" The Minister of War was silent for a moment and said with difficulty: "This ~ s! Due to theck of funds for the army and the attrition of suppressing the rebellion, the weapons reserve has dropped to the lowest point in ten years in thest two years, with only 1,300 rifles and two cannons, which can barely equip one regiment!" Even though all the people sitting here are amateurs, they know that the army has to ensure that one person has a weapon no matter what! For now, after the national mobilization, an average of three people have a gun, to be almost the same as the Russian Army in World War I. They can imagine thebat power! Aleksandar I asked, without losing heart, "What about going to buy it now?" Without thinking, the Minister of Foreign Affairs immediately spoke up and said, "Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs hasmunicated with all the ambassadors, there is no problem to buy weapons, only the offer is slightly higher, and there is a little time it takes!" "How high?" The Minister of Finance asked out of habit. "It''s a total increase of five times over the current international price, and they''re suggesting we buy front-loading rifles, which they have inrge stock and can get a bit of a discount on the price and in a much faster time frame!" The Minister of Foreign Affairs said nervously. "What high five times, and why not go to rob!" "What a front-loading rifle, those pieces of crap have no use!" Almost at the same time, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of War fired off a rebuke! At this point, the Prime Minister spoke up, "I remember that we also eliminated a batch of front-loading rifles before, so why don''t we take them out for the new recruits to use first!" The Minister of War retorted, "No! What''s the use of those old-fashioned weapons? Isn''t that suicide?" The Prime Minister said calmly: "Do not get upset, our Minister of War! Aren''t the old weapons also capable of killing people? We should first give the new recruits for training, andter, when the weapons are bought back, we can change them again!" After hearing the Prime Minister''s exnation, the Minister of War reluctantly nodded his head! ---------------- This book is so unlikely to be familiar with the history of the Balkans that most people are stuck in the World Wars. In fact,te 19th century Balkans diplomacy and WWI were utterly different concepts! In the 1890s, the peak of German-Austrian diplomacy, most Balkan countries were allies or minions! Bulgaria was Russia''s only ally in the Balkans, and historically, the Bulgarian-Russian rtions broke down after Stambolov''s cab came to power!!! There was a restoration of rtions under Konstantin''s government. Since then, Bulgaria has been swayed between the two blocs. The Russians chose Serbia in the Balkan Wars andter were held hostage by the civilian interests to join the Allies! The minion of Austria-Hungary of Serbia, from its independence until 1907 when Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina, conflicts intensified, and the pro-Russian faction prevailed, then jumped ship!!! Austria-Hungary participated in the Serbian independence, 1885, 1886, when Bulgaria-Serbia defeated the war, Austria-Hungary also contributed to giving a push, political, economic, and cultural infiltration! While Greece inter times was a little brother of Britain, but the end of the 19th century, the great powers had a strong presence when the upper hand was dominated by the pro-German faction, before shifting positionster! Romania was then an ally of Germany and had signed a secret treaty with Germany and Austria, but after the death of Carol I, the pro-Allied forces grew and joined the Allies in World War I! In general, the great powers of the Balkans have intervened, and in the 19th century? Russia rxed its intervention in the Balkans after its eastern expansion! The Balkan states were independent from the Ottomans, and the conflict between the two sides speaks for itself! The second is the Bulgarian-Serbian conflict. In 1885, Serbia invaded Bulgaria and lost the war! In the Austro-Hungarian intervention truce, the two sides also took into a deadly feud. Serbia always wants revenge. Bulgaria is not willing to fight a war for nothing! In small countries, as we all know, there is always a war with friends and rtives who have to die, and the hatred of the two sides wille to the point where the pressure of civil opinion drives the two governments can notpromise! At the first opportunity, both sides will choose to kill the stone! Well, briefly again, it''s also mentioned in the book, so maybe someone didn''t pay attention! Now again, I hope you don''t bring in the international rtions of World War I. The World War is still twenty years away! The main conflicts in the world now are the German-French conflict, the Anglo-Russian conflict, and the Anglo-French conflict. Next in line: the Russian-Austrian conflict and the Anglo-German conflict. Everyone knows about the German-French conflict! The Anglo-Russian conflict has been going on for decades in Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, Central Asia, India, the Far East, etc. The Crimean War and the Russo-Japanese War are examples of the Anglo-Russian conflict! Anglo-French conflict can be traced back hundreds of years, "Hundred Years War", "Anti-French Alliance", and "American War of Independence"... were, at the end of the 19th century, for African colonies, Britain and France were just a step away from war! When ites to the enemies of Britain: the first in line is Russia; the second is France; the third is said by some to be the United States, and some say Germany. Britain and Germany were still quasi-allies at the end of the 19th century. Britain, Germany, Austria, and Italy were ready to establish a four-nation alliance. They opened up the talks, andter, as the Conservative Party came to power, pursuing a ''Splendid Istion'' to maintain the continent''s bnce stopped! In the 20th century, the substantial rise of Germany broke the bnce of continental Europe, threatening British hegemony and intensifying the Anglo-German conflict! Well, briefly, for people to read!!! Otherwise, people may wonder: Are the Great Powers crazy? How to join forces with the enemy to fuck their people; is the protagonist sick, there is no reason to fight Serbia, and there are no benefits? It would be better to find the Ottomans or Romania! Thank you all for your support. Probably many readers are confused with the present. I can only say thank you so much! Good Night Chapter 118: Serbias preparation Chapter 118: Serbia''s preparation The Minister of Finance had a bright idea and said, "In that case, can we not collect weapons from the people? Whether it''s a hunting rifle or musket, equip the soldiers with them first, no matter how bad it is, it''s better than having empty hands!" What a good guy. In this short period, 200,000 troops have the weaponry! Fortunately, the Minister of War is also a civil official whose only partially wed military level. Otherwise, he would have been furious! With a bunch of messy equipment put together, the logistics of supplies alone can break people down! Aleksandar I nodded with content, so soon to get the weaponry done! It was as if he had already seen the scene of 300,000 Serbian troopsing to Sofia. The Minister of Finance interrupted his thoughts and said with a bitter smile, "Now that the problem of weapons is solved, do we need to think about where to get money? Three hundred thousand troops is not something we can afford to raise!" The military expenditure took up 80 percent of the government''s expenditure in order to suppress the rebellion. It''s a good thing that the army has doubled in one go, but where will we get the money? After pondering for a while, the pro-Austrian Prime Minister Radoman Bovic gritted his teeth and said cautiously: "War with Bulgaria is ast resort! Now we should consider using diplomacy and ask Austria-Hungary to intervene, even if it costs a certain amount, it is better than going to war with Bulgaria directly!" The Minister of Finance at once supported his opinion. It was better to prepare for war, but it was possible to refrain from fighting! Winning is fine, but what if you lose? What to do? Or what if the war is stagnated? What should Serbia do? He wistfully thought that if Serbia did mobilize, perhaps it would be Bulgaria that would be the happiest! Nothing would have to be done, it would drag on for months, and the treasury would drag Serbia into the abyss! If Ferdinand had known what he was thinking, he would have said, "Ah, the soulmate!" Yes, it was supposed to weaken Serbia''s war potential this time, and he wouldn''t mind if they could drag it down without bloodshed! "The Prime Minister is right! We can''t afford to fight right now. It would be unwise to blindly go to war with Bulgaria before the rebels at home have been solved!" said the Minister of Finance. At this point, the Minister of War is no longer silent. The Serbian military is not the one to be messed with it. If they are interrupted from expanding the army, the Minister of War will be the end of his own! "No! Bulgaria may attack at any moment. We must prepare with all our might. If we hope for diplomacy, if we fail, we will be at the mercy of others!!! Don''t forget that Bulgaria is already allied with Russia, and if Russia steps in to stall Austria-Hungary, we still have to deal with Bulgaria alone!" Aleksandar I, who was somewhat motivated, once again hesitated, the possibility of what everyone said could happen, making it difficult for him to choose! "What does the Minister of Foreign Affairs think, and what are the chances that Austria-Hungary will intervene? What about the attitude of the other great powers? And Romania and the Ottoman Empire, are they likely to side with us this time?" Aleksandar I asked expectantly. Knowing that he could not avoid it this time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said with a bitter smile: "Austria-Hungary''s attitude is now icy and did not make a clear statement supporting us. It reminds us to strengthen our preparations for war! The Germans and the British have said they want to maintain the status quo, but they won''t intervene directly! The French and the Russians have not yet taken a stand, and the Russians are now allies of Bulgaria. Even if they don''t support them, they can''t support us! In Romania, Carol I had some interest, and with the Russian Empire''s attitude unknown, they dared not make a move, but they agreed to sell us a batch of weapons at a low price! The Ottoman Empire is now busy with the Armenian issue and can''t afford to let us fight!" Aleksandar Iined, "Is this the effort of your Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Can''t you find a single ally?" "Yes. I''m sorry Your Majesty!" The Minister of Foreign Affairs said quickly but, in fact, in his heart, was cursing. What a joke. Do I cause the current situation? Would this have happened if not for the conflict with Austria-Hungary over the loan in the previous period? Wonder who is the one who shouts every day about the establishment of ''Greater Serbia'', without looking at where those territories are? What''s so strange is that Austria-Hungary is not happy? Who is the boss and who is the minion, such a matter of principle, are not explicit! It would be strange if Austria-Hungary would be willing to help if we now needed to greet them! The attitude of other great powers was more than normal when Serbia invaded Bulgaria. Is not it also the same? We, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at least also talked to Romania. Although not very reliable, at least they supported many weapons, although it also requires money! Not to mention the Ottomans, we also have a share of the credit for their domestic unrest? It''s not like we didn''t do anything to encourage the minorities to make trouble! By the way, we have managed to pull an ally! Although it can be negligible, but still can wave the g! The Minister of Foreign Affairs said with discontent: "Besides such countries, Greece is busy with the Ottomans in order to pull the trigger and hit Crete again! Montenegro has expressed support for us and strongly condemned the barbaric actions of the Bulgarian government!" Aleksandar I just ''grunted'' to show that he knew! With a poption of less than 400,000, almost zero industry, and a gate of Montenegro surrounded by Ottomans, they have nothing to do even if they want to help. They canpletely ignore their attitude! Looking at the childish king, Prime Minister Radoman Bovic made a big question mark in his mind. Did he wonder about the usual political struggle, which is not very powerful? How is it that when ites to big things, the IQ has dropped, even if it is to me, but also pay attention to the face! After thinking about it, he said, "In that case, let''s prepare with both hands! On the one hand, let''s do our best to expand our army and prepare for war, and on the other hand, let''s make diplomatic efforts and try our best to win!" Radoman Bovic had no expectations of this war, and the darkness in his heart left by the Bulgarian War nine years ago has not yet passed! He doesn''t know the fighting strength of the Bulgarian army now! But he remembers that in thest war between Bulgaria and Serbia, they mobilized a group of Bulgarian hordes to beat the Serbian regr army with no guns and no artillery! Nowadays, they are much better than then! How much has the fighting strength of the Serbian army improvedpared to nine years ago? He didn''t see it anyway, a small rebellion has taken so long, and he is trying to me it on the support of Bulgaria! Even if Bulgaria gave them a few guns, but the fact that you are, a regr army can not beat a few lowly people, does this still need to find a reason? Indeed he ignored the fact that the rebels in the fight had crushed the Serbian army! Chapter 119: The Rebellion Quelled? Chapter 119: The Rebellion Quelled? In the end, ites back to the original point - money! The expansion of the army needs money, weapons and equipment need money, and the war needs money! The Serbian government is now short of money! Aleksandar I asked bitterly, "How much do we need to finance the war?" The Minister of Finance thought about it and skillfully calcted: "Based on the expansion of the army by 200,000, the purchase of weapons and equipment alone will cost at least 30 million Dinars, (note: in Serbian currency, the Dinar and the Leva are equivalent, about 2.9 grams of gold, 2.5 Dinars 1 pound) and may actually be more. Each month''s military spending will not be less than seven million dinars, and if we go to war, this spending may increase several times! It depends on when Bulgaria can be defeated and how much funding is needed." In the face of the Minister of Finance''s throwback, the Minister of War decisively chose to ignore, not to mention his mor for war, but in fact, now the Serbian military is not ready at all! The so-called 300,000 troops are still numbers on paper. The Serbian army is now only 110,000. Who knows when the Bulgarians will attack? What if war breaks out early? Bulgaria is not stupid enough to wait for Serbia to be ready before attacking! Whether you can win is an unknown, how much it will cost, this can only be God knows! Anyway, he knows the situation of the Serbian army, and he can make the most optimistic estimate when the expansion of the army haspleted the battle! Looking at the silent crowd, Aleksandar I looked pale. After all, he was not long in power. He had not yet established prestige. These ministers still do not give him face, like the present case, can only be written down to solve problems after the autumn! ring at the crowd, he continued, "What is the military''s n? How long will it take to win the war?" Seeing that he could not avoid it, the Minister of War said stiffly, "Your Majesty, the war has not even started yet! We are not God. How can we know how long it will take? Bulgaria hasn''t mobilized yet. Maybe another ten or eight years before they start the war! Of course, I''m just using a metaphor, now Bulgaria is preparing for war, and it is expected that war will break out in the next two to three months!" The prime minister took a cold breath. He regrets that he was greedy for power and did not retire earlier. He had lost tens of millions of dinars before the war started. If the war broke out, it is feared that no one or two hundred million would be unable to fight! In thest war for Serbia, Serbia''s military expenditure was only 60 to 70 million dinars, mainly because the defeat was too fast and the warsted too short to do national mobilization! He asked, "So, to be sure, we have to prepare 200 million dinars?" The Minister of War affirmed, "Yes!" The Prime Minister did not buy it and said in a very firm tone: "You know this is impossible! The government''s finances are clear to everyone. If it''s 10 or 20 million, it can barelye out of the trash! Two hundred million dinars, that''s five years of our coffers! It''s not something we can get just because we want it, and your military has to find a way to keep the military costs down!" The Minister of War thought about it and said: "I also know that the government is now in financial trouble, but you all know that our army is no match for Bulgaria in terms ofbat power, and it is very difficult to win; without having a superior force! That is why we cannot reduce the number of troops, we cannot reduce the daily training even more, and we have already lowered our standards in weaponry. The only way is topress the wartime. Now we can only speed up the mobilization and start the war before the Bulgarian mobilization!" The words of the Minister of War were ignored by all except King Aleksandar I, who saw a glimmer in his eyes. It was not a strategy at all, and they entirely hoped that Bulgaria would be foolish! The Prime Minister sighed and ruthlessly ~ said, "One hundred million dinars! That''s the maximum limit, we can''t get more than that!" The Minister of War was shocked. This price is too bad! He cut it in half and said angrily, "No! How can we fight a war without enough military funds?" The prime minister said coldly: "Just fill it with human lives! From now on, the government will stop all spending. All the money is put into the war. It is already our biggest effort! If we can''t win, then the government will dere bankruptcy! In addition, we should immediately mobilize the whole country, recruit all the young and strong people over the age of fifteen and under the age of sixty to join the army, and select 200,000 people to join the regr army. At the same time, the rest will be used as reserves!" Aleksandar I could not sit still. He is desperate and can think that his throne is certainly done to his head once he loses the war! His father, King Mn, is the best example! Hesitantly, he said, "Prime Minister, should we not consider using diplomacy! Whether we win or lose this battle, we will be greatly wounded!" The Prime Minister exined, "Your Majesty, we will fight for it, but we can''t rx in our readiness, and only if we show the Bulgarians our resolve will they return to the negotiating table!" The crowd breathed a sigh of relief in unison, so it was just a deterrent! They dared not think about the consequences if they really did this. Knowing that the internal rebellion has not been quelled yet? ... The most frantic mobilization began in Serbia, and the whole country was in a state of chaos. There were long queues at the recruitment points. Luckily this is the Balkans, and the poption is used to war! Folk also have the habit of hiding guns, fathers have brought their own equipment, and sons and brothers have enlisted at the same time to join the sacred mission of defending their country! The rebels, which they had already pinned down, were the first to suffer as government troops began to attack regardless of casualties, shells raining down on their positions at no cost! The usual drill trench is no longer feasible, the government forces are ruthless, directly burning the mountain with fire, and the rebels were scattered under the fear of defeat! They suppressed the rebels, but the Minister of War couldn''t smile. The losses were too heavy! Within a week, six thousand soldiers were killed and more than twenty thousand wounded, most of them minor and could still recover! Despite the glorious results of the battle, killing over 30,000 rebels, he couldn''t be happy. It was a civil war! The war with Bulgaria hadn''t even started yet, and already more than 10,000 men were forced out of the fight! Veterans withbat experience are no match for new recruits who have just joined the army! Aleksandar I was deeply relieved that the civil war, whichsted for two years, had cost Serbia at least 200,000 people and 50 million dinars, and the economic losses were beyond measure! However, Aleksandar did not know that despite the heavy casualties of government troops, although it is the line of good news, the military chose to conceal the losses! With Bulgaria drawing attention, everyone consciously or unconsciously ignored the rebels'' leaders, which in turn left hidden dangers for the future! Chapter 120: Reaction of the Great Powers Chapter 120: Reaction of the Great Powers At the Schnbrunn Pce in Vienna, Franz Joseph I held a cab meeting to discuss what Austria-Hungary would do next in response to the war between Serbia and Bulgaria! "Your Majesty, the Serbs are already aware of the rush, and it seems they are not sure about the war!" gloated the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roman Haubenstock-Ramati. "This is normal, only nine years have passed since thest war with Serbia, and Serbia has not recovered yet; Bulgaria has be even stronger, and the gap in strength between the two sides is so great that this war is not beatable at all!" said the Minister of War with scorn. "Are you saying that they will defeat Serbia this time if we don''t intervene?" The prime minister asked in the sense of interest. "Judging purely from the military, I can''t imagine how Serbia could have won, but of course if other countries had been involved it''s possible!" The Minister of War said with certainty. "This chance is almost non-existent! The great powers are holding each other back, even if they support Serbia, except for us other countries are not able to intervene with the limited forces they put in the Balkans!" The Foreign Minister added. The prime minister asked suspiciously, "What about the Ottoman Empire? They have a lot of power in the Balkans, so if they want to intervene it is still possible?" The Foreign Minister thought for a moment and said: "The Ottoman Empire is now in a state of trouble, the issue of their massacre of Armenians some time ago has not yet been resolved, and the Sultan has refused our ''goodwill''! Now they are in a state of distress, and international pressure is keeping them from moving! The Russians had previously invited countries to intervene with a coalition of forces, but we turned them down! Even if the Ottomans wanted to support Serbia, they considered whether the Russian Empire would get involved! In fact, now, except for us, basically they will y no other country directly! By the way, Romania seems to have some ideas, but Carol I is too timid. Unless we are willing to step in and hold the Russians at bay, they dare not intervene!" Franz Joseph I seemed interested in what the Minister of Foreign Affairs said and asked, "What would have been the result if we had held the Russian Empire in check and Romania had entered the war?" The Minister of War thought about it and said, "If Romania can fully unite with Serbia, then the war has yet to be waged!" Franz Joseph I asked in surprise, "Oh, Bulgaria has grown to this point?" "The fact is that Serbia is now semi-crippled, the country is in a mess, has only just put down the rebellion, it is okay to put on the defensive, but simply does not have the ability to take a proactive approach! If Romania enters the war now, it is basically a single fight with Bulgaria, and Serbia can at most help hold back 20,000 to 30,000 troops!" The Minister of War exined. The Minister of Foreign Affairs asked in disbelief: "Hasn''t Serbia already expanded its army? It is said to be a national mobilization, they n to mobilize 300,000 men? Even if they don''t have muchbat power, they can''t be stopped by 20,000 to 30,000 Bulgarian troops by sheer numbers, right?" The Minister of War shook his head and said, "No, Mr. Roman! If it is only used to put on guard, they may still have some fighting power under the great righteous call to protect the country; if it is an active attack, maybe they can copse when they start the battle! An army that can''t even get one gun per soldier together, perhaps not even enough ammunition to support a big battle, we can know their fighting ability!" At this point, the Minister of Finance spoke up: "The Minister of War is right! The Serbian government''s finances are so bad that they are now out of money! Whether it''s weapons and equipment or pay, three hundred thousand troops can''t afford it!" Franz Joseph I felt puzzled that the situation in Serbia was much worse than he thought! If that was the case, why was there such an arrogant move to create a ''Greater Serbia''? Don''t they know that the region of Bosnia and Herzegovina is already being eaten by their boss, so they openly dere that they want to take away the food from the tiger''s mouth? Aren''t they courting death? He thought about it and said, "Forget it! Since the Serbs are so ungrateful, let Bulgaria teach them a lesson in blood! Tell the Bulgarians to do as promised! They must also prepare the army, and the y must beplete so that no one can see the w!" ... The Russian Empire, Aleksandr III, who is cruising around, is in a terrible state! The ''Near East crisis'' has not yet been resolved, the Ottoman Turkey did not seem to yield half of the interest; the Far East ''Sino-Japanese War'' broke out again and attracted his attention; now Bulgaria, the little one, seems to n to make things happen again! Aleksandr III asked unhappily, "What do you think of this conflict between Bulgaria and Serbia?" The Prime Minister smiled and said: "The Bulgarians did not ask for our help this time but just wanted our support in the international arena, which is full of confidence! Of course, this is rted to the rapid growth of Bulgaria in recent years. They have no longer been able to hold back and want to show their strength! Bulgaria and Serbia have conflicted for a long time, the two sides have long been at odds with each other, and a war between them is to be expected! I just didn''t expect it to be so early." Aleksandr III looked at the Crown Prince, who had a good idea of what to expect, and asked, "What do you think, Niki?" Crown Prince Niki smiled and said, "Ferdinand''s insight is still so sharp! Serbia is at its weakest now, so he is nning to take the chance to make a move and ruin his rival!" Aleksandr III smiled and nodded, gesturing for him to continue. The future Niki II, slightly rmed, continued: "The international situation is now very favorable for Bulgaria! Austria-Hungary had just ovee the financial crisis. It is not possible to intervene directly; the Ottoman Empire is trapped in the ''Near East crisis'', surrounded by the great powers to keep a close eye on; Britain, France, and Germany have limited forces in the Balkans in that they are unlikely to stand up for irrelevant Serbia! After excluding external troubles, Serbia is no match at all, but once Bulgaria wins, Austria-Hungary will surely interfere. Have they already reached an agreement?" Aleksandr III said with a smile: "Good! Although Serbia is the minion of Austria-Hungary, it does not mean that there is no conflict between the two sides. The young king of Serbia all day takes the idea of establishing ''Greater Serbia'' as a slogan. Vienna is certainly not happy! Vienna wouldn''t mind teaching Serbia a lesson if it could, to show them God knows how high they are! Ferdinand should have reached a tacit agreement with them, even though that old fox Joseph may have nned this war secretly! The Habsburg family''s political tactics, which are the best in the world, will soon force Serbia fully into the Austro-Hungarian Empire!" Chapter 121: Preparations Chapter 121: Preparations (Note that in some ces in front, the exchange rate was wrong by one decimal point, 1 Lev = 1 Dinar = 1 Leu = 1 Franc 0.29 grams of gold, now changed.) In international diplomacy, as long as you judge where the interests belong, in the mind of the people who are in charge, you can roughly deduce the ins and outs, as for the truth or falsity many times does not matter! Aleksandr III thus presumed the secret deal that Ferdinand deemed himself to have with Austria-Hungary to be exactly the same! Aleksandr III asked rhetorically, "What do you think, Niki? I want to hear your own judgment!" Crown Prince Niki pondered for a moment, then said: "I think Bulgaria''s strategy has remained unchanged from the beginning to the end! Ferdinand''s target is still the Ottoman Empire. Although the Ottomans have faded, it is not a match for current Bulgaria! The conflict between Bulgaria and Serbia is deeper than the conflict between Germany and France. There is no possibility of reconciliation. There will be a war between Bulgaria and Serbia! Now Vienna wants to teach the unruly Serbs a lesson, and the Bulgarians have the same goal in mind. Ferdinand is nning to throw down the towel! But that''s about it. Austria-Hungary couldn''t have watched Bulgaria wreck Serbia, let alone annex it! Once Austria-Hungary intervened, the war would have stopped! The fact that Ferdinand did not ask us for help means that he was mentally prepared for it! The effect on us does not seem to be great!" If Ferdinand had heard Nichs''s judgment, he would have been shocked. Is this still the same ignorant and ipetent Niki II in the history books? How could it be possible that the Tsar who controlled this huge empire, an emperor who could suppress the domestic nobles and capitalists, an emperor who, even after being overthrown, still had the support of the peasant ss, was an idiot? Aleksandr III said with a smile: "Niki, you are right, but this is also our chance! In 1886, Austria-Hungary intervened in the War of Bulgaria-Serbia, and many Bulgarians still hold a grudge, and I think after this time, their grudge will be even deeper! Last time Serbia did not pay the price. This time it is hard to say. Once the Austro-Hungarian intervention failed to satisfy them, I guess they will not honor the good of Vienna! And herees our chance to stir up their popr conflicts. Even if Serbia fallspletely to Austria-Hungary, we can''t let Joseph swallow it easily!" In a surprise, the prime minister said, "Your Majesty, Austria-Hungary has ambitions to annex Serbia, so should we intervene in this war, or else ~~." Niki interrupted the Prime Minister: "There''s no need! Serbia is not so easy to swallow, the British will not let Austria-Hungary alone in the Balkans, and even their allies, the Germans, will probably oppose it! Our strategic focus is now the Far East. There is a Bulgarian nail in the Balkans is enough. There is no need to involve too much energy in the short term!" After some thought, Aleksandr III said: "Niki is right. There is no need for us to intervene now! Even if I stop this war, Serbia is unlikely toe to us! That is unless we are willing to go to war with Austria-Hungary over Serbia! Otherwise, once Joseph''s patience runs out, all our investments in Serbia will be wasted!" ... The different opinions at the top of the Russian government are also the result of the different strategies advocated by factions within the Russian Empire! The European faction, represented by the Prime Minister, and the Far East faction, led by Crown Prince Niki. The European faction wanted to expand in the Balkans and then enter the Mediterranean, so they supported the intervention in the Bulgarian-Serbian War; the Far Eastern faction believed that the Balkans wereplicated and that Britain would resist Russia''s entry into the Mediterranean, Germany, Austria, and Italy, making it difficult to achieve anything, and advocated expansion into the Far East to develop national power before returning to Europe! From the strategic point of view, Russia was right to conduct the Far East program, and the European powers were too powerful to make a breakthrough. Even if it failed in the Russo-Japanese War, one could not say that the Far East strategy was a mistake, but only a mistake in execution! In fact, Russia''s gains in the East were still great, with vast territories and rich resources thatid the foundation for the rise of the Soviet Union inter times! If not for greed, instead of sinking deeper into the Balkan quagmire, the Russian Empire would have continued with the Far East ns that would have rewritten world history again! It is estimated that Crown Prince Niki, who is now opposed to intervening in the War of Bulgaria-Serbia, would never have dreamed that he would start a World War for a Serbia that could be left behind and eventually destroy his empire! Ferdinand, who had just sent away Count Pavel, the Russian foreign envoy, was now in a good mood. There were no surprises, the Russians were willing to go along with the charade, and now it was safe to say they were winning! ... "Is the ministries ready, Konstantin?" Ferdinand asked. Konstantin did not hesitate to say: "Your Highness, we are ready for anything! Bulgaria can enter a state of war at any time, and all the major factories rted to the country, have been included in the government''s control! There are enough strategic supplies in reserve for 200,000 troops for one year, and currently, 100 million Leva have been raised for special wartime funds, but I''m afraid the construction projects behind them will have to be postponed!" Ferdinand nodded in satisfaction, then said, "Good job, let''s start mobilizing! Although we will not use the reserves most of the time, consider it an exercise! Chief of Staff, how are the military preparations going? When can we start?" Hearing Ferdinand''s words, Petrov replied with confidence: "Your Highness, please rest assured that we can attack Serbia at any time! By the staff''s estimates, the war willst no more than two months. Within a month, under normal circumstances, we will be able to capture Kraljevo and end the war!" The specific how to fight, Ferdinand very wisely chose to defer. His level of personal knowledge, if it is on paper, that''s okay; the development of the strategy will also be just fine, but tomand the army is not as good as King Zhao of Zhuo! 1) It is not easy to say whether the Bulgarian military''smand ability! At least theymanded a group of militia nine years ago. They defeated Serbia, at least the tactical level ispetent! Ferdinand smiled and said: "Serbia has already started the national mobilization, so let''s start. Can''t we really wait for them all to be ready before we go to war? The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in charge of finding a suitable excuse to dere war, and the other ministries will cooperate! The military must not forget the strategic purpose of this war! All battles must revolve around the core objective of ~ maximizing the weakness of Serbia''s living forces!" "Yes"! Petrov returned with a firm voice. ... Trantor: 1) King Zhao of Zhou was the fourth king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty. He ruled from 977/75 BC until his death twenty yearster. Famous for his disastrous war against the Chu confederation, his death in battle ended the Western Zhou''s early expansion and marked the beginning of his dynasty''s decline. Chapter 122: Bulgarian Mobilization Chapter 122: Bulgarian Mobilization With Ferdinand''s order, the Bulgarian war machine at once began to function. The benefits of investing heavily in infrastructure manifested themselves as strategic supplies from all over the country converged on Sofia in an orderly fashion. Despite its long history and excellent climatic conditions, Sofia is not a good capital from a security point of view! It is simply too close to the borderline, and it would immediately be the front line in the event of war. The closest ce to Serbia is only a hundred or so kilometers away. The poor Bulgarian-Serbian rtions leave it under constant military threat from Serbia! In order to defend the capital, Bulgaria had to deploy arge number of troops in the area of Gintsi and Tran. Half of the country''s troops could be concentrated around Sofia, where Serbia hold more than sixty percent of Bulgaria''s military forces! Since Ferdinand seeded to the throne, there was never for a moment that he did not want to solve the threat from Serbia over Sofia''s iing army. To his relief, Serbia has been out of shape since the Bulgarian-Serbian War nine years ago, which kept Ferdinand from sleeping! The conflict between the two sides has been on for a long time, and the feud between the two sides is not even smoothed out. Ferdinand seeded to the throne, and it was not without thought to ease the rtionship between the Bulgarian and Serbian. Still, after an in-depth analysis of the conflict between the Bulgarian and Serbian, there is no longer the idea of reconciliation! If the German-French conflict is due to the Alsace-Lorraine territorial dispute, the dispute over European hegemony, and the market dispute between capitalism, it isn''t easy to reconcile! In addition to the battle for territory, the battle for survival is more important! In the same Balkan region, surrounded by the great powers, both countries desire self-reliance, but how can the small Balkan region amodate it? At the same time, both countries are of mixed vic and other ethnic origins, with Russian influence, and both countries present themselves as vic leaders of the Balkans! One holds the banner of ''Greater Serbia,'' and the other holds the banner of ''Greater Bulgaria''. Both sides have a tacit agreement to cross each other in the target range, so to speak, is ipatible! Compromise does not exist anymore. All thought of annexing each other, war is sooner orter, unless one sidepletely falls! Ferdinand could have sworn that he really wasn''t interested in Serbia. He didn''t want to create a new version of the ''Austro-Hungarian'' Empire! But the people of the country can not help but think in this regard Ferdinand could not fight against the country! To use amon phrase, ''a good Bulgarian has to do things to eat, sleep, believe in God, and fight Serbia!'' And beat up Ottoman if possible, that would be even better!!! Besides the Serbs on the other side, the idea is simr. Bulgaria''s power is already several times that of Serbia, and no one in the Serbian government still proposes improving rtions with Bulgaria! Since we are destined to be enemies, we can only ''take advantage of your disease''! On October 5, 1894, the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an ultimatum of war to Serbia, based on the principle of ''the first to strike, thest to suffer''!1) They gave the Serbian government three days to hand over war criminals from the Bulgarian-Serbian war nine years ago for public trial by a special Bulgarian war tribunal, with a long list of war criminals! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is still very good at this. No fabrications out of thin air, all with tangible evidence! Only the list is a little longer. Basically, the officers who participated in thest Bulgarian War and are still alive are on the list! The Serbian government was simply not given a choice. The countdown to war had begun! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has wisely chosen to ignore Ferdinand''s far-fetched excuses! In thest war with Serbia, Serbia was defeated, and although it did not pay much, it still admitted defeat and apologized, admitting to the act of aggression! In theory, the Bulgarian government still retains the right to pursue war criminals, but it''s been nine years! No matter how, this pretext on the face of it, Bulgaria started this war, it was still fair. Anyway, all Bulgarians believe it, and that''s enough! ... In the new Sliven district in Bulgaria, Vibert was working overtime with his head down and no more passion than ever! That''s right. They rejected his request to join the army once again! Not only him, but they did not include the entire machine engineers in the draft! Although they also actively signed up because the machinery factory belongs to the key business, which has now been drafted off in wartime to start producing weapons and ammunition! In the Balkans, every man has a dream of being a hero! Vibert is no different. As a native Bulgarian, it has always been his dream to join the army and fight in Serbia! None other than Ferdinand''s patriotic education, the hatred between Bulgaria and Serbia! And the key is that Serbia is weak enough to fight it safe and secure and build the sess in the war and make a fortune. At this point, every Bulgarian is convinced! An example of this is the Bulgarian War nine years ago, in which Vibert''s older brother, Lowell, fought! Vibert missed that battle because he was hunting in the mountains with his father at the draft time and missed the draft! Every time he heard his brother''s bragging, Vibert wondered! To sum up, Serbia was weak enough, and the Bulgarians were heroic enough! The proof of this is that in a battle on the South Morava River, where his brother Lowell''s new regiment defeated two regiments of Serbian troops instead, despite theck of guns and medicine! With limited literacy Lowell, the specific situation can not describe clearly, anyway. It just listened to orders to fight, and after paying a hundred or so casualties, confusingly won the battle! At the end of the war, Lowell returned in triumph and was treated like a hero! In addition to the government-issued rewards, he brought home a bounty of loot and became the centerpiece of his family in no time! And then,ter, the young and vigorous Vibert goes out to make a living. There is no choice. He also wants to be a hero and does not want to live under his brother''s shadow! Even after getting married and being a father of three children, Vibert still hasn''t quenched his heart to go to war! Every year, it was the foundation of Ferdinand''s reserve program, a half month of military training for adult Bulgarian men! It can also be considered a Balkan tradition that adult men can go to war at any time! It is also very annoying for Supor now. The leaders have sent word to do the mindset work of the workers! Not only do they have toplete their production tasks, but they have to exceed them! He was also interested in going to war, just like the government propaganda, "A life without having gone to war is iplete!" No matter what, he must still do the work! It is military production. He can never hold back! Upon seeing the distraught Vibert, Supor''s iconic greeting, "What''s wrong with Vibert? What''s been upsetting youtely?" Vibert said with a bitter smile, "You know all about it, my request for enlistment has been rejected again!" Supor pretended to be indifferent and said, "I take it for what it is, isn''t it normal? Guess how many people it takes to defeat a mere Serbia? Back then, they lost to us, let alone now! So, even if you join the army, there is no chance to go to war, at most after the main force to y chores! It is better to stay in the rear to produce weapons and ammunition and y a greater role!" The first time he heard thefort given by Supor, Vibert''s mood was much better. Yes, only one Serbia in the world! ... Well, Ferdinand probably did not expect the self-confidence of Bulgarian folk, much stronger than the government! Has not started the war. Everybody thinks it will win. Many people want to go in and make war merit! Trantor: 1)A Chinese idiom means you can get an advantage by making the first move, but you often lose out afterward. Chapter 123: Headstrong Serbia Chapter 123: Headstrong Serbia War ising after Bulgaria''s ultimatum, whichpletely shatters Serbia''s illusions! Aleksandar I panicked. The war came too suddenly! From September, the tensions between Serbia and Bulgaria began to intensify, and now it is only a short month, now Serbia is simply toote to prepare! "Prime Minister, how are our war readiness going?" Aleksandar I asked anxiously. Only Prime Minister Radoman Bovic said with a bitter smile, "Your Majesty, time is too short for us to make preparations! So far, the national mobilization has barely beenpleted, with a total of more than 500,000 young people mobilized, still scattered throughout the country! It is still toote to organize training, from which the selection of qualified soldiers has just begun. At least another half a month toplete! The material supplies reserve is even worse due to theck of funds. Our purchases are not going well. The gap is huge!" The Minister of War added: "Due to ourck of weaponry, most of the avable weapons were collected from civilians, and many served with their own weapons! Weaponry is a mess, and so far, our gun and ammo counts are not even close toplete! The types of firearms are even more diverse. Basically, all kinds of guns that exist around the world, which we now have, and the number of all kinds of guns is unknown! It all takes time. The mobilized army has nobat power for at least the next half month! It will take at least two to three months of short-term training before the initial formation ofbat power! It''s a shame we all have amateur military skills, or we would have found the actual situation much worse than stated! The wide variety of weaponry also means that there are different calibers, which makes it very difficult to resupply! It''s possible that many people go to war with guns and can''t find the bullets to fire! Hearing the Prime Minister''s words, Aleksandar I angrily questioned: "What is wrong with the Minister of Finance? Why are the funds still not avable by now? Do we still want to fight the war? Don''t forget that it is already the moment of life and death for Serbia, and you still want to fight with each other?" The Minister of Finance looked confused. Honestly, he did his best to raise funds this time but still could not fund the army, which swallowed the money! Now in the face of Aleksandar I''s questioning, he did not have the courage of his heart to say back. "Your Majesty, please control yourself! We in the Ministry of Finance have done our best, don''t forget that the military just fought a war to quell the rebellion, with tens of thousands of casualties. The pension alone is an astronomical amount! And now, with national mobilization again, domestic tax revenues are almost negligible; there are limited gains from international loans, bonds, and bankers who don''t think we can win this war! The money we use is already using the gold reserves of gold-issued currency. It must not use up too many resources. Otherwise, our currency may now copse at any time!" As soon as the Minister of Finance finished his words, the faces of the crowd changed greatly. The standard gold era, using the currency reserves, which will blow up if the operation is a disaster! And now Alexander I, not caring about the Minister of Finance''s rebuke, sighed and said: "There is no need to worry about that! Let''s take it out first and get through this! If you win, everything will be fine, and all the losses can be made up in Bulgaria; if you lose, you don''t have to care about the currency copse!" The Minister of Finance thought about it, and it is also the truth. If you win, everything is good, if you lose the war, someone has to take the me, and the cab can not run away either. It is better to leave the mess to the next term! He said reluctantly: "Okay! But we don''t have much gold in reserve, so you should save it! If we spend it all before the war is over, we won''t have a single dinar in the treasury!" The Minister of War said bitterly, "Don''t worry, if ites to that, I won''t want the dinar even if you have it, it''s not much different from nk paper!" Aleksandar I red at the Minister of War and asked again, "Prime Minister, what is the attitude of Austria-Hungary now? Will it be on our side? If possible, it would be better to buy some time for us!" Prime Minister Radoman Bovic said with difficulty: "Austria-Hungary has made it clear that they will be on our side. But they are worried that if they intervene directly and the Russian Empire intervenes, the situation will be even moreplicated then! So they made a deal with the Russian Empire that neither would interfere directly in this war now! In this war, we can only rely on ourselves!" After knowing the attitude of Austria-Hungary, Aleksandar I instantly had a feeling of being betrayed! Are Both sides still allies? Nine years ago, they helped, but now they are on the outside looking in! Angrily, he said, "Just let it go. Let''s pretend we don''t have that ally! Now it''s up to us, Minister of War. This time you must fight for Serbia, or else ~ ~ ~." ... Ni is thergest city in southern Serbia, situated on the banks of the Niava River, a branch of the South Morava River. Now this formerly bustling city is in a state of shambles! Novak Djokovic, a native of the city, is now in his sixties, which is considered a high life expectancy in the 19th century. It may be strange to say that he was not an ordinary man, and when he was young, he participated in the war against the Ottomans. He also founded a textile factory in Ni and has more than a hundred workers, a proper capitalist, but now his life is not easy! After the economic crisis, it was dumped by the international capitalists, and Djokovic''s textile factory never made a profit and was forced to close its doors! After selling the factory, at least there was a sum of money left to retire. But the Bulgarian war was about to start, and the dinar began to devalue like crazy! It could not hide the fact that the government had used its reserve gold from the shrewd capitalists, who decisively chose to sell the dinar, which then began to depreciate wildly. The aged Djokovic reacted one step slower, and by the time he did, the dinar had changed from the original: 1 dinar = 0.29 grams of gold to the current 1 dinar = 0.01 grams of gold. It destroyed the assets shrunk by dozens of times instantly, and years of savings! "Pentridge, has the price of flour gone up again? It''s just that you can''t make the decision, it must be ordered by that old fucker Krai, bring me a ton of flour and load it to my house!" Djokovic said with a headache. "Mr. Djokovic, that much?" The salesman Pentridge asked in surprise. "The war is about to start, how can we not stock up on food?" Djokovic said calmly. "Mr. Djokovic, the government has announced a price parity, the market will soon return to normal, it''s not cost effective to buy so much now!" said Pentridge. "Silly boy, the moment the war starts Ni will be the front line, who cares about that!" Djokovic red at him and left without looking back. Ni is too close to the front line when thest Bulgarian war hit, and now it is not expected to be much better! Djokovic didn''t hesitate to purchase the living necessities and then started moving back home. He intended to go to his old home in the mountains to escape the disaster! Djokovic is not one alone, the rich people on the Serbian border are starting to move to avoid the disaster, and it is clear that they are not looking forward to this war! ... Chapter 124: Declaration of War Chapter 124: Deration of War As time passed, so did the three-day deadline for the ultimatum! There is no doubt that Serbia did not choose topromise and righteously rejected Bulgaria''s irrational demands! All to this point, Ferdinand can not pretend to be weak! He was about to dere war, and Ferdinand remembered the National Assembly at thest minute. He felt that his face was too ugly to the point of feeling and decided to fake a little. On October 8, 1894, Ferdinand urgently convened the National Assembly and submitted a bill to dere war on Serbia! Then it passed unanimously, with no abstentions, and even those who could not make it and were forced to be absent telegraphed over to vote, even though they belonged to the invalid vote, but they had toe to the party! There is no denying that these days, fighting Serbia is politically correct in Bulgaria! On the evening of October 8, 1894, Ferdinand publicly dered war on Serbia on the grounds that Serbia was harboring war criminals! War has broken out! It''s impossible to cause a sensation in the world. Europeans are used to it! It''s normal to fight in the Balkans. It''s only a problem if you don''t! Ferdinand, who loves to save face, did not order a sneak attack during the night and was ready to fight fair and square!!! Well, it was all promoted in the newspapers! In fact, Ferdinand did not consider a surprise attack, a war without a deration, but given the rtionship between the two countries, it was not an attack! Old rivals, how could they not be prepared? The most critical thing is that the artillery can not y the power during the night. Easy to mistakenly injure their own people! Bulgaria has a full advantage this time. There is no need at all to give up their advantage and choose to risk a night attack! The top brass of the Bulgarian army now, almost all of whom had participated in thest war in Bulgaria-Serbia, knew clearly that the Serbs were not as weak as advertised in the newspapers! And after thest war, Serbia is crazy to build defensive fortresses on the border. Well, the Serbian government is short of money. The defense line is not yetpleted! As nned by the staff, this time, Bulgaria sent 150,000 troops to attack Serbia at the same time, divided between the left, middle, and right. The main force was the Middle Army, which attacked from the Tran area intending to destroy the main Serbian military forces in the south of the South Morava River, with three regr divisions and one new division, totaling 70,000 forces that would attack Leskovac. One standing division of the Left Army and two new divisions, totaling more than 50,000 men, set out from the area around Mount Mijur intending to capture the important Serbian town of Ni in the southern block! The Right Army is considered to be the smallest number of remote divisions, with only two divisions of more than 30,000 men, but they are all regr divisions, and although their numbers are small, theirbat power is not weak at all! It will go straight to the Great Morava River from the Vidin region, aiming directly at the Serbian capital Belgrade! As soon as the conflict intensified, the Bulgarian 3rd Divisionmander, Dante Christov, who was based in Mount Mijur, began to worry! He was not concerned about not winning against Serbia, but Ferdinand''s orders to minimize soldier casualties and kill as much of the Serbian living force as possible! The Third Division, a Bulgarian regr division with provenbat ability, joined the newly formed Tenth and Twelfth Divisions to form the Left Army this time. Dante Christov, under his excellent performance in thest war, became themander-in-chief of the Left Army! Dante Christov is not afraid to fight, but how to maximize the potential to weaken the living forces, which will be difficult for him! Massacre of prisoners? Massacre of civilians? It is obviously not possible! Ferdinand wasn''t that crazy, and he, Dante Christov, wasn''t crazy! He probably understood Ferdinand''s meaning: to beat Serbia once and for all, it is better to learn about Bulgaria so that they can not cause trouble for Bulgaria for decades! ... When the time returns to three days ago, when the joint warfare meeting was held, all the cadres above the regiment level of the Left Army joined, swarming with hundreds of people. Dante Christov spoke up and said, "Normally, on October 8, 1894, we would have dered war on Serbia, so you, Chief of Staff, give the overview of the ground situation! The chief of staff livened up the mood by saying, "The battle n against Serbia, which the staff began to formte a long time ago, probably wouldn''t fit in this room if it had to be piled up together!" The crowd roared withughter. Watching everyone''s tension sprang a little relief, the chief of staff again began to introduce theparison of the strength of an enemy and his own. "Well, the joke ends here. As you all know, our Left Army this time consists of three divisions plus two artillery regiments, totaling more than 56,000 men. It has more than fifty-four thousand rifles. The pure Bulgarian Type 1889 (replica of Shui Lianzhu), more than one hundred and fifty machine guns, more than one hundred light and heavy artillery more than three thousand handguns of all kindsbined. Compared to nine years ago, we have a much stronger base, and the firepower of the Left Army alone is greater than back then! This time, all of you can put your minds in your hearts. 20 million rounds of ammunition and 80,000 artillery shells are already in ce, and there is a constant supply of ammunition to replenish the rear. The material reserves are sufficient. We can start the war at any time!" After a pause, he added: "And look at the Serbs on the other side, deploying more than 168,000 men in the Ni sector, almost three times as many as we are just by looking at their numbers! But don''t worry, we all know that Serbia is only a little bit of a real fighter, and their standing army is only 110,000. No, it should be more than 90,000. They lost more than 10,000 in the civil war not long ago! In other words, they are deploying their main force in the Ni area, which is at most 30,000 to 40,000 men, my main opponent this time. After all, our border with Serbia is so long that everywhere needs to be fortified, and the other hundred thousand or so people are a bunch of peasants who have just put down their hoes and fought with their guns! Perhaps even the gun is not always everyone has. The intelligence department has found out that their weapons and equipment are very messy, many kinds of the era, they can open a weapons museum!" The crowd couldn''t help butugh again at the Chief of Staff''s snark and mingled and discussed. Although there was no doubt about the oue of this war, the more than 100,000 troops on the opposite side would seem quite intimidating. Now that the opponents were found to be just a few tens of thousands of regr troops, and the rest were peasants, the crowd rxed suddenly. It seems that this mission is not difficult toplete! Dante Christov seriously pped the table and said, "Quiet! Look at your happy faces, don''t forget our mission this time? Not simply to defeat the enemy and be done with it, but to weaken their living forces as much as possible! What does it mean? I don''t need to exin it! Although we are big old guys, we all went to school or graduated from officer training courses! I can tell you clearly that it is impossible toplete the mission by killing the prisoners! Military tribunals will not be merciful! What exactly do I do? I don''t know! Anyway, once the war starts, apart frompleting the deployed missions, whichever unit takes out more of the enemy is the first to get the merit! I don''t care how you do it, just the results!" Chapter 125: The Bulgarian-Serbian War 1 Chapter 125: The Bulgarian-Serbian War 1 In the hope of getting the job done to the maximum, Dante Christov has let go to the maximum. The battlefield is ever-changing. It is difficult to be sure how to give the enemy the maximum kill! "Well, Commander-in-Chief? It''s okay if we shell a few more shots?" The artillery regimentmander asked with concern. Dante Christov did not hesitate to reply, "Yes! The battlefield is ever-changing, as long as you can hit anyone, if the enemy hasn''t surrendered and the shells haven''t gone up in your eyes, a misfire is always possible!" The smart man understood Dante Christov''s hint at once. He could be ''shot by mistake''. It seems they can erge the scope, the battlefield, and the army, and there are many civilians well! It is also justifiable that the poor Serbian government, which is not even equipped with military uniforms now, can be excused in case of misidentifying and giving a mishap! Frankly, Dante Christov wouldn''t dare to do that as a soldier with his conscience! But the hatred between Bulgaria and Serbia has overwhelmed the conscience in his heart, and as long as it''s not a direct massacre of civilians, he''s under no pressure! By now, Dante Christov has found that many people have their eyes shining underneath to do something big! He had no desire to stop it but instead asked with interest, "Are there any questions?" "No!" The people said in unison. Dante Christov nodded, then said, "The Military Council gave us the order that the war can begin as soon as war is dered, and when to fight is up to you! Next then, the Chief of Staff willy out the order of battle!" The chief of staff thought about it and said: "In order to maximize the destruction of the enemy, as soon as war is dered, we willunch an attack! I order the 107th and 109th Regiments. You will be the first wave of troops to attack and tear through the enemy''s defenses..." "Yes." ... Afterying out the mission, the chief of staff had advised: "The battlefield is ever-changing, from now on we must be ready for war! In case the Serbians can''t think straight and take the lead, you can''t let the trench fall over!" The crowdughed out loud. They expected this would be possible if the Serbian side were all a regr army! However, that group of peasants now, if it is used in defense, may still have some fighting power; if they take the lead, a single volley of fire may crumble them! ... It was a pity that Ferdinand''s deration of war came in the evening, which forced Dante Christov''s immediate n of attack to be dyed; after all, an attack at night would almost nullify the power of the artillery! But the Right Army, located above him, was now starting to strike! The Right Army, though the least in number, is no weaker in battle than the Left Army! Two main divisions plus two artillery regiments had experience in night battles during thest Bulgarian-Serbian War. At the end of the 19th-century, in terms ofmunication, it was not so progressed. Even if the telegrams also need time, the Bulgarian army can know the time in advance, but the Serbian army will have to wait for the notice! When Ferdinand dered war, the news reached the generals at the front. Even if it was more efficient, it took several hours! Howe many ssic wars were fought at night? It is not because the night is not a good time to fight, but also because it is the loosest defense! Popov was themander-in-chief of the Right Army (in 1885, due to the Bulgarian-Serbian War, Popov, who was only a captain at the time, along with Captain Athanas Benderlev, Captain Olimpij Penlov, and others, was given themand of the army to defeat Serbia. It is due to the withdrawal of officers by the Russians). You read that right. Themander in the Bulgarian-Serbian War nine years ago only had the rank of captain! One could not help that at that time, after the Russians withdrew their officers, Bulgaria simply did not have so many officers. The situation was in crisis, with those with rtions backgrounds hiding. The young officer, Popov, had the honor of being one of the bearers, but they won the fight and became heroes! When Ferdinand seeded to the throne, after clearing some of the ''military seniors'', they started to rise in the ranks of these highly decorated generals! Popov, who was a lieutenant colonel battalionmander in 1887, was promoted to colonel of a regiment in 1889, then to themander of a division in 1892, and was now appointedmander-in-chief of the Right Army! As the hero of thest Bulgarian-Serbian war, he was no fool! It only was after Ferdinand tested military literacy that he was able to make his way to the top! The reason for choosing to attack at night is because the Serbs have given the push! Who made Vidin region unfavorable forrge corps operations and did not pay attention to strategic locations? On the other side, the Serbians put 80,000 troops, which looks like a lot, but it is a pity that these people are not used for defense! Most of them are young and healthy soldiers who are locally recruited, counted as training camps in the rear, who train and defend simultaneously! If they just want to win the war, there is no need to fight! If the Serbian capital is to be threatened, the Left Army must break through Ni before the Right Army can advance without worry, or else it may break the supply line! However, now that Ferdinand''s policy was to take this chance to weaken Serbia, Popov had a major task ahead of him! Once a breakthrough is made, and the front is pushed to the Great Morava River, the Serbs will have to fight for their lives! When the meat is in your mouth, there is no reason not to eat it! You must worry about being ambushed by a surprise attack on the regr army at night! It would be perfect for attacking the peasants who just put down their hoes! Since Popov''s troops were deployed suddenly and were under the banner of militia, they did not attract the attention of the Serbs! It''s not a decisive ce anyway, it basically has no strategic value as long as Ni is not lost, and theirmand base is in Ni! At midnight, the Serbs, who had just finished a day of training, were asleep when they were suddenly startled by the sound of artillery fire! The Bulgarian army is attacking! The Serbian officers cursed the Bulgarians for their shameless surprise attack while they started to organize their army! It''s a pity that the war came so suddenly and they were not a regr army! In the darkness of the night, Bulgarian artillery was aiming at the bright light! One surprise attack on the Serbian barracks in the Danube area, and there was total chaos! Officers can not find their soldiers, and soldiers can not find their officers! The whole barracks is in chaos. Under the tension, a soldier''s gun went off and caused a chain reaction, in ancient times, that is, the Ying Xiao1)! ... A gruesome night battle broke out while the Serbian front-line officers, on the other side, finally received notice of the start of the war! The Bulgarians are really here, and Ni is the headquarters of the Serbian Army Command, and the officers can''t be bothered to sleep and are busy meeting! Themander-in-chief of the front, Subrovich, the elite leader of the Serbian army, is looking at the map and worrying! Don''t look at his usual slogans, such as "tten Sofia, capture Ferdinand alive"! That was only for prestige, a political necessity! Now that the war is really here, Subrovich is having trouble epting it instead! Trantor: 1) The "Ying Xiao" mostly refers to an unexpected incident in the ancient Chinese army, where prolonged mental tension is one of the main triggers. In ancient China, the military was strictly disciplined, and the punishment and reward were clear. It is emphasized that it will defeat the army in battle without strict discipline. Some unexpected situations (such as lightning strikes, ambushes, nightmares, etc.) during garrisoning or marching may cause a chain reaction among the military and cause a "broken window effect". It makes the long-standing tension in the group difficult to release to vent out, manifested as soldiers fighting and killing each other and causing self-destruction within the army, which has an extremely negative impact on the ancient military operations. Chapter 126: The Bulgarian-Serbian War 2 Chapter 126: The Bulgarian-Serbian War 2 It was difficult to tell exactly when or where Bulgaria would start attacking, but he knew that the army had to be consolidated now! The meeting began with Subrovich''s usual style of the snub. No, it was a morale booster. "Gentlemen, the Second War of Bulgaria-Serbia has begun. A few hours ago, Bulgaria dered war on us! It takes a thousand days to raise an army and a thousand days to use it! When a country is in trouble, it shows its heroic character! Nine years ago, in the first war between Serbia and Bulgaria, we lost, and the shame of the war has been engraved on the heads of every Serbian soldier since then! The high cost of the war has been on the shoulders of the Serbian people ever since! The country''s economic crisis has erupted into political chaos and civil disorder! Now the Bulgarians are here again, and it''s a narrow escape! The opportunity hase for us Serbian soldiers, and it can only wash away the shame on our foreheads with blood! Win this war, and Serbia will have a new life..." It''s a pity that before Subrovich could finish, the retainer barged into themand with great haste and handed the telegram to Subrovich! When he looked at the telegram, Subrovich''s face was getting ugly. The Bulgarians had actually attacked! Of course, Bulgaria has dered war, and now that itunched the attack, it does not surprise him. The key is where the attack is very special! Subrovich''s military instincts were still very good. When the Bulgarian army attacked from the Vidin region, its strategic objective was clear to see, straight to the Serbian capital - Belgrade! The assumption is that Ni has fallen to aplish their goal! It is clear that to him, the Bulgarians have already beaten Subrovich! Otherwise, the army in the Ni area can strike from the nk at any time and cut off their retreat! Subrovich pped the table, followed by a smirk! Since the Bulgarians are so cocky, here''s your chance! The Serbian army in the Ni region is not the 168,000 that existed a few days ago! One after another, reinforcements areing from all over. It makes the total number of troops in the Ni region already up to 210,000! The reason is simple, Serbia has given up on attacking Tran and therefore threatening Sofia from the lower South Morava region! Even the most confident Serbian general does not think it is a good choice to march on Sofia now! The n of the Serbian military, with a small number of troops deployed in the area next to Tran, threatened Sofia and held back the Bulgarian forces! The main force is concentrated in the Ni area to lure the enemy deeper and then make a decisive battle! In theory, the Serbian army has the right strategy toplete a strategic deception! There are already gathered in the Ni area, 80,000 elite and 130,000 mixed, four times more than The Left Army''s forces! The pressure was on Subrovich. If Serbia was to win this war, they had to destroy the Left Army before Bulgaria could react! It isn''t easy to keep a massive army movement secret, and even with the cover, the intelligence officers discovered the movement of the Serbian army! Ferdinand, far away in Sofia, is discussing with the General Staff! "What do you think?" Ferdinand asked. Chief of Staff Petrov analyzed: "Serbia is concentrating its forces in the Ni area, aiming directly at our Left Army! For now, the easiest or most conservative way is to order the Left Army to defend the ce by relying on fortifications! Even if Serbia concentrates more than 200,000 troops, it is unlikely to break through the Mount Mijur defense line! Although the troops are four times as strong as they are, we have the upper hand regarding firepower! Just dy a few days; the Middle Army or the Right Army will get a chance to break through and attack from both sides, and we will finish the Serbian army! The downside is that if this happens, the Serbs in the Ni area will likely run away before we besiege them! There is also the possibility of sending reinforcements to the Left Army simultaneously. There are still three new divisions in Sofia, and it will only take three days to reach the Mijur area beforeunching a decisive battle! In that case, the Left Army would have to face Serbia''s main force alone for three days. There is a certain risk! But the generals at the front, who mostly support the second option, believe there is no way the Serbs can defeat the Left Army in three days!" Ferdinand asked hesitantly, "What would be the oue of the second option, if the most pessimistic estimate of the staff was followed?" Petrov replied very professionally, "The Left Army suffered heavy losses and was forced to fall back to the area of Mount Mijur for defense!" "Your opinion is also in favor of the risk now?" Ferdinand asked, puzzled. Petrov exined: "Yes, Your Highness! Although this would be very risky, we can totally afford it! It is bearable to suffer tens of thousands of casualties in order to cripple Serbia! With the most optimistic estimates, our Left Army may directly defeat Serbia''s main force, and then Serbia will not be able to get a warlike soldier all the time in ten years! Although there are more than 200,000 people in the Ni area, the real threat to us is only the main force of 80,000; the remaining 100,000 or so people, who have not received professional training, can hardly be used to attack! Weapons and equipment are their greatest weakness. Serbia''s military industry is weak, and they must import most of the weapons and ammunition. The number of types of weapons they are equipped with now, perhaps the people in the munitions office may not be able to figure it out!" Ferdinand thought about it. The fighting strength of the Bulgarian army is not bad, and the big deal is only the loss of the Left Army! It would be worthwhile to cripple only Serbia and say, "Then let''s do it!" ... At dawn, the Right Army has ended the battle! At this time, the sky has been slightly shown gold, and the clouds rushed to gather in the sky, dipped in blood, showing a faint red. Popov was busy counting the battle results while being interviewed by war correspondents! Frankly, he didn''t consider defeating a bunch of peasants who had just put down their guns to be any great achievement! But war needs heroes! Being one of the first units to achieve sess in battle is something that it must publicize! For the general public, it is too difficult to distinguish with them the difference between the main force and those that are not. It is better just to say how many enemies were annihted to be done! As long as the numbers are big and powerful, it''s fine! Obviously, Popov''s Right Army is doing a great job, with absolutely enough numbers to kill the enemy and very few casualties of their own, which is perfect for propaganda! "General Popov, what do you think about the battle yesterday?" Bulgarian Daily journalist asked. Popov said with a headache: "Sorry, Irene, I''m really busy now! The results of the war are still being counted, you can watch and write, it doesn''t matter, I don''t care!" Irene said without resting, "But Uncle Popov, this is my first war visit, it''s important! You have to know that I specifically applied toe here, and you have to cooperate, it''s a propaganda need!" Popov rubbed his forehead and said, "Irene, my dear niece, I now order you, as Commander-in-Chief of the Right Army, to go to rest right now! This is a military order, and if you continue to annoy me here, you will be sent to Sofia now!" Irene red fiercely, puffed up, and turned around and left! Chapter 127: The Bulgarian-Serbian War 3 Chapter 127: The Bulgarian-Serbian War 3 "One will make all bones dry!"1) The ground is covered with blood, which stains the whole earth red! It was not toote to deal with the Serbian wounded who were wailing on the ground not far away, but Popov was roaming the battlefield with no concern, none of which could stir up the slightest disturbance within him! Nine years ago, during the first war of the Bulgarian-Serbian, Popov watched hisrades, brothers, and friends, one by one, die charging, and it was then that his heart turned cold, and revenge became a part of his life! With one nce at the battlefield, you know the intensity ofst night''s war, ''broken walls and scars, corpses everywhere, is the best description. Popov seemed displeased with the wailing of the wounded and shouted, "Scout!" "Here!" A youth replied. Popov said without reluctance, "Gather all these Serbian wounded and throw them far away, I''m sick of looking at them!" "Yes!" The messenger said, then ran forward to answer the order. Popov didn''t care if the wounded were allowed to move, how many people would be killed by this order, anyway, because his troops, whose own medics were precious, could only be used to treat their own wounded! Were it not for fear of international public opinion and to avoid getting into trouble, Popov would not have minded being a butcher. On its face, they treated the wounded in Serbia, stopped the bleeding, and applied the bandages! War correspondents also took photos, proving that humanitarian aid, Popov, is done in ce! The only thing is that there are not enough medics, so the bandaging work is done by ordinary soldiers! Mistakes will inevitably be made, such as misusing the cotton cloth for gauze, or taking the external medicine internally, which are all minor! In the evening, roughly the battle results had been counted, Popov swept a nce and nodded with satisfaction! The results ofst night''s battle exceeded his expectations! At first count, the Serbs left about 30,000 corpses and took over 20,000 prisoners, of which more than 10,000 were wounded! And the casualties of the Right Army, only a thousand or so, no matter how you look at it, it''s a big victory! Popov happily said to the crowd, "Send a report to the country to inform the results of the battle, it seems that our Right Army has picked up a bargain this time!" ... Compared to Popov''s good mood, Subrovich''s face was terrible on the other side. Having an absolutely superior force, he was still breached by two lines of defense by the Left Army after one day. They lured the enemy deeper than he expected! In order to make the show more realistic, it was nned that these two lines of defense, which were to block the Bulgarian Left Army for a week, just to create an opportunity for the main force to merge around! Now in only a single day, the defensive line was pierced by the Left Army, and more than 30,000 defenders were routed and lost theirbat power. Even though he had more than 200,000 troops in his hands, he could not afford this kind of attrition, and if the Bulgarian army were really that strong, it would mean that the enemy''s lure had failed! Even if the siege ispleted, the Left Army may easily break out, which is something Subrovich can never ept! At the military meeting, Subrovich pointed his finger at the noses of the two-divisionmanders and scolded them, "You are all a bunch of rats! Fortifications protected 30,000 troops, and yet you were overrun in one day. The Serbian army has lost its face because of you! Even if there were 30,000 pigs, the Bulgarians wouldn''t be able to catch them all in one day! Is there anything else you want to say? I don''t think you should me me for not giving you a chance! If not, where are the military judges to enforce military justice!" "Wait, I have something to say!" One of them said hastily. Subrovich had already decided to create an example and coldly said, "If you have a fart, let it go!" "Our Fifth Division, which suffered more than half of the casualties in the previous rebel war, has been replenished with my new recruits for less than a month and cannot take upbat power! And Zerevich''s 13th Division, we all know what kind of equipment, this rout started with the 13th Division. I''m not trying to me the 13th Division! The key is that the Bulgarian firepower is too intense, hundreds of artillery guns are firing in unison, bombarding our positions, and we are already suffering heavy casualties before they evenunch an attack!" One staff officer jumped in and questioned, "Impossible! Even if Bulgarian firepower was superior, you could have taken shelter by relying on fortifications, how could it have caused such arge number of casualties?" At this point, Zerevich angrily spoke up: "Gentlemen, I can swear to God that what Division Commander Saberich said is true! The problem lies in the upper part of our fortifications; we know that the two lines of defense are notpleted, and many ces are not yet ready to use! And our bomb shelters couldn''t hold up to heavy artillery fire! Many of our soldiers were buried alive directly in the shelter! Also, mymand headquarters, which was hit by an artillery shell, copsed in half, and two division officers were killed on the spot! Should we also be responsible for such problems? If we are to be held ountable, let''s find those who are in charge of the construction of the fortifications and have them punished by military justice first!" The faces of the people changed greatly. What the two said is most likely the truth! Such a problem is easy to investigate clearly, and know the situation from the returned defeated soldiers! Looking at the expressions of the same hatred, Subrovich knew that making an example would not work. Now the most important thing is to reassure the troops! So he spoke up and said, "I will investigate the problems you have mentioned! No matter what, this defeat so quickly, you can not escape the me! For now, I will suspend your positions, and when the matter is clearly investigated, I will take disciplinary action." Saberich and Zerevich both knew that even with the fortifications as a shield, it was no reason for them to be defeated so quickly! It was not easy to get back to life this time, so where would they dare to have any more objections! Subrovich continued, "Since we lost the line quickly this time, the original n won''t work! Now we have to block the Bulgarians'' front, our pocket formation is not yet ready, but it doesn''t matter! Even with the loss of 30,000 troops, we still have an absolutely superior force. Bulgaria has only 50,000 people, and now the front is pushed forward thirty kilometers. They also have to hold the rear. In fact, they can use the mobile force, but there are only 40,000 troops! Now I don''t care what your reasons are. Launch a full-scale counterattack right now! I do not ask that you be able to wipe them out, but within three days, you must crush this Bulgarian Left Army at any cost! Otherwise, the enemy''s reinforcements wille over, and at the time, the consequences are clear to everyone, this war we can not afford to lose! If we win this battle, we still have a chance of victory! Otherwise, everyone will be a sinner in Serbia!" Trantor: 1) From ''Two Poems from the Year of the Hexi'' by Cao Song from the Tang Dynasty. That poem reveals the true meaning of war in human society ruthlessly. It means a general''s victory results from sacrificing thousands of lives. Chapter 128: All For Bulgaria Chapter 128: All For Bulgaria Ferdinand was now in a good mood. First, the Right Army had won, and then the Left Army had made a breakthrough! Although the battle results have not yet been counted, the General Staff estimates that 40,000 to 50,000 young men in Serbia have lost their lives! That''s right, the young men, in the opinion of the staff, can not be considered an army at all! None of this is the point. The point is that the Bulgarian army''s losses were minimal! In order for Serbia to hold out a little longer, Ferdinand decisively blocked the news and kept down the results of the battle! Otherwise, when they see this loss, the Serbs will likely be unable to bear it and simply admit defeat! By then, when Austria-Hungaryes out, Bulgaria will have fought for nothing! In fact, seeing the battle results, the Bulgarian military itself was shocked! The killing power of artillery plus machine guns on the battlefield was beyond expectation! It has almost been made known that in the future of warfare, manpower tactics will soon be obsolete, and arms and equipment will be the mainstream! Ferdinand interrupted their unrealistic fantasies with a sharp effort! Do not look at the results of the stunning Bulgarian army. If you look closely, you will find that most of the Serbian losses were young and strong who had just picked up their guns! Although the Left Army also routed 30,000 enemy troops, but the main Serbian 5th Division, at least half of them ran away, mostly veterans! Most of those who died were untrained recruits who didn''t know what to do when the guns fired! The guns began to fire before the Left Army couldunch an attack. Under the tension of the recruits, they started firing regardless of whether there was an enemy in front of them. Some even fired directly into the sky, seemingly nning to shoot the shells down! By the time the Left Army really attacked, many Serbian positions were nk. That''s right, and it was out of bullets! As a decoy, the 30,000 troops that came out werepletely cannon fodder! Subrovich also could not afford to take 30,000 main forces to take the risk. The equipment is naturally very diverse and not usually worth anything. The battlefield logistics supply bes a problem! In theory, fifty rounds of ammunition per person are enough to aim and fight. It is a pity that if you know modern warfare, you know that a few thousand rounds of ammunition to take out an enemy is the normal situation! Of course, this was not true at the end of the 19th century, and breech-loading rifles were only just making their debut in practice! The machine gun only made its debut on the battlefield in 1894! In previous wars, the consumption of ammunition was not so great! Even though Bulgaria has opened a war economy under control, the mood in Sofia is now a pretty good one. The exact results of the battle are not yet clear, but anyway, there was a victory on the front! Everyone had reason to be happy. As soon as the war began, the Bulgarian army fought out and beat the Serbian army back! It is better to dispense with the celebrations now! In times of war, everything is simple, save your money on supplies to support the front, besides this time, it is the Serbs who are fighting, and the people have no reason not to support! Boskue is one of them. His left leg was crippled in thest war and now walks in waves! For the government to fight Serbia, he was all for it! The country had to implement a wartime economy, and before it was properly mobilized, Boskue signed up, and then his shoe store was subject topulsory requisition! Now that the army has won the war, Boskue is proud too and then seeks out his old friend Laurel to join him in bragging, or rather, gloating! Boskue has reason to be proud, and the troops were fighting at the front. Someone is wearing the military boots he made! And old friend Laurel, who is involved in international trade, had nothing to do with business once the war started! "Laurel, wouldn''t my friend like to celebrate today? How about I buy you a drink?" Boskue said with a smile. "Boskue, of course we should celebrate, but it''s war time and we can''t afford to get wasteful, so I''ve given up drinking for now!" said Laurel, ring at Boskue. Obviously, Laurel saw what Boskue was trying to tell him and dryly blocked it back! "You''ve quit drinking? That''s sad news! But I have a stockpile of it at my house from earlier, so you''re really not drinking it?" Boskue said with a teasing smile. "Of course you should drink it, it''s war time, it helps to save food by not drinking! Your family has stored it in advance, so don''t drink it for nothing!" Laurel said with a straight face. "Then let''s go! You know, my shoe store has been taking a lot of military orderstely?" Boskue said excitedly. "Come on, you take orders for shit, it''s not the same as the government''s allocation!" Laurel rolled his eyes and said. "That''s just as well, how can I say that I have contributed to this war, much better than you guys do in international trade!" Boskue said smugly. "You are right, after the war I am also ready to join the industry! To put it nicely it is international trade, to put it badly is to buy the office! There is not much help for the strength of this country!" Laurel said with a sigh. Boskue was startled and surprised, asking, "You figured it out?" Laurel said cautiously: "What do you think? We can''t make international trade anymore! With the sessful process of domestic industrialization, many foreign goods will facepetition from local businesses! If I continue to work for them as an agent, I may starve to death! I can''t interfere with agricultural products, mineral resources,rge machinery, and types of equipment imported and exported, and I can''t interfere with thesemodities! If you continue to do wholesale small goods and facepetition from localpanies, how promising can you be?" Boskue looked at his old friend in surprise and said, "You''ve thought about it! What are you going to do back there?" Laurel shook his head and said, "I don''t know yet! Now there are many potential industries in the country, there are giants in, topete with them, it is difficult!" Boskue also does not know how tofort him. Business is risky. If they go topete with the giant, it will be even more difficult! ... It wasn''t just Boskue''s shoe store that was requisitioned, either. As soon as the war started, big and small, Bulgarian businesses were basically requisitioned, and it was obligatory! Ferdinand had created a state economic system that was starting to pay off, and in times of war, it would have cost much less! Under the pressure of the general public opinion, the Bulgarian capitalists, with good sense, chose to cooperate! Anyone who disagrees is a traitor to the state and is crushed! Without capitalists to make a profit from the war, with all the cost of domestic purchases, the Bulgarian government found that the expenses during the war were much smaller than expected! Although the material consumption has exceeded the initial estimates! Even Ferdinand had to admire the power of Bulgarian nationalism! That''s right. He suppressed the capitalists with general public power, forcing them to give up the opportunity to make profits from the war! Surprisingly, after the capitalists gave up their profits, the general public supported the war with real actions! Countless workers chose to work overtime without pay; farmers joined the transport brigade on their own ord, and in order to speed up efficiency, the people in the vige yed a ry, and people along the way offered meals and boiled water on their own ord! Allmunity sectors are donating money and goods, regardless of ss, and are taking it upon themselves to participate in this war! It was an all-out war, and Ferdinand understood somewhat why, in the First World War, Bulgaria, with a poption of four million, was able to mobilize 1.26 million troops, fight all over the Balkans, and fight with high intensity for two years, before it crumbled when they lost the war! Trantor: Truly, the Bulgarian is the Prussian of Balkan. Chapter 129: Desperate Serbia Chapter 129: Desperate Serbia In contrast, Serbia, on the other side, is much worse. Far away in Belgrade, Aleksandar I is worried about his head! It is just the first day of the war. The front line has been sending bad news one after another! Obviously, his side has superior numbers of troops, but the result is that he keeps losing battles! Aleksandar I did not deny the words of the generals at the front. Are the Bulgarians so powerful? With the advantage of firepower, are they invincible? Aleksandar I asked angrily, "Minister of War, how do you exin the series of losses on the front?" The Minister of War, who he called, took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead, organized his thoughts, and said: "Your Majesty, you know: Bulgaria is attacking three fronts this time, and the strategic n we have drawn up is - ''Let hime from several fronts, I will go only one way''! This time we chose to fight off their attack on Ni all the way and take a defensive position in other areas. Some losses are expected! So far, our strategy is correct. If we divide our troops and are led by them, we will not be able to take advantage of our strength! Although there are small defeats on the front line now, but the main force is still there. As long as General Subrovich can finish off the enemy in the Ni area, this war will give us an advantage! So far, General Subrovich has reported to us the situation on the front line. The Bulgarians broke through the two lines of defense, which were supposed to be used to lure the enemy deeper! Even if we are breached early, it doesn''t matter. No matter what, in the Ni area, we have more than 200,000 troops, four times as many as the enemy, and it''s only a matter of time before we achieve victory!" The words spoken by the Minister of War are treated as farts by the crowd, all in order to find excuses for failure, but of course, it is now a time of war, and everyone does not have the energy to nitpick! Thest sentence was enough to convince the crowd that the Bulgarian army, no matter how good it was, could not do it with one against four! More than 200,000 Serbian troops defeated 50,000 enemy troops, and people are still confident! Aleksandar I was certainly aware of this, and if the war had not continued, he would have had to court-martial all the generals who had lost the war! In his opinion, with an absolutely superior number of troops but still constantly losing the war, it is either ipetence or greed and fear of death! Aleksandar I still remember well that nine years ago, after the defeat of the Bulgarian-Serbian War, his father, King Mn, was forced to abdicate and leave Serbia! King Mn did not say anything good about the military. Waste, fools, and cowards are the words of the Serbian army! With superior numbers, superior firepower, or a surprise attack, it turned out that the regr army did not win against a randomly conscripted disorganized army! Aleksandar I has always been skeptical of the fighting ability of the Serbian army and has been trying to carry out military reforms since he took power, but it''s a pity that they were all blocked by the military! Now that the facts are in front of him, the first thing Aleksandar I thought was not how strong the Bulgarian army was, but that it was the greed and fear of death in the army! The proof is that they defeated the battle they fought, and the senior officers are still alive! Even the fact that the Serbian army, with its inferior weaponry andck of logistical supplies, was ignored by him! He red at the Minister of War, spoke with another, and asked, "Prime Minister, what do you think?" The Prime Minister, who he named, was silent for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, this is aplicated issue! If General Subrovich can achieve a quick victory in the Ni region, a big battle will be ahead! On the contrary, if you drag on a few days, when the enemy reinforcements arrive, our strength advantage will no longer exist, then I''m afraid it will be difficult! And if the war continues, the logistical pressure on us is too great! The current intion in the country has been very serious, and the normal life of the people has been affected! We can''t fight a prolonged war. With the current war spending, maybe in two or three months, we will be bankrupt!" After hearing the prime minister''s pessimistic prediction, Aleksandar I''s face became even more gloomy, and he said fiercely, "Give orders to the troops at the front, from now on: those who retreat die, those who surrender die!" Seeing that the crowd wanted to stop, Aleksandar I added: "You all know very well that to win this war, we in Serbia will have to fight for our lives! Any greedy mind will make us lose this war! In that case, let''s fight! Our army''sbat strength is not as good as the enemy''s, our firepower is not as good as the enemy''s, but we have the advantage of numbers! Then let''s fill them with human lives! Use a human wave tactic to pile them up. If you can''t do it with one for one, use two or three for one! In short, we can''t afford to lose this war, and Serbia can''t afford to lose it!" Having said that, Aleksandar I left without looking back, and by now, he was finally beginning to regret it! To blindly go to war with Bulgaria, Serbia simply did not have time to prepare for war! Once this war is lost, it is still unknown whether Serbia will be finished; all of them, high government officials, will definitely be finished! In that case, let''s fill it with human lives! Even if it''s a draw or they can barely hold off, they still have a way to get through this political crisis! Anyway, all the people who died were lowlifes, and they, the high and mighty officials, didn''t have to die! All eyes met, no one said anything, and then turned their attention to the Minister of War in unison! The meaning was obvious since the king had ordered it. Let''s carry it out! After much hesitation, the Minister of War finally nodded silently, and then a sternly drafted telegram poured out to the front! When he received the telegram, Subrovich''s face turned pale. It was going to be a massacre! After some thoughts and hesitations, he still decided to carry out! In order to get the victory, nor care so much now, even if scolded by the soldiers, is not better than losing the battle! "Come on, let''s summon the officers above the rank of colonel to a meeting. If they can''te to the front, let them read the telegrams and wait for the news!" Subrovich said with a sigh. In any case, after this battle, he is wearing the hat of General Butcher! ... In contrast to the great sess of the Left Army and the Right Army, the Middle Army, which is the main force, is now a littlete and has justunched a full-scale attack! It''s not that they are ipetent, it''s mainly to wipe out the enemy in the area south of the lower South Morawa River, and if they fight too hard, the enemy won''t run away! The two main regiments of the Royal Army, making a detour from the Ottoman Empire, cut through the Kumanovo area and bypassed the rear of the Serbian army, cutting off the Serbian retreat! At themand headquarters of the Middle Army, the crowd was still celebrating this risk''s sess! Little did they know that the Serbs had decided to fight to the death, that the inspector was already in position, and that the soldiers at the front could not run if they wanted to! Chapter 130: Bloody Battle Chapter 130: Bloody Battle In the all-out attack of the Middle Army, there was no thought of the overwhelming force. The Serbian will to resist is much greater than before! The good thing about dropping a position and running away is no longer there! You must go through a bitter battle for every position taken now! We are forced to fight with the enemy in front and the inspector behind us! As the war continued, casualties on both sides rose sharply as the Serbs put up a fight! In order to reduce casualties, themander-in-chief of the Middle Army, Vasil Ivanov, decided to clear the ground with artillery fire! Although the casualties were down, the consumption of supplies rose sharply, and only after pushing the front forward more than 30 miles did it consume more than 50,000 shells! But the Serbian''s desperate efforts were soon broken when the two main regiments pierced to the rear destroyed the main lines of transport, and Leskovach''s supplies couldn''t get through! By the time the Serbian army reacted, the ammunition reserves at the front were almost gone! Garrisonmander Ivan Li is now going crazy, and the first is the order of death of military forces at home, and the southern front has been executed up to thousands of deserters! How can this war be fought if the logistics supply is cut off again? If we talk about food reserves, we can still hold out for more than a month, but ammunition reserves will be dead! Three days ago, the Serbian army on the southern front added up to more than 80,000 men, and by now, it has been reduced to roughly one-fifth! Until now, Ivan Li has not yet fallen apart. Ivan Li is already good at managing the army! Now the army is running out of ammunition! The entire army has only 5,000 shells and 2 million rounds of ammunition! The most crucial thing is that he now has troops in his hands that dare not act rashly! Up to now, the Serbian army has not copsed, thanks to Ivan Li using the only one main division as an inspector force, using the newly armed young men as cannon fodder, but also shot thousands of deserters, just barely holding the battle line! If not, with so many casualties, this pack of wretched men would have copsed long ago! Of course, it''s about time now. Ivan Li knows very well that it can''t hold for long under the current situation! One nce at the crowd at the military meeting, both eyes wider, yawning, depressed! It is clear that these days of hard fighting, everyone is suffering! Ivan Li himself is in no better shape, one slip and the enemy could break through the lines! Now they have retreated to thest line of defense. Then they will have to shoot if they retreat again all! Ivan Li said wearily, "Without further ado, it''s obvious now that we can''t hold out much longer! I have reported the situation here truthfully to headquarters, but the orders from the military headquarters are for us to hold on for three more days to buy time for the main force in the Ni area!" "What? How is this possible? The way we are now, not to mention three days, it''s doubtful if we can hold until tomorrow!" An officer eximed. "Yes! It''s obvious now, we''ve been holding off the main Bulgarian force for four days, and the main force in the Ni area hasn''t managed to take care of a partial division, are they all good-for-nothing?" Another man said. "Well, the order still has to be carried out no matter what! Doesn''t the main force in the Ni area needs three days? Let''s give it to them! Now I order five more lines of defense on the road to Ni! You go and organize the people at once and repair the defensive lines for me! No matter what, you must buy three days for the main force! Otherwise, we''ll lose this war! Even if the Southern Front is beaten up, everyone must hold on!" The people replied in unison, "Yes!" Obviously, Ivan Li yed a trick! From here to Nis, there are more than a hundred kilometers, such a long distance. In the 19th century, the march alone will take two or three days, as long as the resistance along the way and the time to drag over, and then think of a way to get through! A young officer asked in doubt, "General, what about the enemy army that is cutting through our rear? If we let them move freely, I''m afraid they will give us trouble behind us?" Ivan Li''s face changed. In order to run smoothly, it is necessary to take out this enemy force behind. Then it is necessary to draw troops from the front! After a moment of silence, he said, "Take two regiments from the front, and after drawing half of our reserves, form a temporary reinforced division with Zach Veitch as interim divisionmander to take out these hamsters!" ... The Serbian Front General Command in Ni, General Subrovich''s heart is now bleeding! The Left Army that Bulgaria sent to the door is not a weakling at all! Only two days have passed since the beginning of the counter-offensive, and more than 20,000 brave Serbian soldiers have fallen in the way of the charge, and more than 10,000 wounded have been added while the enemy positions stand still! Defensive times are the best times for machine guns to be effective, especially heavy machine guns! The debut of the Maxim machine gun in the Balkans gave the Serbs a serious blow! On the first day of the invasion, it gave more than 10,000 corpses to the Serbian army, which made his reputation! In order to block the bullets, the Serbs have even taken the medieval shields, all of them, and still no luck! Subrovich hesitated. Even if he had to fight for his life, he couldn''t give up his life! More than 30,000 casualties have already been paid, and the enemy''s losses are not expected to exceed a thousand. Such a battle is impossible to fight! If they keep fighting, the soldiers will have to mutiny! You know that the inspector drove the soldiers to charge, and now there are a lot ofints, and there are even officers who someone has shot, and if there are a few more days, God only knows what will happen! Now the best way to deal with machine guns is to bombard them with artillery, but unfortunately, the Serbian artillery is not at its best either! As soon as they took a chance, Bulgarian artillery shells followed! Moreover, 19th-century artillery is not easy to aim at the target. It is often necessary to have dozens of shells in order to achieve the results of the battle, so long enough to expose the location of the artillery! Now the ratio is, on average, one artillery piece for two or three machine guns! It probably would take care of the pesky machine guns at that exchange ratio by shooting all the artillery! However, Subrovich did not dare to do so, as Serbia was already short of artillery, and if it was exhausted now, what would happenter in the war? What would hold the enemy''s firepower? Switching from offense to defense seems to be the best way! But the situation now, it is not up to Subrovich to choose! "Why don''t we attack at night? In the dark, the enemy has no way to aim, so we send volunteers with explosive packs and directly sneak up ~ ~" a staff officer proposed. The crowd lit up and thought it seemed feasible! Serbia is short of everything, but not of volunteers! Although it would be difficult to attack at night and nonbat losses would increase greatly, it would be better than dying! Subrovich took a deep breath and said, "Then let''s try it! What ideas you have, bring them out and try them, don''t care about casualties! The Bulgarian reinforcements are about to arrive, and we have less than three days to crush this wave of enemies before us!" For three days, the faces of the people changed greatly, what a joke! From the counter-attack to now, which of them did not do their best, until now there are only a few pieces of the enemy actively giving up some abandoned positions, but not captured a piece! Chapter 131: The Ammunition Will Run Out Chapter 131: The Ammunition Will Run Out ''Blessings do note in pairs, an cmities nevere singly!''1) As the meeting ended, the supply officer spoke up: "Generals, our reserves are decreasing so much that the domestic resupply is simply not keeping up with consumption! If the intensity of the war continues like this, we will run out of ammunition before next month!" The face of Subrovich changed greatly. Before, he only noticed that the attack''s impact was hindered and did not think they consumed the supplies so quickly! He asked subconsciously, "Don''t we have two months of reserves? How is it possible to deplete so quickly?" The supply officer said with a bitter smile: "We underestimated the consumption of ammunition, which was based on the consumption of thest war, and has increased the reserves by 20 percent! But due to financial problems, we onlypleted 80 percent of the total n! Now the actual consumption of ammunition is more than twice as much as nned!" The faces of the people changed greatly, and they were really afraid of what woulde! Before, everyone was busy fighting. There was no energy to care about the consumption of ammunition. It was only a few days of the war, and the logistics could not keep up! His face grimaced. Subrovich said fiercely: "I don''t care what you use. You must ensure the supplies to the front! The war has just begun, and you can''t keep up with the supplies so soon? What is your logistics division doing?" The supply officer said with an aggrieved look, "General Subrovich, this is impossible to do! You probably have an idea of Serbia''s ammunition reserves! These are the list of ammunition received in thest few days. You can all take a look! The ammunition produced by the domestic arsenal in a month is not as much as what you guys fire in a day! The current weapons and ammunition are basically imported from abroad. The purchase of ammunition in our Ni war zone alone costs up to 10,000 daily! If you add the other areas, you''re now spending over 100,000 a day on ammunition! If you add the consumption of other materials, the war costs are even more massive daily! We can calcte this expense, anyway. Even if I got shot now, there is nothing I can do!" Hearing the helpless words of the supply officer, Subrovich choked on the spot! He took the list, looked at it carefully, and the further he looked, the more his face became sour! The ammunition consumption was just too rming. It was totally out of his expectation! The consumption of millions of ammunition rounds per day and thousands of shells had exceeded the limit of logistical supplies! At this consumption rate, in another half month, the Serbian army will have to take the bay to the battlefield! Subrovich rubbed his forehead. As themander-in-chief of the front, he was thinking not only about the Ni region but also about the whole picture! In the city of Ni as Serbia''s southern key town, more than half of the country''s strategic supplies converge here! Now, where the supplies cannot support the war consumption, the other areas are afraid of even worse! He asked coldly, "Has it been reported to the authorities?" The supply officer said honestly, "It was reported two days ago, but the authorities believe that our ammunition consumption wille down once we wipe out this enemy force along the way!" Subrovich red deadly at the supply officer and asked coldly, "Why didn''t you report to me in advance?" The supply officer said in confusion, "We have organized the daily amount of ammunition that the troops receive into a document and sent it to you!" Subrovich is silent. The supply officer really could not be med for this. He was busy with the war daily. Who cared about what documents! After thinking about it, he said in a tone that could not be denied: "In that case, then all the troops should start saving bullets at the back, and from now on the supply is limited at the supplies office! I will try to urge the country to think of a way, but this all takes time, even if imported from abroad, the fastest will take more than a month! No matter what..." ... The Minister of War, far away in Belgrade, was now on the verge of copse! The war has only just begun, and the troops on the front lines are asking for their supplies in return! There was also an appetite for more than one, Ivan Li''s division on the southwestern front; Subrovich''s main force in the Ni region; there was no sign of them reaching out on the southeastern front, but the Minister of War would rather they did! And then what is better than the total defeat, although now in the southeast front, there are still troops that are resisting, the Minister of War also knows that it is not a good time! With the letter of request for help in hand, the Minister of War once again approached the Prime Minister, and before he could say anything, the Prime Minister snapped at him and asked, "Has there been another defeat on the front line, or is there another deficit of supplies somewhere?" The Minister of War said with a bitter smile, "Commander-in-Chief Ni, Subrovich is pressing for supplies and reinforcements!" After a moment of silence, the Prime Minister roughly swept through the documents and said, "This is a difficult matter! Our reserves have been depleted, and now the main supplies are imported from Austria-Hungary! Tell General Subrovich that if he can finish off the Bulgarians in front of him, I''ll get it all for him even if I have to break the bank!" The Minister of War asked doubtfully, "But Your Excellency , it is simply impossible for us to bring out another 150 artillery units, and 50,000 troops, to reinforce us now?" The Prime Minister coldly exined, "Of course I can''t take it out, not to mention the artillery and troops, even those ammunition, we have no way to get it together in a short time!" The Minister of War looked at the Prime Minister with a nk face, overwhelmed and hoping for an exnation! The Prime Minister sighed: "Quite simply, the situation now, we would like to have a decent end. There must be a good fight on the battlefield! In the current situation, apart from the Ni region, where we still have the advantage and hope to break the game, do we have any other choice? As long as Subrovich can win in the Ni region, he will be allocated all the troops that have retreated from the southeast and southwest and then send the three divisions that have just been formed there, not to mention 50,000, even 100,000 troops! Then negotiate with the Bulgarians with the prestige of a great victory and obtain a decent end!" The Minister of War asked with some fear, "Don''t we have any other options? Once we have won in the Ni area, we will march immediately to the southeast and disrupt the rear of this partial division, we have a great chance to win this war!" The Prime Minister said coldly: "This is all based on assumptions! The Bulgarians are not stupid. Wouldn''t they mobilize the whole country? Another option is not to fight with each other but to exhaust ourselves. It does not take long to make a small fuss every day, a few months to drag us to death! There is no way out! The amount of money consumed daily is now massive, and to raise funds, even the currency reserves have been used, and if the war does not end within this month, we simply will not be able to support it! And another Bulgarian partial division, which has already broken through the southeastern defenses, their target is still uncertain! What do we do if they get bold and don''t care about logistical supplies and choose between Kragujevac and Belgrade?" Trantor: 1) A metaphor from Ming - Shi Nai''an "The Complete Biography of Shuihu" Chapter 37. It means that good things will note in a row, but misfortunes wille one after another. Chapter 132: Decisive Battle Chapter 132: Decisive Battle The Minister of War asked reluctantly: "Can''t we think of another way? Can''t we do something else? Raise a sum of money from the private sector or take out a loan from abroad? As long as there is enough weaponry, we can still arm a few more divisions, and if these Bulgarians, this partial division, dares toe, we will be able to seal the gap?" The Prime Minister gave him a nk look and walked away without saying a word! He knew the Serbs had paid enough for this war. The young and strong workforce had been siphoned off! In order to raise funds, a frantic devaluation of the dinar, and sharp intion, have burdened the citizens, and if it were not for the Bulgarian invasion, perhaps the revolution would have broken out by now! As for international loans, isn''t that a joke? A government that could fall at any time, who would be so stupid as to lend him money! ... Fearing that he could never have dreamed, Subrovich was given a direct message by the Prime Minister! Upon receiving orders from the country, he immediately stepped up the offensive! In the dark of night, the silence was broken by artillery fire twenty miles away from Mount Mijur, as one Serbian soldier, armed with a bag of explosives, charged heroically against the Bulgarian lines under a hail of bullets! With guns zing, the defenders seemed to be prepared for the enemy''s attack, and the ''pop, pop, pop'' sounded as they began a frantic harvest! After the brave Serbian soldiers had paid the price of their lives, they finally got close to the line, and with a "boom", they sessfully detonated the explosive package, and he destroyed a single fire point! The heroic story they can sing is constantly yed out in the darkness of the night, as one Serbian volunteer team, under cover of theirrades, rushed into the defense line and died with the defenders! Although the Serbian soldiers had done a great job, it did not help the overall situation! Compared to the price paid, the results achieved were minimal! In one night, after paying up to 8,000 casualties, only a dozen fire points were terminated, which was insignificant for the impact of the entire defense line! But Subrovich now does not care. This big gamble has begun, Serbia has no way back, and he has no way back! Compared to the daytime, the exchange ratio of the night attack has dropped too much! It has been reduced from dozens to one to five to one, although still hard to ept, but at least see the hope of victory! Now it''s Dante Christov''s turn to worry on the other side. Subrovich''s performance is abnormal! Last night, the Serbian army showed fighting power; before, is a totally different concept! Never looking at the five-to-one exchange ratio is very good. Once the defensive line where the gap is torn open, the situation will be instantly reversed, both sides make short work of each other, and casualties will certainly increase greatly! Bulgaria was on the verge of victory, so he had no intention of taking the Left Army to die with the Serbs! Dante Christov asked hesitantly, "What did the Chief of Staff think of the Serbian offensivest night?" The chief of staff said with a smile: "The Serbian army is not as useless as we thought. Their officers are still very capable. It is impressive enough to lead a group of mobs to break out as such a fighting force! But now Subrovich has no choice and is taking aplete gamble with a little luck! Our Right Army, now moving towards Belgrade, if he can''t defeat us soon, then in another half month, the army will have toe to their capital! Our first reinforcements, three new divisions, are only fifty kilometers away and will arrive tomorrow morning; if they can''t defeat us before then, they won''t stand a chance!" Dante Christov tapped his head and suddenly said: "No, the Serbs should not yet know our strategic purpose. After all, the logistic supply line is so long that they can cut it off at any time with just two regiments ande to a counter-encirclement! And ording to their estimates, our earliest reinforcements should be able to arrive only three dayster! Then the strong attackst night makes sense. They think they still have time to destroy us! If not, they didn''t get a breakthroughst night, and they should have given up by now. After all, in daylight, our firepower advantage is too great for them to get a victory! If we can break through them tonight, it is useless, as reinforcements will arrive at most tomorrow, and our Left Army is finished together! But Subrovich would never dare to do that. Once the army in the Ni region is finished, Serbia is finished too!" The chief of staff brightened up and said, "In that case, why don''t we just let them do it? Let the reinforcements speed up ande overnight, we''ll let go of part of the defensive line, set up a gaping pocket formation, and fight them head on!" Dante Christov was a little hesitant. As themander-in-chief, he had to think about the overall situation, the chief of staff''s proposal was too bold! Even with the heavy losses of the Serbian army in the Ni area in thest few days of the war, there were still 140,000 to 150,000 soldiers who could fight. And what about their own side? More than 40,000 people can be put into the battlefield by the Left Army, and even with the reinforcements of three divisions that are not fully organized, there are only 80,000 people! It may be possible to defeat the Serbian army, but what about casualties? What would be the value of losing 30,000 to 50,000 men, even if they achieved victory? Having difficulty deciding, Dante Chistov turned his attention to the others and asked, "What do you think?" Themander of the First Division was the first toment, saying, "I support the opinion of the Chief of Staff to fight the Serbs, a strong army needs to be tempered by iron and blood!" "But what about the risks? I have no doubt that if we make a decisive battle now, victory will surely be ours, but what about the casualties? Such a victory would be meaningless to us if the losses are too high!" A staff officer questioned. ... The crowd was arguing about it, it was difficult to unify the opinion, and it returned the question to Dante Chistov. "Well, it''s better for me to make the decision! You''re all right, for all the right reasons, and in line with the current situation in Bulgaria! We have a limited poption and can''t afford too many losses! But a strong army, again, must go through the experience of iron and blood! I have decided to have a decisive battle with the Serbs right now, and I will take the responsibility no matter the oue, so let''s start preparing now, everyone! Now pass my order, make the reinforcements speed up, and you muste here tonight! Before dawn, the First Division creates an opening to the southeast and lets the Serbs in the trap! Set up a pocket formation inside and cover them with artillery fire at dawn to make them regreting into this world!" ... Chapter 133: Grand Detour Chapter 133: Grand Detour Just as Dante Cristov was preparing to start a decisive battle, the stalemate loomed on the lower South Morava River! The Middle Army broke the southwestern defense line of Serbia! Most of the main forces of original Bulgaria are concentrated in the Middle Army, which has watched the scenic battle of the Left Army and the Right Army. The Middle Army officers who are slow to break through have long been anxious! One should know that the southwestern side of Serbia''s garrison is only 80,000 ''mobs'', with Bulgaria''s elite Middle Army unable to break through, not knowing how many people are watching the joke! There is no way the Serbianmander Ivan Li, with a sharp mind, knows the gap between the two sides''bat power and simply does not intend to make a decisive move-out! The infamous wave was yed to the extreme, using all avable terrain entirely. Everywhere was a simple fortification, and they did not expect to be able to block the Bulgarian army''s attack, simply to stall for time! From a purely tactical point of view, it wasn''t very good! Spreading the army over many improvised lines of defense was a total headache! They often broke through a line of defense after a barrage of artillery fire and a charge, and they broke a line of defense! But the price paid is all worth it, one line of defense is held up for a few hours or a day, and the strategic objective is achieved anyway! But since the two regiments of the Royal Armypleted the thrust, Ivan Li''s attempt was shattered! After being forced to pull a division from the front in order to save the rear, which became thest straw that overwhelmed the defenders, disaster struck! More critically, due to a strategic miscalction, Ivan Li thought that the Middle Army would join the Left Army in the Ni area and had set up a new defensive line on the road to Ni, neglecting the defense of the northern bank of the South Morava River! Of course, it was useless even if he was aware of it, troops were limited, and it was impossible to defend both sides! The Serbian southwestern front had been routed, and Ivan Li had retreated again, all the way to the Leskovac area, before stopping! The Middle Army crossed the river, entered the northern bank, quickly captured Pristina, and continued its march to Kraljevo! The grand detour strategy developed by the staff was in full swing. Arge encirclement against the main Serbian forces was closing its pockets! There are now only two paths ahead of the Serbs: Either give up the vast area south of the Morava River, including Ni and prepare to fight a battle to defend the capital! Or, they could concentrate their forces and eliminate Dante Christov''s troops at once, enter Bulgarian territory, take Sofia, and ''surround Wei to save Zhao''1)! Ivan Li has understood that the war hase to this point. Serbia has been unable to return! The northern nk of the army has long been drawn out. It simply can not cause the slightest hindrance to the enemy! But he can not do anything now. He can only pretend to be confused, a traitor''s name he does not want yet, and it can not mention the proposal to give up the country! The war hase to this point. There is always a need for someone to be responsible, and as themander-in-chief of the southwest army, not holding the line is one of the best unlucky! But Ivan Lich is not afraid now. His own main troops are with him, plus some other units. There are still nearly 20,000 people! As long as there are soldiers in his hands, he believes that King Aleksandar can not do anything to him! There is no rule ofw, and so far, no unit has won anyway. Everyone is pretty much the same. At least his mission is aplished! Thanks to his efforts, the southwestern Bulgarian army was stalled and did not proceed to the Ni to regroup, never mind the details! Many people can see clearly, but everyone is too smart to say it! Even if they know that the correct way now is to withdraw the defenders in the Ni area to the north side, but no one dares to bring it up! It means that nearly one-third of the territory was lost directly to Bulgaria, and they will not take the traitor''s hat off for a lifetime! Everyone yed dumb, which made Subrovich, as themander in chief of the Nis region, now unable to move in or out! The situation on the north side is clear to him, not to mention the main force of tens of thousands of Bulgarians, even if only one regiment can rampage! It is also said that there are no small countries, no strategic buffer, perhaps a week, or maybe ten days and a half months, to start a war to defend Belgrade. Subrovich hesitated, the orders sent to him from home were to wait for the right time, and they ced the fate of Serbia in his hands in such a ridiculous way! People do not want to take responsibility. It is clear that they want to throw the me on him for actively giving up the country! Anyway, it hase to this point. Advance is death, and retreat is also death. Why not make a big gamble! Subrovich decided to bury the future of Serbia: "Order all units to attack with all their might from now on, regardless of all losses, we must annihte the enemy by tomorrow! The military court will punish those who do not move forward!" That''s right. He decided to gamble and win the battle. He is the hero of Serbia! If he loses, it is better to die than to be killed by his own people with the hat of the traitor! ... Charge, charge, charge again! The Serbs began a frantic attack, breaking through the line several times and being recaptured by the defenders. The line was in danger! Dante Christov, who inspected the front line, looked out over the battlefield with binocrs, and flesh and blood, corpses and rivers of blood, was the urate picture of the battlefield now!!! The Maxim machine gun was as lethal as ever, six hundred rounds per minute, fluttering like a fire serpent! One Serbian soldier fell, and another Serbian filled in as they advanced one after the other to the front! The machine gun was already hot, and one machine gunner quickly tore a piece of cloth from his uniform, wrapped it around his hand, wet it with water, and continued firing! Suddenly the machine guns jammed, and the Serbs had their chance, charging through a hail of bullets! After paying dozens or perhaps hundreds of casualties, they finally rushed into position, met short, and began a brutal fight! When he saw this, Dante Christov could not stand to see it. He could watch the enemy''s flesh and blood but could not watch his own soldiers die and do nothing! "Let''s put the reserves on! The Serbs have gone crazy!" ... The brutal battle continues, and the price paid by both sides exceeds the previous total in just one day! Night has finally fallen, but it does not matter to the two sides who have been fighting ''blind''! The casualties are already just a number, and no one has the effort to care. The only idea is to kill, kill, kill! Trantor: 1) Surround Wei to save Zhao is an idiom that first came from the book "The Records of the Grand Historian" by Sima Qian in the Western Han Dynasty. It originally refers to the tactic used by Qi during the Warring States period to besiege Wei to force Wei to withdraw its troops and save Zhao. Later, it refers to the tactic of attacking the enemy''s rear positions to move the attacking enemy to retreat. Chapter 134: One General Achievement is Ten Thousand Bones Chapter 134: One General Achievement is Ten Thousand Bones Kuristlejic, the 2nd Serbian Divisionmander, looked at the casualty report in his hands and could not speak for a long time! However, the Second Division lost a regiment of troops in just one day. Such casualties have exceeded his heart''s ability to bear! It ispletely different from the previous attack. These are the main forces and not the same concept of various troops! Yes, they are making good results, more than 10 miles long defensive line, the Bulgarians, who are under-strength, can not bear it and retreat to the second line of defense! After all, the machine gun is not invincible; it will be jammed after a long time and takes time to load ammunition. As long as you are willing to fill with human life, you can still seize the opportunity! Kuristlejic can be sure that such an offensive, as long as itsts for two or three days, can breach the enemy''s defenses, but by then, the second division will also no longer exist! As a senior officer, he naturally understood why he had to fight for his life, but having seen the casualties in front of him, Kuristlejic hesitated! After some thought and hesitation, he finally gritted his teeth and walked into themand! Subrovich gave him a puzzled look and asked, "What is Kuristlejic doing here if he is notmanding the war at the front?" Kuristlejic said pleadingly, "General, we can''t go on fighting this battle! Even if we can destroy the enemy in front of us, it won''t change the end of Serbia''s defeat. Stop the attack!" Subrovich stared at him intently and said furiously: "Do you know what you are saying now? Kuristlejic, don''t forget that you are a soldier! We have no choice. Even if the end of this war is doomed, we have to fight! If we don''t get a decent result, then Serbia is finished! It''s really over! We don''t have the same opportunities as we did in 1886. The Bulgarians have made a move on us, and Austria-Hungary is eyeing us! How long do you think Serbia can exist if we cannot show our determination and show them our courage? Would you like to see, once again, the Great Serbia fall?" Kuristlejic is silent. Politically, it''s beyond him! When the 19th century came, the Great Powerspeted to expand worldwide, and by now, the world had been divided up almost to the point where Austria-Hungary expanded into the Balkans, not for a day or two! Although still allies now, judging by the position of the Austro-Hungarians in this Bulgarian-Serbian War, they want a weakened Serbia! It should be known that there have always been people in Austria-Hungary, who advocate the annexation of Serbia, and once Serbia shows a hint of weakness, these people will pounce on them like hungry wolves! By now, the Serbs were obliged to fight, both in the Ni region and in Belgrade, and they had to fight the Bulgarians! But Subrovich did not say that the battle with the Bulgarians in Belgrade, which stretched the logistical supply lines of the Bulgarians, could also increase the chances of victory by a few points! And as long as Austria-Hungary doesn''t want Bulgaria to get big, it''s likely to intervene! It was clearly more in his personal interest to fight this war with Bulgaria in the Ni region! Although there is still no way to win this war, under the circumstances of the total defeat of the country, but if he wins this battle, he will be the hero of Serbia! Subrovich is ready to ept the defeat of Serbia, and by now, he is not expecting to win this! That is why it is no longer important to preserve the strength, rather than being the traitor''s reputation, to bet on that vain luck. It is better to do everything possible to win the battle. You can fish for more political capital! Kuristlejic was convinced that the idea behind the situation was not interested him! The problem now is still generally clear to him, and Serbia has paid too high a price. Subrovich is right about one thing if they are not seen to be determined to protect their country, there is no guarantee that they will not be partitioned out! ... Ivan Christov, on the other side, asked with a sigh, "How are the casualties among the troops? How long before reinforcements can reach the battlefield?" The chief of staff did not answer directly and said in a low tone, "The situation is very bad, the Serbs have gone crazy, if we fight like this, even if we win, it''s not worth anything!" Dante Crhistov: "Yes! In terms of our national interest, it would be in their best interest to stop the war immediately now and preserve our strength! From the point of view of their personal interests, they all have to fight on! Neither the Serbian government in Belgrade, far away nor Subrovich, near at hand, dare offer peace talks!" The chief of staff said ruthlessly, "Since they want to fight, let''s make it happen for them! In one day, we have paid more than 8,000 casualties. They have paid at least 40,000 to 50,000. Let''s see who can oust who? Anyway, this afternoon, our reinforcements disembarked from the train at Mount Mijur and are on their way over, and in another hour or two, the first batch of reinforcements will arrive!" Dante Christov lit a cigarette, took a deep breath, and said, "Let''s just do it! Follow the original n, let go of an opening before dawn and give them the final blow!" ... Popov''s stalemate on the Ni front created a chance to leave two regiments to pige the southern bank of the Great Morava River while the main force crossed the river directly to Belgrade! Aleksandar I was anxious. The Serbian government was worried! The worst thing still happened, at the start of the Battle of Ni, Subrovich could no longer afford to divide his troops! The top of the Serbian government has now be full of people who are at the mercy of the people! In theory, Belgrade still had three new divisions, plus the Royal Army, with a strength of over 60,000 men, perfectly capable of fighting a war! Actually, all three new divisions, consisting entirely of old and sick people, from 50 to 60 years old, down to 15 or 16 years old, are the mainponents of this army! Moreover, there is only a simple formation training. The guns are not equipped. One can imagine thebat power! The Royal Army is just a showpiece. It sounds impressive! If they had real fighting power, Aleksandar I''s father, King Mn, would not have been thrown off the throne! The whole army is more than 1,000 people, it''s enough to set up a ceremonial guard, but there is no need to hold too much hope for a battle or anything! Looking at the worsening situation, the Prime Minister gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, it hase to this point, we can no longer fight on our own, let''s ask for help from Austria-Hungary!" Chapter 135: Finale Chapter 135: Finale Aleksandar I just want to say that his heart is bitter! Thest time his old man went against the wishes of Austria-Hungary,unched Bulgaria-Serbia War, defeated and begged for peace, Austria-Hungary came to his aid but still lost the throne! The situation is much worse now than it was then. After all, Bulgaria was not much better than Serbia at that time, and the country was in chaos! If he wants to get through this time, he can''t do it without paying the price! King Mn has many supporters in Serbia, at least, and after being forced to abdicate, he can still make Aleksandar I seed him! He was miserable. He took over the mess, just caught up with the civil war, which they had just pacified at home, and the Bulgarians came to fight! For Serbia to choose the worst king, he is definitely the strongest contender! Although young but not clueless, Aleksandar I has a series of strikes has told him that he is not a natural talent! If we think about the previous slogan of ''Greater Serbia'' to satisfy the public''s desire for a great nation, we know that the tragedy is doomed! The Serbs may wee a king who wants to unite the Balkans, but Austria-Hungary is absolutely not going to tolerate it! Aleksandar said with a bitter smile, "Your Excellency, do you think we have a choice?" ... When the Serbian government decided to ask Austria-Hungary for help, it was toote! The Battle of Ni has begun, Subrovich''s reckless attack has finally torn through the defenses, the Serbian army pours in like a tidal wave, and the disaster begins! The Bulgarian Chief of General Staff Petrov, himself leading three new divisions under cover of the night, had quietly arrived on the battlefield, where the Serbian army''s strength advantage was no longer obvious! Before the Serbian army could celebrate their breakthrough, they were greeted with a feast of artillery fire! After a short break, Petrov, with reinforcements, quickly threw himself into the fray to plug the gap in the defensive line! They thus separated the Serbian army, and Subrovich knew that the tide was turning! The main force had fallen into the enemy''s trap! Hemanded the remaining troops in his hands andunched a fierce attack to try to save the besieged main force! Dante Christov is not stupid. How could he let this happen? He chose directly to defend in ce, with the advantage of firepower, waiting for the Serbian army toe up to die! There was no hurry to attack the enemy troops inside the encirclement, only to constantly harass them with artillery! The battle remained stalemated until the third day, when both sides engaged with dwindling intensity, and Subrovich knew there was no hope of rescuing the main force! When attacking, the troops carried limited supplies, and after two days of fighting, the troops inside were now almost out of ammunition! Inside the city of Ni, Subrovich made a final tour of the camp enough to return to hismand and give thest order: "Appoint Kuristlejic as temporarymander-in-chief and retreat the entire army to Belgrade!" With a sad nce at the Serbian map, Subrovichmitted suicide by shooting himself! The Battle of Ni ended with the total defeat of Serbia! Knowing they had abandoned them, the Serbian army, which had fallen under siege, finally crumbled under the intense force! At this point, the two countries had put in more than 300,000 troops in the decisive battle came to an end! When the news came out, it shocked the world! From the outbreak of war until now, Bulgaria has put in 200,000 troops, and Serbia has put in 380,000 troops! The biggest battle in the Balkans since the Crimean War has settled in just over a week! The Maxim machine gun made its mark on the battlefield! Dante Christov was able to resist the siege of more than 200,000 Serbian troops with three divisions, and the Maxim took a lot of credit! The news reached Bulgaria, and the whole country rejoiced! The victory came too suddenly. From the deration of war to now, in only a week, they defeated Serbia on all fronts! For the war behind, Ferdinand is no longer concerned. The war has been fought to this point. If the Serbs can still turn the tables, then they are really the sons of God! Next came the negotiations, and Ferdinand spoke up and asked, "Prime Minister, Austria-Hungary is about to intervene! Now it is time to collect the payment, what is the opinion of your cab?" Konstantin said with a bright blush, "Your Highness, Serbia is finished, and this time we will make them pay a terrible price! My cab believes that Serbia should cede all thend that lies South of the Morava River to us and pay 300 million Leva in war reparations!" Ferdinand smiled and asked, "Will Austria-Hungary agree?" They could already ignore the Serbian attitude, the question of Ferdinand brought Konstantin back to reality, and Bulgaria now needed to negotiate with Austria-Hungary! "Of course, if Austria-Hungary can agree, that would be even better! Even if they annexed Serbia, we could support it!" added Ferdinand. He really hopes that Austria-Hungary has the ambition to annex Serbia! After all, there are already enough ethnic conflicts within Austria-Hungary, and it would be even more hrious to add a Serbia that is good at being dead! The smile on Konstantin''s face faded away, and the division of Serbia with Austria-Hungary, in theory feasible, in substance almost impossible! In thete 19th century, the territory of Serbia only included the central part of what is now Serbia! The cession of all the region South of the Morava River was already equivalent to one-third of Serbia''s territory! Konstantin said hesitantly, "Your Highness, if we are negotiating with Austria-Hungary, I guess we can hardly gain much! Isn''t it possible to ask for help from the Russian Empire?" Ferdinandughed and said, "I know more about Austria-Hungary than any of you! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs first contacted the Austro-Hungarian elites, especially those who advocated the annexation of Serbia! After all, a weak Serbia is what makes it easy for them to strike, and on this point, we havemon ground! And that would be - public rtions, use all the connections you can, go and send gifts to those big aristocrats, even if you can''t get them to speak for us, you have to get them to be neutral!" The crowd was dumbfounded. Is this not a tant bribe? But to Ferdinand''s proposal, everyone admires the bid or not! Other empires are difficult to say, but the Austro-Hungarian Empire could not use the money to solve the problem is really very rare. Who called him the interests of many groups? The state''s interests can never bepared to the interests of the group! The Hungarians, at least, were interested in Serbia, but they wanted the annexation of Serbia by Hungary, not another Serbia within the Austro-Hungarian Empire! The Austrian im is again different. Separated by Hungary, they can''t annex directly, so another kingdom of Serbia seems to be a good choice! Chapter 136: The Armistice Talks Chapter 136: The Armistice Talks Franz Joseph I is in a good mood at the Schnbrunn Pce in Vienna! The performance of the Bulgarian army still slightly surprised him. Although he knew that Serbia was bound to lose this war, he never thought it would be over so soon! Of course, this is all a minor problem! The point is that Serbia has been taught a hard lesson and has once again yielded to Austria-Hungary! The decision is again back in Vienna, and Franz Joseph loves the feeling that everything is under control! Ferdinand knew the times, and he knew who was in charge in the Balkans now and was willing to go along with Austria-Hungary''s decision on Serbia! But with the cab meeting, his good mood was shattered! The reason is that they beat Serbia too badly. A rough estimate of Serbian casualties of no less than 200,000! Serbia looked finished, and someone within Austria-Hungary had other ideas for him, annexing Serbia! On the surface, it seems that now Serbia has lost so much that Austria-Hungary could easily annex it! Bulgaria, in this regard, has already indicated that they can support, in exchange for the territory of South Morava River in Serbia, the payment will be! Throughout history, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Chief of General Staff Conrad von Htzendorf, the leading member of the Austro-Hungarian elite, had advocated the annexation of Serbia!!! Chief of General Staff Conrad even publicly dered that Austria-Hungary had to expand into the Adriatic, the Balkans, the eastern Mediterranean, and parts of North Africa!!! By the end of 1907, the Austro-Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lieschdl had suggested that Conrad to annex northeastern Serbia, including Belgrade, and give the rest of Serbia to Bulgaria. At the same time, the militarists proposed reorganizing the Austro-Hungarian Empire with the ''Trinity'', i.e., to create a new kingdomposed of South vs! The first step was the annexation of Serbia and Montenegro! History proves that the ''Trinity'' was only used to scare the Hungarians and that Austria-Hungary never really wanted to implement it! However, the call for the annexation of Serbia has always been high! The central government, and the local Hungarian government, have ns to annex Serbia! At the end of 1894, the domestic conflicts in Austria-Hungary had not yet heated up, and the militarists had not yet gained the upper hand! The pro-war faction advocates a smooth division of Serbia, which is not much of a problem in terms of agreement! But on the issue of the treatment of Serbia, there is an intense sh of forces! The Hungarians wanted to bring the Serbian region under the Kingdom of Hungary, which Austria rejected; the Hungarians strongly opposed Austria''s proposal to create a direct province! As the two sides disputed, Franz Joseph I hesitated whether it was necessary, in the end, to intensify domestic conflicts for the sake of a Serbia! This time the shorings of the dual monarchy are exposed, and the conflict of interests of domestic parties has spread to the internal and foreign affairs! Since there is no agreement on what to do with Serbia, annexation is out of the question! Franz Joseph I''s political maneuvering was remarkable. How could a man who could build an empire by diplomacy choose to inme the conflict? He just put the n to annex Serbia on hold forever! However, this does not mean that Serbia has made it. In fact, its miserable fate has just begun. There is another means of rule in the world called ''colonies''! ... At the end of 1894, after a strong Austro-Hungarian intervention, they called a truce between Bulgaria and Serbia! By this time, however, all of Serbia''s South Morava River region had fallen, and the vast areas of Leskovac, Kraljevo, Kragujevac, etc., were upied by the Bulgarians! Belgrade was also under siege, so to speak. Two-thirds of Serbian territory was already under Bulgarian control! They chose the venue for the talks between the two sides in Vienna, but the protagonists of the negotiations were not Bulgaria and Serbia, which had lost everything and all their bargaining chips! Without Austro-Hungarian intervention, Serbia would have been history in another half month at most! This negotiation, too, attracted the attention of the Great Powers! The British, the French, the Germans, the Italians, and the Russians sent representatives to attend! The negotiations on the bright side, the Bulgarian representatives, are arguing with the Serbian representatives, and the Great Powers are exerting their influence! In secret, another Bulgarian delegation, which had long arrived secretly in Vienna, reached a preliminary agreement in advance! Ferdinand took the financial offensive, but still very effective, on the premise of not harming the interests of the country, the interests, the group''s, or their own interests. The Austro-Hungarian aristocrats still do not mind generating ie for themselves! And so the Serbs were betrayed, but of course, it was explicitly Austria-Hungary, still working to keep Serbia''s interests! The Great Powers do not care about what kind of spoils Bulgaria obtains! Anyway, Serbia is the implicit sphere of influence of Austria-Hungary. As long as it is not Austria-Hungary directly annexed Serbia, in essence, everyone is not concerned about the approach! Of course, the picture is a different matter. The Russian delegates are clearly supporting Bulgaria! There is no doubt about it. Even if there is no Russian-Bulgarian alliance, St. Petersburg will do it just to give Austria-Hungary a hard time! Because of the Franco-Russian Alliance, the French gave Russia a face and favored Bulgaria in their attitude! The Germans, without a doubt, chose to align themselves with the Austro-Hungarian attitude and support Serbia. The British attitude is veryplex, sometimes in one moment to support Serbia on this issue, and then in another moment to support Bulgaria on that issue, so typical of a spoiler style, to nt nails everywhere! The Italians are in charge of the drama. It''s good to be present on the sidelines. The Balkans are not their turn to speak now! The drama continues, but the Serbs can''t stand it first! Within the siege of Belgrade, the Bulgarian army charged the people and materials going through a transit tax! Now that winter hase, it is unfortunate that the supplies stored in Belgrade, which the Bulgarian army shells had previously visited, suffered heavy losses! The basic livelihood of the people is not even secured now! They must purchase food, coal, and other necessities from outside! It is a pity that all supplies passing in and out are subject to the Bulgarian army, which imposes a ny-five percent transit tax and fifty pounds per trip for personnel who pass through! Serbia had to ask Austria-Hungary for help, but this time the Bulgarian mission was firm and refused to budge at all! Chapter 137: Talks, Sieges Chapter 137: Talks, Sieges The Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs argued: "The armistice has not yet been signed, the two countries are still at war, and our cessation of the attack has already shown the peace-loving attitude of Bulgaria! But giving the enemy the chance to recover their strength, we will never do it! Unless the war ends, the blockade cannot end!" Aleksandar I in Belgrade is now on the verge of copse! From the beginning of the talks until now, he had crushed five rebellions in just over a week! Nope, probably not really a rebellion either! During a desperate shortage of supplies, the people fought for what they could live on and started a riot! Ever since the Bulgarian armyid siege to the city, prices in the city have skyrocketed and are now dozens of times higher than before the war! The capitalists do not have the idea of sharing the problems with the government. They have refused to ept the dinar! The rich people are lucky, have prepared before, and always have some foreign currency or gold and silver. Now they can barely get through! The working ss suffered, and ordinary citizens were not the same. The family in the city at least still has some reserves of food! Some people work alone in the factory, food and shelter are in the factory, cooking household items are not everyone have, so what reserve food! As soon as Belgrade was besieged, the factories were shut down, and the capitalists suffered losses, so naturally, they were not in charge of the food! The few dinars in hand were about as much as straw and could not be spent! Under the threat of hunger, robbery and theft were in full swing, and crime in Belgrade was on the rise! Of course, this is all a minor problem. Serbia is not much of an industrial country in the first ce. The few workers in Belgrade have mainly been mobilized into the army! Not many are left, or the truly old and weak can not afford to make much of a scene! The point is that before in order to defend the city, they fully mobilized the city of Belgrade. Instead of young and strong men, but also they organized young and strong women to form two female divisions, ready to fight the Bulgarians in blood to the end! In theory, more than 100,000 troops are now inside the city of Belgrade, six or seven times more than the enemy outside the city! If it were medieval times, Aleksandar I could haveunched a counter-attack by now! The amount of people is not necessarily a good thing. They can not pay military pay, and military food can not also be there! The Serbian government now has to worry about feeding these people! It is impossible to transport food from outside the city, and more food from the Bulgarian army to the city is not enough to eat! The young Aleksandar I, although limited in ability, but not really stupid! He knew the mutiny would immediately happen once they cut off the food! For the sake of security, he had to urge the Serbian delegation to speed up the talks! When the Serbian delegation spoke, the Austrian diplomat was dumbfounded. And now you''re giving in? Well, that''s the way to go if that''s the case! In order to make a full show, ording to the original n, these ''difficult'' talks were to be dyed until 1895, but now only a weekter, the Serbs themselves gave in! Since he was doing the siege, how could Ferdinand have left out the Austro-Hungarian diplomats? The Serbs probably never dreamed that they would be sold out just after their side had shown concessions! Just this one message, Bulgaria paid another 50,000 pounds for the price of another day! Wait until the end of the war, the Bulgarian government, the top, will suddenly find that the war is not the most costly. Doing foreign rtions is! But the news, too, is really worth the price! Although a secret agreement has been reached with Austria-Hungary, if Serbia is willing to pay a greater price without harming the interests of Austria-Hungary, it can still be managed! Knowing that the Serbian government could not hold out any longer, Ferdinand decided to add more fire! Belgrade is located in northern Serbia at the junction of the Sava and Danube rivers. It is the capital of the Kingdom of Serbia, the country''s political, economic, and cultural center, and an important contact point between Europe and the Near East. It has great strategic importance and is known as the key to the Balkans. Food and water are two essential elements for defending a city! After cutting off the supply of food and coal, Ferdinand turned his attention to the water supply! Upon receiving the order, Popov, who had surrounded the city, immediatelyplied! Belgrade is located at the junction of rivers. It is impractical to try to poison it! Ferdinand was not letting them do it either. The implications would be too bad! Ferdinand''s order was to use one: a very primitive, traditional, but the effective method - cut off the river upstream! Of course, not to really cut off the Sava and Danube, because otherwise there would be no ce to clean up the lightly diverted river! It would have been fine if talks hadn''t started, but now that they have, it''s a bit much to create artificial floods and submerge farnd and viges downstream! Popov now wants to force his prisoners to dump dirt and garbage into the river and make a gesture to cut off the river and put pressure on the Serbian government! The muddy river water is not suitable for direct drinking in the city either! As for the consequences, it''s none of Ferdinand''s business, and the Serbian government should have a headache anyway! Popov acted outside the city. Belgrade is in chaos! The water source is contaminated, the well is stifled, anyway, located at the junction of rivers, digging down can always dig out water! Of course, with fewer people, this is no problem! The problem is that now Belgrade, in addition to the local residents and the army, has increased by more than 100,000 people, so how many people''s water is not just a few wells can handle! First, they looted food, now, they robbed water, and the government had to send troops to maintain order in the city! In just ten days, the army shot thousands of people, which stabilized the situation, and the Serbian government authorities knew Belgrade was on the verge of copse! Aleksandar I now hold high-level meetings every day to think about strategy! Another crucial reason is not to give his men a chance to conspire to prevent a coup d''etat! Who told Serbia to have a tradition of coup d''etat? At the dreary meeting, the Minister of Industry said stiffly: "The situation in Belgrade is worsening. Industry andmerce in the city have all ceased! The capitalists are going crazy. They block my home every day, and now I can''t go home! In the long run, I''m afraid the situation will get further out of control! The Bulgarians are trying to force us to concede and ept their terms wholesale! Now they may cut off the river at any time. Once it happens, our downstream areas of farnd and towns will be devastated, and the consequences are grave! If the talks fail, I''m afraid there won''t be a single slice of Serbia!" Chapter 138: Crisis is Coming Chapter 138: Crisis is Coming The Minister of the Interior sighed and said, "Right now, they have no intention of filling the river, or there wouldn''t be only a few prisoners doing the deed! The Bulgarians should not resort to such extreme methods in the short term! If they really created an artificial flood, the Austro-Hungarian side would not be able to exin the first, nor is it easy to pass the international public opinions! Unless ites to thest minute, the Bulgarians will not do it! However, we are suffering from the small actions of the Bulgarians, and now the water flowing through the city of Belgrade has been polluted! It is simply not drinkable. Even though we have organized manpower to drill wells throughout the city, but it is still not enough! To conserve water, we''ve banned bathing, washing clothes, and the range of other non-essential water uses! However, it still can''t solve the problem of water shortage. Can''t the Ministry of Finance allocate funds first and buy water from the Bulgarians? First, rescue people!" The Minister of Finance said with a bitter smile: "The Bulgarians have be money-eyed. We have already bought their overpriced grain, overpriced coal, and now overpriced water! The army outside the city now also said that if we don''t have cash, they can ept things they can charge in kind! Whether it''s gold, silver, jewelry, diamond rings and nes, antique relics, or industrial equipment, as long as it has value, they ept it all!" The Minister of War growled: "The Bulgarians dare in no way try to bring us to our knees by such means! We Serbs are not soft and cannot be left to their mercy!" But the words of the Minister of War obviously carry little weight! Ever since they lost the war, he has been excluded from the core of decision-making! Aleksandar I said with a cold smile: "So what can be done? This war, our Serbia is a total loss! If our army had been a little morepetent, even with a small victory, the situation would not have been so bad!" Aleksandar''s discontent with the military has reached a peak! The military has always been a separate system and has never had him in its sights since he seeded to the throne! Well, since the military does not give face, it is not his fault that he is not polite! Aleksandar I also returned the favor by giving his support to the government to suppress the military! A series of military failures now proves that he is right to advocate military reform! But it''s all toote, and he must wipe his ass for the military''s failures! It is not good, but also for the war''s failure and taking the me, is not really taking the me, no matter what, anyway, Aleksandar I think it is, his attitude would be strange! The Minister of Finance sighed and said, "It''s toote to say anything now, the key now is to find a way to end this war quickly! There are still more than 200,000 people in the city who are looking to us for food? We can''t afford to dy!" The Minister of Interior took the words of the Minister of Finance and said with some sarcasm, "That''s right! The prisons are now overcrowded, and many people are caughtmitting crimes on purpose in order to make a living; some even bribe the police with money to take them to town!!! Food stocks of our citizens in the city are now also almost depleted. If it continues, we will have to release rations! And our reserves are that much left. If it is reserved for the army, we can still hold out for most of the month, and if we have to issue rations, a week is a limit! As for the grain outside, the city has fallen into the hands of the Bulgarians, and even if we can still transport it from abroad, there will be very little left by the time it reaches Belgrade!" The Minister of Finance suddenly turned pale, as if he thought of something, and stammered, "Do you ~ you guys say that the Bulgarians are ~ purposely dying the talks ~ in order to raid the wealth of Serbia ~ aah!" The faces of the people changed greatly. There is really this possibility! It''s much more efficient to sell sky-high prices of supplies directly to the Serbian government than to do the looting yourself! Moreover, there was no need to take moral and international public opinion to me, and the Serbian government had to cooperate. After all, more than 200,000 people in the city had to live! Now Serbia is meat on the bricks, which can only be ughtered! Every extra day of dy will cost Serbia dearly! ... ''Blessings do note in pairs, an cmities nevere singly!'' Where there are humans, there are rivalries; where there is white, there is ck! Serbs can''t all be selfless patriots, at least not the capitalists! From the beginning of the siege of Bulgaria, the prices of goods in the city began to soar. To get over a hard fortune, the capitalists could care less! In order to get the supplies, everyone did their best! Anyway, in Belgrade, where supplies are scarce, there is no shortage of supplies in the market! Klein Veitch is a minor officer who manages strategic materials, and in normal times that is a small, irrelevant piece of opacity! However, the Bulgarians came, he became popr at once, and people who did not even look at him will now give him a friendly smile! The reason is none other than his ability toe up with the supplies that are now in short supply on the market! At this time in Belgrade, the old order had copsed, and the ugly face of humanity was exposed in the face of hunger! For the cost of a loaf of bread, you can take a pretty girl with a gorgeous face and spend the night back! No! I should say a beautiful girl who used to be beautiful, since the water problem, everyone has be stinky! But this has nothing to do with Klein Veitch. With his hands in charge of the supplies, he can still quickly get enough water to live a more luxurious life than usual! Worms never exist on their own, and Klein Veitch is just one of the insignificant ones! At first, Klein Veitch was still timid and only secretly took some supplies to improve his and his family''s lives. Little by little, his friends and rtives who used to look down on others now had toe and try to curry favor with him. Like his beautiful niece-inw, who meekly gave herself up to him just for some cheese and bread! Another example is Then Klein Veitch''s mind changed. Why doesn''t he take advantage of this opportunity to make a fortune and know that after going through this vige, there is no longer such a store! And then he collided with the capitalists. One thing led to another! His appetite is gettingrger than ever, and he doesn''t care about the supplies. He sells them first! Klein Veitch''s pockets were getting bigger as well, and soon disaster struck! A stockpile of strategic materials, still very much valued by the top, with the contacts made during this time, Klein Veitch got the news in advance! Of course, he was not the only one who had to suffer together! Officials in charge of material supply are no cleaner than anyone else! Once the problem is discovered, there is no doubt that it will end in death! As a result, an undercurrent is brewing in Belgrade! On the night before the big inspection, there was finally a massive riot in the city of Belgrade. Mobs took advantage of the night to raid many warehouses and started an enormous fire that burned down several warehouses stacked with grain! Of course, this can only deceive the young Aleksandar I. Anyone knows that at this time, the granaries are handled by soldiers. How can a few mobs burn them? Since ancient times they burned grain depots for two reasons: a supervisor burying evidence of a crime; the other is an enemy sneak attack, set fire to the granary! If not, there is not enough fire-starting stuff around the heavily guarded granary, and the food is not burnt out in a moment! There is no doubt that it was not the Bulgarians! But what exactly is going on? Serbian cab members are pretending not to see it now at this time. Not suitable for internal purging! As to whether there is a deeper reason, it is unknown! Anyway, at this moment, no one will care about it! Chapter 139: Expulsion Chapter 139: Expulsion At the same time as the start of the talks between the Bulgarians and the Serbs, Bulgaria imposed martialw on all the upied areas, banned the movement of people, and did everything possible to block the news! Chief of General Staff Petrov was in charge of the project, which Ferdinand designed tounch the full-scale ''departure by honor'' on the south bank of the Morava River, setting a world record ''grand'' project! Literally, you can also tell what this means! Serbia is located in the middle of the Balkan Penins in Europe. Most of the country has undting hills, with hills and mountains in the center and south, while the north is in. To the east and west are the continuation of the Stara and Dinaric mountain chains, respectively; The northern part of the Vojvodina in is part of the Central Danube in, with a densework of rivers and fertile soils; The central and southern parts are mountainous and hilly and consist of the Kosovo Basin and the Metohija Basin! One can say that the northern region, which brings together the entire soul of Serbia, is home to the majority of the country''s poption! At the end of the 19th century, the territory on the south bank of the Morava River was home to some 300,000 to 400,000 Serbs, mainly Serbs, but also a small number of Bosnians, Albanians, Croats, Bulgarians, Slovaks, Romanians, and other ethnic groups! Undoubtedly, the main target of the ''departure by honor'' is the Serbs, who ount for more than 70% of the total poption, and some other ethnic groups! The n included all Serbs and non-literate, non-rural poptions of other ethnic groups in the migration! Of course, any family that had served in the war and had been wounded or killed would also be included in the migration! Thanks to the previous mindless expansion of the Serbian army, the entire south of the Morava River, except for the Bulgarians, the young and strong men of other ethnic groups have entered the army, and now most of those left in the region is a group of old and sick! And because of theck of weapons and equipment, the Serbian government scrapes a lot from the civilian poption, which in turn creates the basis for the ''Gift Out'' program! Due to the war, there has been a massive loss of poption! Initially, it is estimated that the Serbian poption on the south bank of the Morava River is still between 200,000 and 300,000 people, of which more than 90 percent need to be relocated! In times of peace, it''s definitely not easy to relocate 200,000 to 300,000 people! But during the war, it all became easier! Doing ideological mobilization efforts? Petrov does not think that the Serbs, with such a high political awareness! It is still most effective to use the mostmon method by soldiers! Crude, simple, reliable, and non-technical - talk with bays! First, use military control to iste the contacts everywhere, start moving by the river, and then gradually advance! The first to receive care was the city of Ni, forced by the bay. The Serbs have set out to the north! Due to Petrov''s tight blockade of information, the first batch of Serbs, who had already reached their arrival, and thest batch still didn''t know what was going on! It is not without resistance, but there are no young people, no weapons, and their families and children dragged, dare to riot are not many people! And Ferdinand is not stupid. In the nning of the migration, it took into ount the problem of supply security! The standard of food, so to speak, far exceeded the standard of living of the Serbs at that time! With enough food and warm clothes, people are always easily bent, and their will gets weakened! Anyway, as long as the people are sent away, once the talks are over, the Serbian government should have a headache! For the sake of long-term security, there is no need to save on this expense! The relocation n is going on like crazy, and the Serbian government, far away in Belgrade, is still worried about production! ... Paper can''t cover fire. What is revealed remains revealed! When the people on the south bank of the Morava River were almost deported, the news came! When the Serbian government received the news, it was toote! Under cover of war, the poption of the south bank of the Moldova River was forced to move north, causing the definite fact of merging the territory of the southern border of Serbia! Aleksandar I is now really anxious. Once he lost so much territory, his throne will likely be unstable! Others are not much better. Well, before everyone held the same idea as in 1886, the Bulgarians were forced to retreat after the intervention of Austria-Hungary! This time it was a Bulgarian invasion, not unlike thest one! The difference in strength between the two sides is so great that the people are okay with it as long as it can end decently! But the Bulgarians did it in a way that forced their unrealistic illusions directly! ... When he received the telegram from home, the Serbian Prime Minister in Vienna was speechless for a long time and only reacted to it at this time. Since the Bulgarians are expelling the people of the south bank of the Moldova River, of course, it can be for nothing! You know the entire south bank area, Serbia, at least three or four hundred thousand people, who would have nothing to do with a migration! Now it has been more than ten days, even if you find Austria-Hungary to prevent it is toote, the people have rushed over, and want to send back, but only if the Bulgarians promise! Radoman Bovic, who had been Prime Minister for so many years, knew there was trouble and rushed to beg to see the Austro-Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs! After stating the situation, the expected furious Minister of Foreign Affairs did not appear! Instead, he asked, contrary to regr practice, "Prime Minister Radoman, what do you in Serbia intend to do now?" Radoman Bovic knew that things were terrible! The Austro-Hungarian attitude might have changed, but he still pretended not to know and said, "The Bulgarians'' unprovoked expulsion of the Serbian poption during the talks is aplete disregard for your country''s warnings, and we think they must be given a little lesson!" The Minister of Foreign Affairs rolled his eyes and thought: ''The Austro-Hungarian Empire is dedicated to wiping your ass in Serbia, we have to do everything, such a rotten minion, what to use!'' After a pause, he said with a resentful voice: "Prime Minister Radoman, is this how ipetent your government is? The Bulgarians expelled your people, and you didn''t even notice? Why not bring it up earlier? Now that so much time has passed, what they should have done has been done. As long as the Bulgarians bit the bullet that it was the people who wanted to leave in order to escape the war, to deny it, without evidence, we can''t do anything to them! You know that the current international situation is veryplicated, and a single move will affect the whole world! Your government had too many chances to end the war with dignity at the beginning of the war, but you all gave up! At this point, it''s toote! The Bulgarians have gained too much advantage, and you will have to pay a greater price to end this war! I would suggest that you agree with them as soon as possible; after all, two-thirds of your country''s territory is still in the hands of the Bulgarians, and every extra day passed may cause more damage!" Chapter 140: The War is Over Chapter 140: The War is Over Radoman knows that it''s all over! The Serbian government was finished, and his own political life was over! Austria-Hungary''s patience with Serbia has run out, and support is not unlimited! The Serbian government is not aware of it, and now it is because of its slow response that the bitter fruit can only be swallowed by themselves! So the political veteran Radoman, after sending a telegram to the country, describing the specifics, decidedly fell ill and was admitted to a Vienna hospital! The Serbian talks team, which could only be reced by his vice, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, continued to participate in the talks! Time rushes by, a week has passed, and as they enter November, there is still no progress in the talks! The Serbian government now has only two options before it. Either agree to the Bulgarians'' terms, sign an armistice and end the war! Either hold on and wait for Belgrade to copse and surrender to the Bulgarians! Knowing what the Bulgarians were up to, the high-ups in the Serbian government knew that they were in big trouble this time! The Prime Minister, far away in Vienna, gave them a good start and fell ill in numbers! Their political life will be over after losing the war anyway! Now that they are sick, they just don''t have to carry the name of the traitor! Others can hide, but only Aleksandar I can not hide! Who asked him to be the king? In the Serbian royal pce, Alexander I thought angrily, to bear the me for altogether, only now want to hide, no door, no window! He said coldly: "Someone, go and invite the ministers over to the council! If they are sick, carry them here! Anyway, all senior government officials must attend this afternoon''s meeting!" ... At this point in the war, there is no longer much doubt! When it ends, it is a matter of time. Bulgaria has ended the war economy! In Sofia''s pce, Ferdinand is busy counting expenses together with the high-level government! Good man, it''s really a big one, a million gold in one shot! Since they dered the war until now, the expenses,rge and small, have amounted to more than 70 million two hundred and forty thousand Leva (about two million eight hundred thousand pounds, 2.1 tons of gold), and this is just the beginning! Later there are casualties pension, meritorious awards, newnd management, and a series of things that are not a small expense! But now Ferdinand is not the least bit worried about this huge expense! The Bulgarian army upied two-thirds of Serbia, even though it was primarily mountainous and not much richer! Even so, the harvest was still good! It is too low a means to rob directly, and it is easy to corrupt military discipline and takes the me! It''s much simpler just to set up blockades to collect taxes and inte prices! Anyway, during the war years, prices do not rise! The capitalists are also the ones who are taking the me! As for the life of the Serbs, it was not Ferdinand''s turn to worry about it! The Bulgarian army now distributed relief food to civilians, even though it was only a small piece of ck bread! Thetter problem is the Serbian government''s headache! "Are the casualties counted yet?" Ferdinand asked with concern, and this was his biggest worry! Prime Minister Konstantin immediately replied: " It has been initially counted, from the deration of war to the present, nearly a month, the Bulgarian armyunched a total of small andrge battles, more than hundreds of times! As of yesterday, the troops reported upwards of 40,000 casualties! Twelve thousand five hundred and seventy-four of them have died; there are also more than eight thousand seriously wounded, still under treatment, and many of them have been amputated, with no possibility of returning to normal; the rest are lightly wounded and have begun to recover one after another, returning to the troops!" After hearing the Prime Minister''s words, Ferdinand''s suspended heart finally settled down! Fortunately, the lightly wounded can recover. Otherwise, losing more than 40,000 soldiers was enough to damage Bulgaria''s strength! Even so, Ferdinand sighed! To fight a Serbia, all the way to extend the pressure, the two sides engaged in less than a month and paid the price of more than 20,000 people! Then slowly said, "Do a good job on the back of the tribute! We can''t let heroes bleed and shed tears!" When they saw Ferdinand''s bad mood, the crowd wisely put away their smiling faces, as if they had changed, all turned into a look of sadness and pity! Of course, true or false does not matter, but they must still do the show! Otherwise, if the top does not pay attention, the bottom still has to pay out the full amount of pensions in ce? Ferdinand is not a saint and can not ask others to be a saint! If there is someone at the top of the government who is really a saint, he will definitely be the first to tell him to get lost! After a moment''s pause, Konstantin said sincerely, "Please rest assured, Your Highness! Our government will definitely do a good job in the aftermath, and there will never be a situation where heroes shed their blood and tears!" Ferdinand nodded. He knew that now the Bulgarian government was still sincere, plus now the burst of nationalism, which had just defeated Serbia, everyone''s patriotic passion was high. There should be few people who dare to y the idea of pension! It continued, "What about the Serbian losses?" When he heard Ferdinand ask about the situation in Serbia, Konstantin said with a bright smile: "Your Highness, the Serbs are finished this time, and it will be difficult to recover in twenty years! From the data collected from all over the region, the Serbian army has already confirmed more than 200,000 dead, and the actual number will only be higher! Since the Serbs were poor militarists, they sent the country''s young and strongbor force into the army. In addition to the more than 200,000 who have died in battle, we still have 120,000 prisoners in our hands! Serbia''s young and strong poption has now been reduced by at least half! In addition, I helped relocate nearly 300,000 people from the south bank, and now we issue relief food. While the local military controls it, it is not a big problem! Once the war is over, these 300,000 people will be an untimely bomb! If the Serbian government fails to settle them properly, the civil war will probably break out again under heightened conflicts!" Ferdinand smiled, knowing that settling 300,000 people was not that simple, especially among old and sick people! Let them continue to be farmers, and you have to havend for them to grow? If you let them work as workers, it''s even more problematic! If they work asborers, they cannot do it; if they are skilled, they do not know how to do it; and the Serbian government cannot provide so many jobs! END OF VOLUME 1 Chapter 141: 01) End of War Chapter 141: 01) End of War On November 16, 1894, the reluctant Serbian government finally yielded, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Vienna painfully signed the treaty! Thus, the Second Bulgarian-Serbian War ended with the total victory of Bulgaria! The treaty states that: 1. Serbia concedes defeat in the war and takes full responsibility for this war. 2. Hand over the war criminals in the First Bulgarian-Serbian War. 3. Cede to Bulgaria the territory of Serbia ~ south of the Morava River, which includes Ni, around 18,000 square kilometers. 4. Paying war reparations to Bulgaria for 230 million Leva and taking into ount the financial difficulties of the Serbian government, offsetting the war reparations with the assets of the Serbs in the area south of the Morava River. 5. Within 24 hours after the peace treaty signing, the Bulgarian army lifted the siege of Belgrade and withdrew entirely from Serbian territory within a month. 6. After the peace treaty signing, the Bulgarian army handed over all prisoners of war to the Serbian government within three months. 7. The Serbian government pledges not to take any measures against Bulgaria and to ban all radical groups. ... There are seventy-eight articles in the armistice treaty, covering all mattersrge and small in every aspect. But the real core interests at stake are the third and fourth articles, which legally rify Bulgaria''s ownership of the region of the Morava River, as well as the possession of the property in this territory! In Ferdinand''s opinion, the rest of the treaty was more like a number! For example, in the first article, Serbia admits defeat and is responsible for the war. Of course, to be responsible for the defeat and admit defeat is just talk. Who will take it seriously? If there is strength, who can guarantee that the Serbs will not fight back! The second one is purely funny. The war criminals of this war are not asked but instead seek to pursue the previous war? And there is not even a specific list, not just for show? The fifth and sixth articles, not to mention the long-term garrison blockade in Serbia, when the Great Powers are really easy to mess with them? Unlike the mountains and forests in the south, the north is the sphere of influence of Austria-Hungary. If it were not for Ferdinand''s spending spree in Vienna, it is estimated that even the military control could not do it! Not to mention the release of prisoners, and the daily food, drink, and sleep of more than 100,000 people, which is also a huge expense. When you consider international public opinion, you can''t use them asborers. Who wants to work for nothing? Article 7 ouwing radical organizations, no matter how Ferdinand looked at it, seems like they signed it for Austria-Hungary. Didn''t it create an opportunity for them to annex Serbia? ... As soon as the treaty reached Sofia, Ferdinand ratified it on the spot! What you can get your hands on, other details, just give in to them! Compared to this, the Serbian government is suffering a lot. Everyone avoids it, and no one wants to get involved with this! Aleksandar I is not a fool. Why should he fight against such great evil? If you want to hide, then we will fight together, no one will run away, it''s a mass decision! Whether a member of parliament or a government official, as long as there is one in Belgrade, all must sign off on it! Even if they are not there, it does not matter. Authorize family members to do it for them! And so, a funny scene emerged when the Serbs brought the treaty back and had to add two more pages because too many people had ratified it to be signed, and there wasn''t enough room for signatures! As soon as they established the treaty, the Bulgarian army lifted the siege of Belgrade and began withdrawing. The Serbs, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, hadn''te to be happy for long when trouble followed! The Bulgarian army doesn''t mind giving them some trouble, even though the Bulgarian army has ordered the withdrawal of its troops! For example, an idental fire in some city happens to burn the granary and civil registry data; or a lost batch of captured weapons in some ce happens to be picked up by some anti-government group... Anyway, the Bulgarian army withdrew in a hurry and did not inform the Serbian government toe and take over, and then the local order was in chaos. In particr, the migrants who have juste over, no one cares, now it is typical of the proletariat, no assets, no work, nobor, the most critical is no food!!! But they only have weapons, although only some broken iron, but at least it is a weapon, is not? If you don''t have food to eat, you must find food! But you can not find a livelihood, so what to do? Of course, robbery, anyway, there are weapons in the hands of the local residents to go to rob the good! Anyway, the living can not be kept alive by the shits. There is no job if you are hungry! By the time Serbian officials arrived, many cities were in shambles, with murder, looting, rape, and many other criminal things going on! ording to the statistics afterward, the chaos caused by theck of order brought more damage to Serbia than even the Bulgarian army did when it attacked! Aleksandar I, now do not know whether to cry or shouldugh! Due to the Bulgarian invasion, Serbia was fought to the death, making his throne unstable; also, the absence of the Bulgarian army left a mess so that no one dared to take over, and no one intended tounch a coup. Now he is still sitting on the throne! From the deration of war to the end, it took only 38 days. In fact, the main fighting between the two sides took even less time, only a short week! Serbia is wholly yed out! The dinar is now financially less valuable than paper, and in the age of the gold standard, a currency without gold reserves is a pile of waste paper! In domestic politics, everyone is at a loss, the Serbian government is a mess, and who takes over is unlucky! In that case, it is better to leave the unlucky government to continue to do it, their own trouble, their own responsibility to deal with it! Aleksandar I was forced to choose to ask for help from Austria-Hungary; finally, no way now the Serbian government, even the ability to stabilize the situation at home! At least the problem of feeding the people is not something they can handle on their own! As for the conditions, now there is no need to mention them, and the boss is looking at it, and I will agree to anything, first save a minion from saying! Now, it was the turn of the Vienna government to feel awkward. The Serbs came to the door themselves, whether to annex it or not! What''s happening is that the Serbs want money, food, and troops! You read that right. In the absence of supplies, at this moment, the Serbian government cannot even send troops to stabilize the ce! The problem of feeding hundreds of thousands of people needs to be solved urgently, and all means are in vain if this problem cannot be dealt with one way or another! In the end, Franz Joseph I decided to take control of Serbia first, regardless of what happenedter! Chapter 142: 02) Recovery Steps Chapter 142: 02) Recovery Steps The Great Powers are the Great Powers, and even if they are the weakest of the Great Powers, the strength of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is still not a secret! The Austro-Hungarian Empire quickly solved the Serbian government''s problem! Is this really the case? Anyway, after receiving the information, Ferdinandughed. He knows how good the Serbs are at causing death! On the surface, the situation is calm, but in reality, there is no telling how much turbulence is surging! That is, it has just now been hit hard and is still licking its wounds, a little more peaceful! At the end of 1894, Serbia had a poption of more than 2.3 million in parallel time, but this time was much more miserable! First, the economic crisis shaded by Ferdinand, with heavy losses; and because of the arms race provoked by Ferdinand, which intensified domestic conflicts, they should have suppressed the rebellion at once, in Ferdinand''s meddling dragged on for two years, more than 100,000 Serbs died in the civil war. The war broke out again soon afterward, this time losing nearly a third of its territory, with direct losses of more than 300,000 people and countless economic losses! As of today, the total poption of Serbia is less than 1.7 million, and there is a seriousck of a young and strongbor force. Most of the hot-blooded young people have already been killed, so there is a naturalck of the main force of the trouble! On the surface, Austria-Hungary helped stabilize Serbia. In essence, nearly 300,000 untimely bombs still have not been defused!!! Keeping it for a long time? Austria-Hungary is not a charity!!! Give them a way to earn a living? Most of the 300,000 are old, sick, and disabled. What can they do? Not all so. In fact, there are still resources avable. After all, those who go to war are young and strong men, and women do not have much to do with it! Even so, these 300,000 people will still be a burden on Serbia in the short term, and the Serbian government is now bankrupt. Boss Austria-Hungary will have to help for the time being! Who can not stand a long time? At that moment is, the moment of conflict between the two sides intensified! But none of this has anything to do with Ferdinand. After the defeat of Serbia, the border line advanced more than a hundred kilometers, and the strategic security of the capital Sofia, mainly in the hilly area, was guaranteed! And within twenty years, Serbia does not have the ability to cause trouble for Bulgaria. After twenty years, if Bulgaria still has to worry about Serbia, Ferdinand does not need to work, find a block of debris and crash to death in advance! The shadow of defeat in the Second Balkan War was alsopletely gone! Without Serbia as the main force, several other small countries in the Balkans, even if added together, Bulgaria is also enough to deal with it! The Balkan countries at the end of the 19th century: Montenegro had few people and could simply be ignored; Greece, with its terrible finances, supported a navy, so it was natural that thend force was inert; the only real threat to Bulgaria was left with Romania!!! Carol I of Romania, born in the army, has always attached great importance to developing armaments, but the army''s effectiveness? The soldiers in the ins are unable to do with the soldiers in the mountains, and nothing is surprising! Originally, with Romania''s natural resources, there was still a chance to develop, but it''s a pity who called Romania a bad location? The west is bordered by Austria-Hungary, the north by Russia, and the south by Bulgaria, and the direction of expansion is blocked!!! On the face of it, the only direction of escape seems to be the annexation of Bulgaria to the south and thus the unification of the Balkans!!! In fact, history proves that this simply does not work, no matter the attitude of the two Great Powers; purely in terms of military power, the Romanian army born in the ins can not do with the tough Bulgarian army! Well, there is no more ambitious Russia as a neighbor. One must be cautious. If a mistake is made, it will be swallowed by nothing left! It can be said that, as long as the Great Powers are not at full strength, the Balkans will no longer be able to threaten the existence of Bulgaria! He can toss Serbia''s problems aside for now! The governance of the additionalnd is the big issue now! The poption is aplex problem, 18,000 square kilometers ofnd, less than 20,000 people are living! It is not even 5% of what it was before, and there is nothing to do to exploit thisnd! Who can''t help that Ferdinand sent all the people back to Serbia? The local Bulgarians are few and far between, and with some easily assimted minorities, there are still less than 20,000 people! Immigration is a must, and the challenge before the Bulgarian government is how to resettle? It is clear that to develop the industry, the region that has proven inter times to be the most suitable is Ni. Still, unfortunately now, the Ni region is the new border of Bulgaria! Ferdinand is no longer sure of himself but will not be foolish to put the industry on the border if the Serbs suddenly go crazy ande over to do damage. The loss will be a big one! If the industry does not work, you only need to engage in agriculture! In addition to the areas along the river, there are some ins. Most other areas are mountainous, hilly forests, harder to develop! But this problem, Ferdinand is not worried about it. The big deal is thatter on, many rural poor, and the problem will erupt, at least in the mid tote twentieth century! At the end of the 19th century, everyone''s standard of living was not very good. Although the ie of urban and remote mountainous areas differ, the standard of living is simr, struggling on the poverty line with their survival line! Ferdinand thought about it and decided to take some of thends in the ins and reward it to the soldiers who had seeded in battle, to inspire morale and develop a group of high-quality military aristocrats out!!! Turning to the history books, one knows that officers of civilian origin are not as good as the aristocrats in terms of overall military literacy!!! The best example is Germany in World War I. Even with the Junker aristocracy holding high positions in the military and blocking fair promotion channels for civilian officers, theirbat power still topped the world!!! Isn''t Bulgaria known as the Prussia of the Balkans? Now let them be more faithful to their name! As for the aftermath? Ferdinand believes in the rising military aristocrats. He can still hold them down!!! As for the future? After the two world wars, the birth of nuclear weapons, the world situation has stabilized, and the military aristocrats in times of peace, their influence is naturally much smaller. There are no hidden dangers to talking about it! For the remaining part, they will establish farms directly managed in the mountains in the ins. It is too costly to recruit bankrupt farmers to reim thend or adopt a ransom policy to sell to farmers! Now that he had decided, Ferdinand did not dy and threw the matter directly to the cab government. After all, it is easy to make a n, but the actual work was a lot of trouble. Ferdinand did not have so much energy to ask. Of course, the primary thing is zy''! Chapter 143: 03) Nikolai IIs Era Chapter 143: 03) Niki II''s Era While Bulgaria was celebrating the victory, another big event happened, the current Emperor of the Russian Empire - Aleksandr III Aleksandrovich - died! The life of Aleksandr III can also be called a legend! In his early years, he was the Emperor of the Russian Empire, the second son of Aleksandr II, and lived a carefree life where the throne had little to do with him. But God yed a big joke on him, and his brother, Crown Prince Niki, died suddenly from a serious illness after falling off his horse in 1865. On March 13, 1881, his father, Aleksandr II, was assassinated in St. Petersburg by a member of the Narodnaya Volya. A crown fell on him, and, not quite ready for it. He immediately became the ruler of the Russian Empire. Then under his leadership, the Russian Empire went to the top at the end of the 19th century! On the economic front: Beginning in 1880, Aleksandr III presided over the development of the Russian economy, and Russia began to industrialize at a high rate and on arge scale. During the reign of Aleksandr III, Russia reached a peak of economic development and became the world''s leading power, militarily and economically. In diplomacy: He favored using political means to achieve political goals and rarely resorted to military means, so the Russian Empire rarely started wars during the reign of Aleksandr III. Pan-vism, which Russia is also actively pursuing, is aimed primarily at the Balkans and the ck Sea coast in an apparent attempt to expand Russian influence in these regions and consolidate Russian dominance in areas inhabited by vic peoples. On the one hand, Russia''s policy in the Balkans has yed a positive role in improving its international status and promoting the development of national liberation movements there. ... Under Ferdinand''s effect, the emperor who brought the Russian Empire to its peak still did not escape the clutches of death and died in the Crimea on November 24, 1894, after a long illness. (Note: the time is not always urate, the author found three answers, it can be sure that the year 1894, the specific date also October 20, or November 24 is said, a casual choice is November 24. (No need to ask questions, consider it the butterfly effect!) At the age of 26, Niki Aleksandrovich took over the burden of the Russian Emperor, and from then on, the Russian Empire entered the era of Niki II! But Niki Aleksandrovich was not prepared for this. After all, Aleksandr III was still quite young, not yet fifty years old before his death! Now Ferdinand''s most crucial task was to attend Aleksandr III''s funeral and console the grieving his knyaginya. Because his father was killed in a bombing, Emperor Aleksandr III lived in the suburbs and hid in his home, not going out much at all except to Denmark every year. Because of the absence of most outdoor movement, coupled with his own fondness for alcohol, obesity, andter during the train derailment incident, he used his body to hold up the train and crushed his kidneys. All these factors led to his early death. In June 1894, Empress Mariya was shocked by her husband''s appearance. Aleksandr had lost a lot of weight and often had insomnia. The doctor finally confirmed that he had nephritis, which was then a terminal disease, and after this news came, Knyaginya Xenia returned to St. Petersburg early! Because of the Emperor''s illness, the family went to the Crimea to recuperate in Livadia, which faces the sea and is the most beautiful ce in Russia. At the end of October, the major aristocrats of Europe were notified when Aleksandr III''s condition worsened, his breathing became hard, and he coughed up blood. Ferdinand did not leave at once due to the drag of the Bulgarian-Serbian War, and now that the dust has settled, he has to rush over. As the Russian Empire''s emperor, Aleksandr III''s funeral could never be handled hastily, and the major aristocrats and royal families of Europe and the major countries of the world had to send representatives to attend. In fact, the rtionship between the European aristocrats is aplete mess, ''constant and confusing''! The ancient aristocrats can always find kinship between them! No matter how bad the rtionship between two countries, people are still rtives behind closed doors. There is no one to add to the problem at such times, not a deep hatred. During the funeral of Aleksandr III, six monarchs from European countries, including Ferdinand, came to bid farewell to him in person. Ferdinand again saw the Russian Empire''s influencepared to hisst wedding. This time the status of the visitors is a much higher grade! The ceremony was attended by members of the royal families of Great Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Portugal, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, Greece... and other countries. Thousands of Russians gathered to bid farewell to the emperor who had single-handedly sent the Russian Empire to the top. Well, the funeral had just ended, and Ferdinand, who was attending the inaugural throne of Niki II, hurried back to Sofia. There were now a whole bunch of problems in Bulgaria that he also needed to deal with it. Knyaginya Xenia was in a much better mood than he thought and had recovered from her initial tears when she heard that Aleksandr III was critically ill. Ferdinand thought, maybe this is the European attitude towards life and death, let the past die with the wind. The living people still have to live their lives as usual! With the death of Aleksandr III, the Russian Empire entered the era of Niki II, which was good news for Bulgaria! The rise to power of an emperor who advocates an eastern advance, and the Russian Empire''s strategy of moving east, can no longer be stopped! It is certainly good news for Bulgaria, which ismitted to expanding in the Balkans. After all, the Russian Empire reached its peak economically and militarily at the end of the 19th century, only to turn from prosperity to decline in 1905! From the diplomatic rtions of the European powers, one can see that during this period, the "Franco-Russian alliance" against the "German-Austrian alliance" also prevailed, and the primary enemy of the British was the Russian Empire! The Anglo-Russian conflict, the Anglo-French conflict, and the German-French conflict were the three main conflicts in the world at that time, followed by the Russo-Austrian conflict and the Anglo-German or quasi-allied status! It is what led to the strategy of ''moving the scourge to the east''. All European countries weed the Russian Empire''s Far East strategy except France. Even Germany, the world''s number one army, was worried about the ''European Rollers'', an endless supply of these infinite units which could terrify any European nation! It was only after the Russo-Japanese War that the world saw the rotten nature of the Russian Empire. The British had to change their foreign policy to support the Franco-Russian alliance in order to continue the ''bncing strategy'' in Europe and begin to suppress rising Germany. Chapter 144: 04) Restitution Chapter 144: 04) Restitution Back in Sofia, Ferdinand had a grand ceremony waiting for him to officiate in person! Arge number of heroes emerged from the Bulgarian-Serbian War, some of whom had enough merit and needed to be conferred with their titles, a task that could only be presided over by Ferdinand himself! Also, in memory of the fallen soldiers and officers of this war, the Bulgarian government held a national memorial. Ferdinand decided to attend personally to show the fallen martyrs'' importance. It should have started a long time ago, but with the death of Aleksandr III, Ferdinand went to St. Petersburg, so everyone had to wait. The material rewards, which have already started long ago, can be received by everyone in varying amounts of cash ording to merit or can be converted intond in newly acquired territories. The soldiers quickly and warmly weed Ferdinand''s decision. For soldiers from rural backgrounds, nothing is more attractive thannd! It is a pity that for most people, even if the government gives a reduced price fornd this time, which is much lower than the market price, they still cannot get muchnd. After all, this war is going too smoothly. Basically, all the smooth and hard battles are rarely fought, and it is not obvious that everyone gets the war credit! After the military requested a cumtive war service award, Ferdinand agreed to it in good faith. The Balkansck everything but war and to gain morend. The military will actively promote war, which happens to be the same as Ferdinand''s next strategy! So the awkward scene emerged that the pensions and war bonuses prepared in advance by the government were almost no one imed. On the other side, there were long lines of people at the counter where they gave outnd rewards. Whether or not they could redeem enoughnd, everyone was willing to go and have a good time. Ferdinand, of course, knows the reason. Besides the low price of the militarynd and one of the biggest advantages, the low tax, only need to pay half of the regr tax! It is the primary reason why the people are so eager to move to the newly acquired territory. After all, such great benefits are at hand. It is not difficult to ept to proceed to the newly acquired territory. In order to prevent seizure by capitalists or aristocrats, Ferdinand also made special provisions for these militarynds to lose the privilege of half-tax once the sale took ce! Under normal conditions, there are so many restrictions. If the newly risen militaryndlords who can still bankrupt their businesses, Ferdinand can only express his admiration. Thedy in waiting, Alisa, brought over a stack of documents and said, "Your Highness, this is the list submitted up by the military, the first page is the ones that need to be conferred with titles, and the ones that follow are the ones that need to be awarded by you personally for military merit, as you requested." Ferdinand casually took the list and read it. There is not much on it. The first page is even less, only a mere eight people, all attached to their battle records, merit, there is no doubt. In thest pages of the list, also mostly marked with red lines, Ferdinand knew that these people, either killed in action or seriously wounded and retired, the military gave priority in terms of honor. He naturally did not intend to look deeper. After all, the living can notpete with the dead. It ismon throughout the world. Others make some allowances is also understandable. Ferdinand nodded in satisfaction. There is no rotten thing. If someone is abused, he has to be a joke for this show. On the other hand, the cab government is now busy. Despite its short duration, the Bulgarian-Serbian War was a national mobilization, and it didn''t matter in wartime; everything served for the war, and they could postpone many issues. Now that the war is over, something has to give! It is important to give severance pay to the mobilized reserve and reward the people who take the initiative to participate in it, at least the honorable reward! It is one thing to give or not to provide marypensation for the requisitioned factories, but there should always be a im; the materials that were called for should always be paid for now, and it is impossible to keep owing it, and what is the price to be paid? The new territory must be divided into administrative districts; the reward of the militarynd also needs to send people to preside over the division; it is necessary to prepare for the recruitment of immigrants! ... Anyway, there are many messy things, and all the big guys are busy and dizzy, which is considered painful and happy at the same time. The celebration took ce after Christmas, on January 3, 1895, when Ferdinand himself presided over the conferral of the title at the Royal Pce in Sofia. Considering the war behind, Ferdinand showed very little and took out a total of two viscounts and six barons as a reward, but also not hereditary titles! Of course, his reason is also very good. This time the opponent is Serbia. Whomever else tomand can win, and the army''s performance can only be moderate. There is nothing to say. With low difficulty, the reward is naturally low. It is, of course, will not cause discontent in the army. After all, in this war, basically by strength all the way through the pressure, the officers do not have many chances to perform. For example, if he wanted the Middle Army, it would have been a good tactic to send troops deep behind the enemy and cut off supply lines; but the main Serbian force slipped away early and had to do useless work and waste time. As the main force, the battle record is smaller than the other two sides of the division. They feel ashamed. There is no face to mention the war credit. The Left Army, this time, took on the decisive battle of the main force. The fight was perfect, the problem is the casualties paid too much, and the officers naturally lost a lot of war credit. There''s nothing to say. We can''t just let people look at the war record and ignore the casualties, right? Bulgaria is a small country with a small poption that can''t afford to be tossed around. The Right Army, needless to say, ispletely picking up the pieces along the way, not having fought a single hard battle and seemingly doing well in battle, but the opponents are a bunch of tatters, and there is no way for them to be convincing in battle. Against the mob of fresh recruits, who could not even get their guns together, the Bulgarian Army said, "A Bulgarian main battalion can deal with a new Serbian division!" urate or inurate, the example of a single Bulgarian battalion defeating a division with no main Serbian force pressuring it still happened in the Bulgarian-Serbian War. As for the conferring of titlester, Ferdinand did not refrain. How toe, everything is followed ording to the rules! Even though he didn''t like to put on a show, Ferdinand smiled and put each medal on the officers and men personally, patting them on the shoulder as a sign of support. Those who have died will have to be imed by their families on their behalf. What appears at the scene is only their portraits for the world to honor. With the cultural differences between China and the West in mind, Ferdinand did not create a monument to the heroes. Still, he held a memorial service for the fallen soldiers in the Sofia Cathedral, per Bulgarian tradition. Chapter 145: 05) Migration to the South Bank Chapter 145: 05) Migration to the South Bank After all the ceremonies werepleted, Ferdinand also rushed to the military hospital in the Sofia region, visited the wounded, and went to condole with the families of several martyrs. It took most of the month before the work came to an end. Of course, there is no shortage of journalists to follow to collect news material, and there are photographers to apany the scene, as valuable film and video data to preserve. The people are even more lively, and although The Bulgarian-Serbian War has passed, the propaganda has continued, and the joyful atmosphere has not yet faded. Anyway, the media came up with too much evidence that would show that this war in Bulgaria waspletely just: We fought for the nation''s rise, the liberation of ourpatriots who were oppressed by Serbia, the recovery of our homnd, and the expulsion of the Serbian invaders! The new part of the country has been an integral part of the Holy Land of Bulgaria since ancient times. Believe it or not, you can check the historical data! Many vs arrived in the 6th century AD and merged with a small number of Turkic-speaking Bulgars led by Asparukh, who had migrated from the northern coast of the ck Sea and the North Caucasus to Moesia, giving rise to the Bulgars. In the area south of the Danube River and north of the Balkan Mountains, the First Bulgarian Empire was established. Look carefully, including the entire Balkan region. There are historical sources that indicate that that is the area traditionally inhabited by the Bulgarians. If that''s not enough, there''s the Second Bulgarian Empire. There''s always what you want! The entire poption was now living up there. All Bulgarians can testify that the Bulgarian military liberated them from the clutches of Serbia. They dare to swear on their faith in God, from their heart, without any falsehood at all!!! The editors guarantee that this time there is no exclusion of information and that these people wholeheartedly support Bulgaria. (Anyone who does not support it has gone to the other side) If you have doubts, you can go to the site to investigate, and any organization or individual worldwide is wee to go to the site to obtain evidence. For the propaganda in the Bulgarian domestic media, except for the Bulgarians who believe it, everyone else is tacitly saying that they have seen nothing. It''s shameful. Are the Serbs still protesting? All 300,000 people in the northern pass, so they are just reced, and the idiots are the ones who left voluntarily! But it doesn''t matter. Thend is now popted by Bulgarians anyway. Each of them has evidence that they have been ethnic Bulgarians for generations! Who dares to say otherwise nonsense, get in trouble with anyone! It has to be ethnic Bulgarians even if the agricultural tax for Bulgaria is only half that of Serbia!!! The Bulgarian government under Ferdinand was very open-minded, and one could obtain Bulgarian citizenship quickly by showing evidence of being of Bulgarian ethnicity, being willing to ept the authority of the Bulgarian government, learning Bulgarian culture and knowledge, and loving Bulgaria. So the new 20,000patriots, all Bulgarians, were properly native, and naturally, there was ack of baseless oppression and envement. Ferdinand, who had been idle, became concerned about immigration again and called a cab minister to hold a special panel on immigration. "Prime Minister, what is your government''s n regarding the retrieval of the homnd?" asked Ferdinand. Konstantin, the named Prime Minister, replied excitedly, "Your Highness, the cab ns to divide three regions for governance, but since the poption is now too small, the most important task of the cab right now is still immigration!" Ferdinand nodded in satisfaction and continued to ask, "How is the migration going?" Konstantin paused, sighed, and said with difficulty: "Immigration is going well, but the poption of Bulgaria is limited. Even if the people sign up in great numbers, many do not meet the conditions. After being rejected, now includes the military immigrants, adding up to more than 50,000 people, basically has reached the limit!!!" Ferdinand knew that having just won a war, it was a time when Bulgarian nationalism was in full swing, and plenty of people didn''t care about personal gain to support the country''s growth. But it still does not change the nature of Bulgaria''s sparse poption, four million people spread over more than 100,000 square kilometers ofnd, which is already very small, and it is indeed too difficult to develop newnd. And the government can''t just abandon the oldnd just to develop newnd! There simply aren''t more than enough people in themunity to make slow progress on immigration, that''s for sure! Ferdinand thought about it and continued, "Let''s focus our efforts on the new citizens! Then find a way to bring in a group of immigrants from Russia! It is still the same old rules to farmers mainly, after all, the situation in the Ni region, you are all clear, we focus on the focus can only be the development of agriculture! The Serbs are too violent. If we developed thisnd to support a million people for farming, it would not be a problem!" At the end of the 19th century, the level of agricultural mechanization worldwide was still very low, and there was still value in spreading it on the ins. Still, it was better to use manualbor in the mountainous and forested areas, honestly! Besides, Ferdinand was only to increase the poption and strengthen the control of thend. He did not intend to let everyone rely on that littlend to be prosperous. As long as the output can be self-sufficient is enough. As long as the agricultural tax is, of course, good, there is no matter. The cab members looked at each other and smiled. It seems that now every time Bulgariacks manpower, the Russian Empire can generously provide it, and of course, it would be nice if they could do it without paying! Konstantin said with a bitter smile: "Your Highness, if we let them migrate from the Russian region just to farm thend simply, then the cost would be too high! The ins along the Morava River are still valuable for economic development, but the other mountainous hills and forests are too low in agricultural output ratio! And the cost of our migration is now, however, not low at all. On average, the cost of importing a young and strongbor force from Russia is now up to 300 Leva (about 12) and 125 Leva (5) for the old and weak. At this price, it will take at least twenty years before we can recover the cost from them; if we engage in industrial production, we can recover the cost in three to five years! Economically speaking, the benefits of introducing immigrants to develop mountainous and hilly forest areas are not worth the losses!" Ferdinand nodded. For the prime minister''s concern, he understood. Nowadays, most European countries value industry and despise agriculture, and they don''t care much about human resources. It is also rted to the Great Powers'' vast colonies with a sizeable richbor force. It is natural to ignore the poption''s role and the country''s weight! But Ferdinand decided that another way of thinking to convince them, after all, by the limits of the times, it is beyond their understanding to talk about this now! Chapter 146: 06) Strategic Planning Chapter 146: 06) Strategic nning Ferdinand said with a rhetorical question: "We cannot calcte the ount this way. We must take into ount other factors besides the economic value! Have you noticed that now Bulgaria is on the upper side of the trade with Russia? Without the previous migration, which consumed most of the money and covered up the problem, a long-time trade surplus with Russia, even if we are allies with the Russian Empire, the problem will still ur over time, have you considered it?" The faces of the people changed greatly. It is indeed a big problem. If not correctly handled, the future of Bulgarian-Russian rtions will certainly be greatly affected! Now Bulgaria imports industrial raw materials from the Russian Empire and sells industrial products to the Russian Empire. Because of the trade agreements, both sides were enjoying low tariffs on Bulgarian industrial goods to be able topete with the Great Powers under the price advantage. However, Russia''s interests and how it is so good to take advantage of the time and then good rtions will also be in conflict. Can Russia not let Bulgaria always take advantage of it? A big reason no one is bringing it up now is that the Bulgarian government pays a lot to the Russian Empire, offsetting the trade deficit because of migration. Russian aristocratic lords, having profited from it! Plus, Bulgaria needs low-quality immigrants, and waste in the Russian Empire is more or less the same. Remaining in the country is adding to the chaos. Leaving the other way around is good for easing domestic conflicts. In addition, the Russian Empire also hopes to influence Bulgaria''s internal affairs and diplomacy through immigration and slowly assimte Bulgaria. All these factors add up to the root cause of the Russian government giving the green light and have not raised objections! Despite not wanting to admit it, the problem is in front of us, and we can not ignore it now the Russian Empire is too important for the development of Bulgaria!!!" Now people think they understand why Ferdinand must insist on Bulgarization. Wasn''t it to prevent Bulgaria from being annexed by the Russian Empire? Heavy pressure overcame him, and a sense of historical responsibility arose! What to do? Immigration is short-term, and if there is no other way, then the trade conflicts between Russia and Bulgaria will, sooner orter, sharpen! Ferdinand suddenly realized that the problem seemed too serious to scare people! He was about to say something when Chekhov suddenly spoke up and said. "Your Highness, in the short term we can rely on immigration to bnce the trade surplus, but after all, it''s not a long-term solution! Is it feasible for us to give up certain industries as a bnce to the trade surplus?" Ferdinand nodded. If he did not know the future direction, he would most likely also adopt this approach to bnce the trade surplus, such as stopping domestic mining, switching to imports from the Russian Empire, etc.! "Don''t worry too much. At the current rate of development in Bulgaria, there is still a great demand for manpower, and for at least five years, we will have to bring in immigrants on arge scale! Five years is enough time for us to find new ways to solve the difficult trade bnce problem!" The crowd suddenly understood why the Knyaz wanted to start the Bulgarian-Serbian War at this time; and why he insisted on expelling the Serbs! A trade conflict between Bulgaria and Russia will certainly cause domestic unrest and a full-blown economic crisis, which will interrupt Bulgaria''s path of development. But the Bulgarian-Serbian War, which extended this crisis by five years, addednd development, boosting the Bulgarian economy for the next five years! Ferdinand''s image in the hearts of the crowd, under a series of misunderstandings, was infinitely higher! "Your Highness, what is our next step in the strategy?" Konstantin asked, begging for advice. If not for fear of being treated like a monster, Ferdinand would have been ready to tell the crowd that he intended to make a fortune in the Greek-Turkish War! Now since the Prime Minister asked, of course, it can be said. But how to speak and test the skills, both to be persuasive and not to reveal the ability to foresight! Ferdinand pondered for a moment, organized his words, stood up, and said: "Look at the map on the wall. There are now three countries bordering us, Serbia, Romania, and the Ottoman Turkish Empire! No need to consider Serbia. It just finished fighting. All you can do is look for the rest unless Austria-Hungary decides to annex Serbia and throw those troublesome ces to us, or else there is no need to think about it! Then look at Romania, caught between the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires. Even though theirnd is fertile but still not developed now, you know that being neighbors with the Great Powers is not a good choice! And the risk of expansion to Romania is too big. Austria-Hungary and Russia are two major empires eyeing him, and we are joining in the uncertainty sorge that once Romania is divided, we have to bear the pressure ourselves, and now Bulgaria is not ready! The Ottoman Turkish Empireter, what kind of goods we all know, even if the Sultan made some changes, still can not change the nature of their problems! The ethnic conflicts within the country have torn them half to death. They are now weakened by every day that passes, and on the surface, it still looks like a big empire, but the roots have long been rotten! And look at the map of the Balkans. The entire Balkan Penins, except for Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, and Montenegro was Ottoman territory! Macedonia, Thrace, Constantinople, Thessaloniki, Kosovo, etc., which are close to us. If we could annex them, it could directly triple Bulgaria''s territory in size! Then the rest of the problems are solved! The shorings of raw materials that constrain our industrial development can all be filled up!" Ferdinand did not retain and directly spilled out everything. As for whether it will leak out, Ferdinand said that if the cab members are unreliable, then Bulgaria does not have to do anything. It honestly waits for death in the fields! After listening to Ferdinand''s strategic vision, the crowd was all dumbfounded. It''s not their fault that they were ill-informed. It was just too incredible! The weakness of the Ottoman Turkish Empire had to wait for the Armenian rebellion in Constantinople before they exposed its weakness to the world! Then the Greeks were the first to eat after the outbreak of the Crisis in Crete and were confident enough to dere war on the Turks. It''s just a pity that the Greeks saw the weakness of the Turks but didn''t realize that they were even weaker in nature! And then a war worse than rotten broke out, the Greeks were no doubt defeated, but the weakened Ottoman Empire did not have the energy to pursue the Greeks, and domestic conflicts forced it to shrink back! Chapter 147: 07) Strategy Formulation Chapter 147: 07) Strategy Formtion No matter how you look at it, Ferdinand has formted a strategy that is full of temptation, and once Bulgaria haspleted the recovery, the losers have instantly be wealthy! Of course, it was not easy to fulfill this strategy, the Ottoman Turkish Empire was rotten, but it was still so big that the risk of failure was still not small! But how many people can resist the temptation in front of their interests? If there is, it must be because the temptation is not big enough! The Bulgarian government, anyway, is now unable to resist the temptation to expand. Once the gains of the war in Bulgaria finished absorbing, it was enough to make the Bulgarian government fight for ten years less! Konstantin said with uncertainty, "Your Highness, can we do it? The Ottoman Turkish Empire is not weak either. Can we win if we ask them to give up the Balkans, unless there is a full-scale war?" Ferdinand grinned and said: "If the Ottoman Turkish Empire can mobilize fully, we are certainly no match for them! But are they able to mobilize fully? Don''t forget that the Ottoman Turkish Empire has many other things but many enemies! In the Caucasus and Crimea, they had to defend themselves from the Russian Empire; in Central Asia, they had to worry about the invasion of the British from India; the Italians were eyeing the Libyan region; Austria-Hungary had set its eyes on Bosnia and Herzegovina and is ready to swallow it! The Armenians themselves are bing independent, and the other minorities are restless, so if we give them a push, they could rise at any time! So many bad factors add up, the Sublime Porte1), even if it attaches more importance to the Balkans, in the absence of certainty that we are going to make a move, it is impossible to put more than half of the forces to idle in the Balkans! As long as these bad factors are picked up, and there are ns, the rotten Ottoman Empire is not so invincible!" After listening to Ferdinand''s analysis, the crowd nodded happily, and it looked like the chances of sess were still high. At the end of the 19th century, the Ottoman Turkish Empire was not good in terms of transportation, and the country was sorge that the troops had to be divided in all ces. If war suddenly broke out, the Ottoman Empire feared that the war in the Balkans would be over before they could assemble the troops from all over the empire. It''s easy to lose territory, but it''s hard to take it back, even more so for a weakened empire! After all, weakening the Ottoman Empire was the consensus of all European powers, and even Germany, which supported the Sultan''s government, could not possibly stand up for it on this issue! Unless one does not want to be a part of Christendom, after all, it is not yet World War I, international conflicts have not yet intensified, and the European public is all about saving God''s followers from the heathen, which is a political right! The ongoing crisis in the Near East is an example of this. The Armenians are making independence, and the European powers are putting pressure on the Ottoman Empire due to the pressure on public opinion. Chekhov asked excitedly, "Your Highness, so when do we do it? Can we prepare now? The Armenians are now gaining independence, and the internationalmunity has condemned the Ottoman Empire''s efforts to suppress the Armenians! If we intervene and the Armenians be independent, it will be easy to gain the support of the Great Powers!" With expectant eyes, the crowd looked at Ferdinand and startled him. It is too quick, right? Just now, we were discussing strategy, and now we are nning to do it? No wonder after the first Balkan war just ended, the second Balkan war broke out again! Even if there are conflicts, they can still use diplomacy to stall for time! And if they had dyed only the second Balkan war a few monthster, and Bulgaria had finished stockpiling strategic supplies, then they might have rewritten history! Ferdinand also knew that this is themon problem of small countries,ck of patience in strategy, easy to be aggressive, andck of long-term vision! "No! We have just finished fighting Serbia, and the strategic supplies are greatly consumed and still need to be replenished. Moreover, we still need to absorb the war gains gained this time in order to transform them into national power!" Ferdinand affirmed. Like a pot of cold water falling from the sky, Ferdinand''s words pulled Konstantin and the others back from their dreams. Indeed, the Ottoman Empire is now very weak, but why does Bulgaria not need to recuperate? At this moment,unching a war ispletely wasted energy in a lose-lose war, right? After calming down, the group began to develop a series of ns around this strategy again. First, reserve training will have to be further expanded! The Ottoman Empire is not Serbia, no matter what the army''sbat power, but the number is absolutely nothing! You can hang Serbia with two hundred thousand Bulgarian troops, but if the opponent is the Ottomans, it is possible to be buried by the sea of people! The Serbs were the best counter-example when the war broke out and sent soldiers they had never trained to the battlefield, and then it was the Bulgarian army contributed to the world''s attention! The cab has always decided they must expand the reserves each year. They must extend the duration of their training and the range! Why not train for two months when the farming period is over, which is four times as long as the previous half month; the range, the whole poption can take part, all young people of school age should take part, including government officials! When Ferdinand looked at it, he gasped coldly, and this is too hard! Even the cab members, who are part of the reserves, must take time to participate in training. It is true that the nation of fighters, mad, even not spare their own! And then, Ferdinand very simply put the top government, drawn from it. Are you kidding? If the war is fought to the point where cab ministers are required to carry guns to the front line, it is estimated that Bulgaria is also finished! Second, of course, is the stockpile of supplies! Later in the war, the Serbian army''s logistics copsed, thanks to the fact that they defeated them too quickly to realize the misery of running out of ammunition! The people of Belgrade experienced first-hand the pain ofck of supplies! Food reserves are the easiest. The government still holds most of the country''snd in its hands. If the food is produced and sold less each year, it will be saved. And there is new territory, as long as in a year or two, the migrants in ce, to develop thend, the total food production in Bulgaria, as well as a further increase in this area can not worry! The most troublesome is still the weapons and ammunition. Just like in the Bulgarian-Serbian War, Bulgaria shot more than 90 million rounds of ammunition and more than 200,000 rounds of artillery shells, whichpletely crushed the Serbs in terms of firepower to win the victory easily. Needless to say, of course, the production line is expanding at once. As for the exceeded budget, it does not matter how many million Leva. The Bulgarian government can still find a way toe up with it! ... Trantor: 1)Sublime Porte was a synecdoche for the central government of the Ottoman Empire. Chapter 148: 08) Undercurrents Chapter 148: 08) Undercurrents As it turns out, Ferdinand''s choice was not wrong! After defining Bulgaria''s next strategy, the cab''s capacity was aroused, exploding into a new round of preparations for war with a twelve-point capacity for battle! Even so, the Second Five-Year n, which was disrupted by the war, proceeded in an orderly manner. At leisure, Ferdinand turned his attention to his old neighbors, the Ottoman Empire! The end of the Bulgarian-Serbian War and the increased calls within Bulgaria to get rid of the Ottoman Empire as a suzerain state, even though Bulgaria had long stopped giving a damn about the Sultan''s government! The Bulgarians, bursting with nationalism, are bing unhappy with this nominal suzerainty. (Oh, never satisfied!) Freedom from the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire and the formation of a fully independent Bulgarian Kingdom was the demand of the Bulgarian poption atrge. However, Ferdinand used his strong prestige to silence them! Now is not the time to turn against the Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria is not yet ready for war, but it does not prevent Ferdinand from making some small moves! The year 1895 was stormy, as the Near East crisis began to intensify again after the end of the Bulgarian-Serbian War. After the opening of the Sino-Japanese War, the Armenians, who could not bear the burden, rose up. This time, unlike in history, Ferdinand intervened, with the Greeks, Arabs, and Kurds involved! Armenians lived in the mountainous and hignd regions of northeastern Asia Minor. In the 19th century, they were subject to Russia, Ottoman, and Persia separately, and by 1894, about a million Armenians were still living in the territory of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. Armenians are Christian and do not fit in with the Turkish poption. Most of them live in the ''Six Armenian Provinces'', mixed with Kurds, and are mainly engaged in agriculture and herding. Some of them live in cities, such as Constantinople, which is home to 150,000 Armenians. In thete 19th century, the Turkish government exploited and oppressed Armenians because of their minority status and religious ipatibility with the Turks. After the esction of ethnic conflicts, Armenians alsounched a campaign against the Sultan''s rule, demanding national independence and autonomy. After the national independence of the Balkans, the resistance activities became more intense. The Armenian resistance also angered the Ottoman rulers with brutal repressions. After the economic crisis broke out, the Ottoman Empire was also affected. In order to ease the crisis and divert attention, the Ottoman government targeted the minorities in the country and attempted to plunder the wealth of the minorities to survive the crisis! So they incited the conflict between the Kurds and the Armenians and took the opportunity to massacre the Armenians! In August 1894, the Turkish army and Kurds massacred thousands of Armenians in Sasun, followed by sessive massacres in Yozgat, Urfa, and other areas. When the news spread, they met it with international attention. Because of the intervention of the Great Powers gave the Armenians the illusion that the internationalmunity was supporting their independence! The rebel groups thought the opportunity for independence hade, and the uprising broke out! But due to the different interests of the Great Powers in the Ottoman Empire, it was difficult to agree with each other, and the Near East crisis broke out! Ferdinand yed a disgraceful role in this incident in the principle of giving the enemy a hard time. The Ottoman Empire has always had serious ethnic tensions, and the core problem is religion! The first major ethnic group was the Imist Turks. The secondrgest ethnic group is the Orthodox Greeks. The thirdrgest ethnic group is the Arabs, who practice the Im religion. The fourthrgest ethnic group is the Kurds, who practice the Im religion. The fifthrgest ethnic group is the Bulgarians, who are practicing Orthodox Christians. ... On the surface, it seems that Turks, Arabs, and Kurds all practice Im, but in reality, they are different, and there are many messy sects. As we all know, internal heresy is often more odious than the external enemy. That''s why this is the end of the story. If you write more, you might trigger the bombs! ... (makeup 100,000 words in your head) Anyway, these conflicts, by Ferdinand to the eye, for which the intelligence officers secretlyunched the code name "Hunting Horse" operation! From 1895 onwards, the Ottoman Turkish Empire began to be restless, with frequent religious conflicts. Today the Kurds and the Armenians were fighting; tomorrow, the Arabs and the Greeks; the day after tomorrow, the Turks and the Bulgarians were in conflict; and when they turned around, the Shiites and the Sunnis were in conflict again, and the Kharijites and the Murji''ites were fighting again... The Ottoman government started to get tired. It was just a conflict between the lower-ss believers at the beginning. Still, once the intelligence agents hyped it through the street newspaper, then it ignited the public opinion! The Ottoman Empire could suppress the local press, but it was powerless for the press in the hands of the Great Powers. Otherwise, there would be no Near East crisis! Public opinion attracts the view of civil society, and everyone waits to see what the Ottoman Sultan''s government will do with it! There is never a right or wrong in religious conflicts, mixed with ethnic conflicts. No matter what to do with it, there will be people who are not satisfied. Not to mention the corrupt Sublime Porte? The response is slow, not timely, and when the government intervenes, several fights have been done below, and people''s minds are beaten out of the dog''s minds. There is no doubt that the disposition of the Sultan''s government favored its own people, angered the Greeks and Bulgarians in the country, and with the encouragement of the Bulgarian and Greek governments, began to support the Armenian revolution. Ferdinand was not the only one who had ambitions for the Ottoman Empire. The Greeks were the most ambitious! When he saw the expansion of Bulgaria, Gergios I of Greece was envious. There was no way the Ottoman Empire shared a border with Greece. Of course, the Mediterranean also counts, but the Greeks still do not darepete with Britain and France to dominate the Mediterranean. Not even Italy is a spectator? As early as a few years ago, when the Bulgarian expansion began, Gergios I followed up with this as an excuse. Still, it is a pity that he guessed only half right, not expecting that the enemy chosen by Bulgaria was not the Ottoman Empire but the Serbs! Gergios I intended to follow the idea of picking up a bargain, but it fell through! There was turbulence in the Ottoman Empire, and the Greeks had be impatient and began to move! The Minister of Foreign Affairs hurriedly entered the Sofia Pce and reported to Ferdinand: "Your Highness, the special envoy of King Gergios I of Greece has secretly arrived in Sofia!" Ferdinand nodded and said, "It seems that the Greeks are already impatient, we should proceed as nned, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can first approach them, explore the bottom line of the Greeks, and then decide whether we need to cooperate with them!" Chapter 149: 09) Shocking Plan Chapter 149: 09) Shocking n The Greeks came to the door so quickly, which was a bit surprising to Ferdinand, but it made sense! The Ottomans were in a state of turmoil, and the Greeks, the secondrgest ethnic group, were the first to bear the brunt of it and were taken into focus! It was natural to hook up with the Greek government and Gergios I instantly perceived the opportunity. When you think about the courage of the Greek government to take on the Ottomans and initiate the "Greek-Turkish War", you can see that it nevercked courage. But the idea of their own strength was too idealistic, and they suffered a crushing defeat at the beginning of the war. Perhaps now, the Greeks already felt that they could fight the Ottoman Empire. In parallel time, Bulgaria is now busy with internal strife; Serbia is not much better, domestic chaos; Montenegro can be ignored. The Greeks will have to fight alone, and now Serbia is worse, but Bulgaria has grown. The Greek government is not stupid. Pulling allies to reduce the risk, which is still aware. At the moment of talks with the Greeks, the international situation changed again. Since the British took over Egypt, rtions with the Ottoman Turkish Empire became distant and worse, and the Turks began to turn pro-German. The British now had control of the sea route to India but were still uneasy and attempted to keep the traffic on thend route open. After the outbreak of the Near East crisis, Britain pressured the Ottoman Empire through the Armenian issue to force it topromise, recognize the status quo in Egypt, and consolidate Britain''s position in the Near East! On the other hand, with the signing of the Congo Treaty, the conflict between the British and the Germans intensified, and Britain was at a stalemate in European diplomacy. The British again intended to make up with Germany and change their diplomatic passivity. Just when France and Russia began to close ranks, the British secretly promoted the Franco-Russian alliance, trying to use the Franco-Russian alliance to deter Germany and force the Germans to take the initiative to improve rtions with Britain. For this reason, also made a show of goodwill to the French in Moro and made a dynamic of pulling Russia''s strings on the Nile! On November 9, 1894, British Prime Minister Rosebery (Archibald Primrose) spoke openly about the issue of friendship with Russia at the banquet of the Mayor of London. The Armenian question, which was breaking out, gave the British another opportunity to approach the Great Powers by creating a triple alliance of "Britain, France and Russia" on the Armenian question! But the attitude of the other Great Powers was far less favorable than that of Britain. Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary opposed action in the Near East. The Germans wanted to solidify the Sultan''s rule and strengthen German influence in the Ottoman Empire and did not want a change in Turkey. The Russian Empire did not take the Armenian problem seriously and there was arge Armenian poption living in Russia, and persecution of minorities was a regr affair. The Russian Empire''s Far East strategy is now at a critical moment, and the Sino-Japanese War is pulling their attention, not wanting to spoil the party and affect their expansion in the East! France is even more indifferent, ying the role of a sidekick throughout, choosing to align itself with the Russian Empire on this issue. The British knew very well that it was impossible to reach the goal of negotiating with the Sultan''s government alone on the Armenian issue without the support of Russia and France, and especially the Russian Empire! Since the British got Egypt, the Near East issue changed in the global strategy again, and the British government began to favor the partition of Turkey with the Great Powers, the core of which was to reach a partition agreement with the Russians! At the end of 1894, British Prime Minister Rosebery offered to let the Russian Empire upy Armenia''s Ottoman provinces in exchange for the Russians'' recognition of the British position in Egypt. But Ferdinand is clear that the Russian government does not mean to use force against the Turks, or he does not mind being a fighter. Or maybe join forces with Greece to take fire in the middle. It is not impossible! However, in the current international situation, the British would be pleased if Bulgaria rushed to join forces with Greece to attack the Ottomans. The most critical thing is that Bulgaria is not ready! The end of the 19th century is an era of strength. His fist was not strong enough. Even if he defeated the Turks, Bulgaria could not eat the biggest share of the benefits, which did not meet Ferdinand''s strategic objectives! However, under the butterfly effect of Ferdinand, the history of this world and the parallel time has been slightly changed. The Russian-Bulgarian alliance, and the Second Bulgarian-Serbian War, which have affected the situation in the Near East. Ferdinand is now closely rted to the Near East crisis, in which to find opportunities! History''s ability to repair is strong. In 1895 the British cab changed, the Conservative Party aristocratic politician, the Marquis of Salisbury, became Prime Minister for the third time, and the British state policy changed! The Marquis of Salisbury took office. It was a crucial moment for Britain, France, and Germany, to fight for Africa. The British urgently need to solve the Near East crisis. The core is the need to stabilize Russia! He advocated a one-time solution to the Eastern Question, which had long gued Britain or rather Europe, and thus proposed a n to divide up the Ottoman Empire: The territory of the Turks will be limited to Anatolia. The Russian Empire will gain the Turkish Straits and Constantinople. Austria-Hungary waspensated in the western Balkans. Italy to obtain Tripoli or Moro. French acquisition of Syria or Moro. The British, in turn, acquired Egypt and the Euphrates Valley. The Marquis of Salisbury''s partition n for the Ottoman Empire, contrary to the traditional British policy of the Near East, if realized, will certainly change thendscape of Europe and the world! Anyway, after seeing this n, Bulgaria is scared, Greece is scared, Serbia is scared, and once it''s done, all the Balkan countries will see no hope! This n, in theory, is feasible, except for the Germans, the major European powers have gained, mainly ording to their respective strengths to divide, is also considered "fair"! Ferdinand heard of this n in his previous life but did not take it seriously, and it ended up failing anyway, but not now! He knew he had to act at once, and once the five nations of Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and Austria-Hungary had answered in agreement, it was a deadlock! Even the Germans could not do anything. After all, Germany, at the end of the 19th century, did not have the strength to challenge the British! Ferdinand knew that since the British had proposed this n, which was only superficial, there would certainly bepensation for the Germans afterward. Historically the Germans had refused and stepped in to hinder this partitioning operation. But what about this time and space? In case the Germans agreed, Ferdinand wasn''t sure how much of an impact his butterfly effect would have. After all, ording to this n, it will dy the Russian-Austrian conflict, weaken, the pressure on the German Eastern Front will be greatly reduced, the British-German rtionship will continue to close, and even alliance, with the eyes of thetter, promote this n is more in line with the long-term interests! Chapter 150: 10) Move to the East Chapter 150: 10) Move to the East Ferdinand did not dare to bet. He knew Germany''s opposition was only against France. in August 1895, Wilhelm II and the Margrave of Salisbury met in Kuwait. Germany made it clear that they did not dare to be interested in Turkey. Provided that the partition n, the British will leave France behind, and the two sides will further in-depth talks! History is an ident. The Marquis of Salisbury has dyed and did not attend the second Kuwait meeting, losing the chance tomunicate with Wilhelm II in-depth, "Britain and Germany" lost the best opportunity for cooperation! The British and Germans did notmunicate deeply, and the Germans made a strategic misjudgment that a Britishpromise with France and Russia in the Near East to get out of the diplomatic deadlock would increase the chances that the Franco-Russian alliance would turn on Germany on the European continent. It stopped the road to the Anglo-German alliance before it had even begun! None of this has happened yet, and Ferdinand has no idea what the future holds and where the worldndscape will go once Britain and Germany are close together. After all, Germany at the end of the 19th century did not yet have the strength to challenge the British, and the British Empire was still developing rapidly. Just look at one set of data. Between 1890 and 1900, Britain''s GNP grew by 34% in that decade, and Germany''s GNP growth rate was precisely 34%! Due to the gap in the bottom, thebined strength of the two sides not only did not shrink but continued to grow, with the British having a clear advantage! During this period, in the British mind, the biggest enemy was Russia, followed by France. Even though the United States ranked in front of Germany, the British had not yet felt the threat of the Germans to its supremacy! Of course, Germany did not have the strength to challenge the British, and the pressure of the Franco-Russian alliance was enough to make the Germans concentrate on developing theirnd forces! Build arge navy? The Germans are not that ambitious! If he were to stop this partition n, the main target is still Britain, France, Germany, and Russia, and he could only do it from these countries. There is no good way. However, Ferdinand has a stupid way. The simplest and most practical way is - to intensify the conflict between countries! It happens that the contradictions between these four countries and formed the main conflicts in the world at present. The parties conflict too much! Ferdinand knew that although the British-Russian conflict was serious, since the Russian Empire''s strategic focus eastward, the conflict between the two countries had eased a lot, and the possibility of an outbreak was unlikely! The German-French conflict, it goes without saying, does not need to be provoked. The first chance both sides will stumble on each other, there is no room for Ferdinand to intervene. The rest is the Anglo-French and the Anglo-German conflict, where the risk of sowing discord is too great. Ferdinand did not mean to do it himself. Not many people in the world can afford the anger of Britain, France, and Germany! Then we can only use the positive n to create an event to attract the attention of the Great Powers! ''A dead friend doesn''t stop me!''1) Ferdinand first thought of the Anglo-Boer War, which took ce between 1899 and 1902, a war between the British and the Boers for the domination of South Africa! There is no choice. Who said South Africa is too rich and shiny? In 1867, the discovery of diamonds in South Africa by Dutch descendants took the world by storm, and there was an influx of treasure hunters. In 1869 another discovery of arge diamond then worth 625,000 francs. More Europeans are convinced that South Africa has rich treasures, causing a rush to search for diamonds as never before. In 1884 and 1886, the world''s richest gold deposits were found in the Transvaal, and the "gold wave" wasunched in Europe. In order to monopolize the diamond-producing region, the British colonial authorities in the Cape began to annex South Africannds: in 1871, they annexed the diamond-producing region of West Griqund; in 1877, they annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia; and in 1877-1878, they annexed all of Kaffraria and the northwestern Walvis Bay. In order to stop the Boers from moving to the eastern coast, Britain again prepared to seize Zulnd in 1878 and destroy the Zulu nation. 1887 saw the annexation of Zulnd by Britain. After the defeat of the Zulus, the conflict between the British and the Boers was inevitable. 1880 saw the annexation of the Transvaal region, but after the defeat in the battle of Majuba Hill, the British had to withdraw from the Transvaal in 1881. Shortly after that,rge gold deposits were discovered in the Transvaal, and with them came British gold miners from the Cape and Natal regions. Thousands of Englishmen began settling in the area and asking for the right to vote and pay taxes equally - but without sess. The result was a very tense situation in the area. In the early 1990s, the British South Africa Company territory expanded to the Congo border. The British African Lakes Company encroached on Nyasnd, thus uniting the British colonies in South Africa. Prime Minister Rhodes of the British South African colony called for the British to conquer the world and realize the so-called "Cape Cairo" n in Africa, i.e., to try to unite British North and South Africa into one. By the mid-1990s, the only obstacles to Rhodes'' "Cape Cairo" imperialist project were the two Boer republics of Transvaal and Orange Free State. While Rhodes organized the foreign immigrants in Johannesburg to subvert the rule of President Kruger of the Transvaal Republic from within, he prepared armed attacks from outside. In December 1895-January 1896, the Rhodes faction made a sneak attack on the Transvaal Republic from the west, which Krugerpletely crushed. The Boers leaned on Germany to defend their interests against Britain. The Anglo-Boer conflict became increasingly intense, and arge-scale war was brewing. Simply put, the situation in South Africa is now on the verge of a crisis. Britain is now throwing out its n to divide Turkey so that it can stabilize its rear and focus on fighting for South Africa - the world''srgest gold producer! Knowing that South Africa is rich and shining, how could Ferdinand not go to get a piece of the pie? As early as 1885, when the United Mining Co., Ltd. was established, thepany entered South Africa and ran into thend. And did not rush to mine but first got thend ownership into their hands. A few years ago, Ferdinand''s intelligencework also reached into the South African region, and after several years of operation, it now has a certain kind of power. There is no doubt that the British-Boer conflict, as long as the South African gold mines are still in ce, is impossible to ease. In front of the huge benefits, the British, in any case, found it impossible to let go of it. The same Boers are also unwilling to give up the wealth in hand! Both sides only need a single spark, and war will break out, and all Ferdinand has to do now is to set off that spark. On this issue, Rhodes, the prime minister of the British colony of South Africa, is the best ally, or rather the British capitalists behind him are the best allies. On the issue of pushing Britain to war against the Boers, everyone''s interests were aligned, and there was a lot ofmon ground to talk about that. Under the leadership of the United Mining Co., Ltd., the capitalists who were eyeing the South African gold mines linked up with each other! Trantor: 1)It means for your benefit at the expense of others. Chapter 151: 11) Launch Chapter 151: 11) Launch Everything is ready. All you need is good luck! Now all that is missing is an excuse, a chance for everyone to join forces andsh out. The power of the capitalists was strong. In the 19th century, the age of the gold standard, no consortia dared to ignore the role of gold, and these capitalists were behind the British consortia ofrge and small! The United Mining Co., Ltd., if not Edward''s face is big enough, as ater but does not belong to any of the British consortiums, and it is not qualified toe in to share a piece of the pie! This opportunity soon came when, on March 12, 1895, De Beers Company, owned by the British capitalist Cecil Rhodes, discovered new deposits in the Transvaal region. News leaked out, and before they could be mined, they were confiscated by the Boers for illegal mining, and they expelled the representatives of De Beers Company. The two sides shed; unfortunately, a bullet hit one of the Englishmen, who died of severe injuries afterward! The media has always been cheap, and under the role of the capital, the news has reached London and has be entirely tasteless! The London Daily News, with its front-page headlines, announced the Boer "atrocities"! It became clear that De Beers''spany representatives were in the Transvaal to purchase gold and that Boer soldiers had robbed the property and brutally murdered British citizens! The Times headline was even crowned: This is a provocation to the British Empire! Can the title be guessed from the content behind it? It has risen to the point of challenging the British world hegemony. If not to give them a good chance to taste, is it still the British Empire? The Sun starts with a straightforward historical analysis, exposing the "shady history" of the Boers expelling British citizens for no reason, robbing them of their property, and attacking the government''s inaction! To sum up, the government should hurry up and start a war against the Boers, and whoever opposes it is a traitor to the British! ... It alone is enough, the British have long wanted to take on the Boers, but hesitant Germans behind the Boers have not done! Historically, the British, in exchange for German neutrality, agreed to the German partition of the Portuguese African colonies in connection with the Anglo-German partition treaty signed on August 30, 1898. The treaty stipted that once Portugal gave up its African colonies, they would be divided between Britain and Germany! However, the British had the Germans on their side, and the treaty was only a "nk check". The following year, Portugal''s financial crisis broke out, and the British provided a loan to Portugal, leaving the Germans behind. On October 14, 1899, the two countries signed the Anglo-Portuguese Secret Deration, in which Britain provided security for all Portuguese territories. The Anglo-Boer War broke out, and Portugal had to support the British actions. None of this is happening now, and if we go to war now, the British will face much more trouble! It was not in the British government''s interest to dere war on the Boers in the short term, but that had nothing to do with Ferdinand. The more trouble the British were in, the better it was for Ferdinand, who decided to add more fuel to the fire! The "Cape Cairo" n has been proposed for a long time. Historically at the end of 1895, the British colonial prime minister of South Africa, Rhodes, sent troops to sneak into the Transvaal Republic but failed! Now it''s just a matter of bringing this forward a little bit, and it''s not a problem for the British capitalists! After all, at the end of the 19th century, the British Empire was as strong as ever, and the capitalists were confident enough in their own strength that the little Boer Republic was already in their pocket! Under Ferdinand''s instigation, an undercurrent began to spread in London. The media kept spreading propaganda across broad areas, putting pressure on the British government, the capitalists were doing PR on parliamentarians, and the main war faction had the upper hand! Colonial Prime Minister Rhodes of South Africa is much more confident and encouraged with more supporters than in the same period in history. A direct ultimatum was given to the Transvaal Republic, ordering it to hand over the murderer within 24 hours and for the Boers to open up the right to vote, which was automatically granted to the British in South Africa. Obviously, this is not even negotiable. The Boers are not that weak, and besides, if the murderer is handed over, it is not the same as admitting that the soldiers robbed and killed. How is this possible? For no reason at all, why should they take the me? Having the right to vote open is even more bullshit! A British national is automatically granted the right to vote in the Transvaal Republic? Isn''t that a world-ss joke? Only an idiot would agree to that! They know very well that the British just want to create an excuse to do it, dodging this one and the next one. The two sides do not have to talk unless they give up all the gold mines! Naturally, they did not hesitate to reject the insolent request of the British. They invited the internationalmunity to send investigation missions from various countries to uncover the truth of the matter on the ground! The open invitation of the Boers was soon supported by the internationalmunity, with the Germans, the Dutch, the French, and the Belgians... all expressing their support and willingness to participate in this investigation mission. Will the Britishpromise? Obviously, in front of the interests of the capitalists, the opposition is infinitely weakened. Not a little international public pressure can not scare them! On March 26, 1895, an army of three thousand men, abination of South African colonial troops and gold miners'' thugs, brazenly crossed the border andunched an attack on the Transvaal Republic. (Five times as many as in history) This n, opposed by the then British Colonial Secretary Joseph Chambein, who believed that Britain was not ready for war and that the chances of sess of the risky n were too small, ordered the n to be canceled! However, limited by thete 19th world, the poor transportation conditions, and the deliberate dy of certain people, by the time Chambein''s order reached the hands of Rhodes, the prime minister of the South African colony, it was already toote, and the allied forces had already invaded the Transvaal Republic. This rogue army, with a veryplex structure, consisted of mercenaries, rogues, and gold diggers. As a matter of fact, James, the British officer in charge of leading the troops, had limitedmand over this army and began to act on his own as soon as he entered the Transvaal Republic. What had been prepared as a sneak attack suddenly turned into an intense assault. Unsurprisingly, the arrogant British army was severely defeated and almostpletely wiped out by the Boer Kruger! As anyone who knows anything about the Anglo-Boer War knows, Kruger led tens of thousands of Boer troops against over 200,000 British troops for three years of misery for South Africa! Even if you lose in the end, it is still a great honor to lose! A group of the mob, facing a famous general, foolishly went up to attack. The result speaks for itself! The Boers killed an army of three thousand men, more than eight hundred were killed, took more than thirteen prisoners, and finally, less than six hundred managed to escape back! At this point, there was no need for Ferdinand to do anything else. Blood is the best catalyst. If the British could tolerate such a failure, it would be world domination in name only! An all-out war by Britain as soon as possible! Chapter 152: 12) The Anglo-Boer War Breaks Out Chapter 152: 12) The Anglo-Boer War Breaks Out In line with the principle of making trouble for the British, the Germans and the French have expressed their willingness to support the Boers, and the Dutch, as the home country of the Boers, have formed a volunteer army at home to prepare to go to South Africa to fight in the war. These moves by the European nations gave the Transvaal Republic the confidence to defeat the British invasion, but at the same time brought disaster! The Boers decided not topromise with the British and began preparations for war, ready to expel the British invaders by force. The Boers, perhapscking in other things but not gold, perceived the danger and frantically purchased weapons from European countries and trained their soldiers. With war on the horizon, Britain could no longer tolerate it at home. With the efforts of the capitalists, a bickering Parliament finally passed a resolution to wage all-out war against the Boers. At the end of 1895, British troops began to focus on the two Boer republics (the Transvaal Republic and Orange Free Estate). At the beginning of the war, the British army consisted of about 30,000 men, which was reinforced by a conscription system with obsolete weapons, poor training, andx discipline. Apparently, the British underestimated the strength of the Boers and sent a bunch of arrogant men straight into battle, suffering a big loss early in the war. The ending has nothing to do with Ferdinand. The British actions in South Africa provoked the discontent of the European countries, especially the Germans! Although it did not support the Boers, it sold weapons and equipment and helped train soldiers. All kinds of small actions have not stopped! The sudden outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War sessfully diverted the attention of the British, the Anglo-German conflict, the Anglo-French conflict was intensified, and the n of the Marquis of Salisbury came to nothing! It reached Ferdinand''s objective, but he knew that South Africa was a mess and that the Boers were not to be messed with as well! Now they have the Germans and the French as their nannies, which is much better than the historical "Anglo-Boer" war. Historically, the Anglo-Boer War was fought for three years, and this time there was arge number of nannies, and the British were not as well-prepared as in history. Under this and that, how can it not be shorter than its historical duration of it! Historically, the Germans abandoned the Boers due to the Anglo-Germanpromise over the division of the South African colony. The British also drew in the Portuguese to cut off thend supply route from the Portuguese colony, and the Royal Navy used the Portuguese military port in Mozambique to seal off Dgoa Bay to cut off the Boers'' only ess to the sea and cut off the Boers'' ess to supplies from the outside world. With a series of unfavorable factors, the Boers had to fight alone, and after holding out for three years, they finally failed. Now all this has not happened yet. Once the Anglo-Boer War broke out, the Germans, the French, the Dutch, etc., ships from various European countries kept going in and out of Dgoa Bay. They sold shiploads of strategic supplies to the Boers. The British government could do nothing about it, and it was clear that the European countries did not want the British to get to South Africa easily! If the German-French conflict had not been too great, the two countries would have joined forces to intervene by now. Even so, the two countries had agreed that "the British should not be allowed to gain South Africa so easily"! In the era of the gold standard, whoever has gold in his hands dominates the world''s finance, and South Africa happens to be one of the most crucial links! The British Empire has not yet reached that point, and there is no pressure to trip up a little. In January 1895, the German diplomat publicly expressed his support for the Transvaal Republic to take harsh measures against the British. After the failed invasion by the British African Colonial Army, Wilhelm II personally sent a congrattory telegram to President Kruger of Transvaal, saying congrattions to them: A bandit invasion crushed entirely on their own! The French La Gazette also published the stance of the French government towards the Boers: the French Republic was willing to support the Transvaal Republic against the British colonial rule. Le Figaro, the editor-in-chief, even put the Boer resistance to the British invasion in the same breath as the American independence movement, calling on the French public to donate to the Boers and support them in their continued efforts for national independence! In addition to calling for donations from the Dutch public, the Dutch De Telegraaf also directly solicited volunteers from all over the world, ready to resist the British in real action. If we just look at the public opinion, the British are furious this time. From Western Europe to Eastern Europe, the national media are bashing the British and calling on the world to unite and organize the British atrocities in South Africa! In essence, what to do is fool a few hot-blooded young people into going to the battlefield in South Africa to tear up with the British! Either that or sell all kinds of supplies to the Boers and make a big profit in gold. It is estimated that except for the Dutch, who are really angry, all other countries are trying to trip up the British for the sake of profit. Not only that, the pressure of public opinion is still useful, at least during the Anglo-Boer War, the British trade exports to Europe, down ten percent; the trade exports to the Nethends fell to an all-time low in more than ten years, less than a third of its heyday. Ferdinand knew this might be the central factor in the collective opposition to Britain throughout Europe! Britain is taking a bitter pill, with no allies to reveal the evils. Although they are the world''s first power, they are also powerless to stop the European continent collectively froming trip! It also set the stage for the British to abandon non-aligned diplomacy and adopt a new diplomatic strategy. In order to be able to cut off the logistical supply lines of the Boers and block the supply lines from the European continent to it, the British Foreign Office approached the Portuguese for support. Still, it was a pity that it was not so easy at this moment. The Germans, the French, and the Spaniards have said, we disagree! Faced with pressure from all countries, the Portuguese easily dared not take a stand and hesitated to dere neutrality! They could still top the other countries'' pressure on them. The Spanish move to increase troops at the border terribly frightened the Portuguese. The Spanish move, we all understand, the British stepped on the bones of the invincible fleet and rose to power, not to mention the lost colonies, and still upy the Gibraltar Strait. The Spanish did not have the strength to seek the bad luck of the British, but to teach a lesson to the independent Portuguese, it was still no problem, and this time there were European countries behind the support! Moreover, before the Spanish-American War, Spain is still the first European power, and Italy is in the same ss and has not declined. There is still the ability to throw a little temper. Historically, in 1898, the U.S.-Spanish War broke out, the Spanish did not have the energy to interfere when the Portuguese drew closer to Britain, and now the U.S.-Spanish conflict has not yet intensified, the war is even more shapeless. In the intervention of European countries, the Portuguese are a perfect sense to express the neutrality. For the countries to and from the merchant ships carrying arms, the Portuguese pretend not to see. Anyway, they are determined not to lie in this messy situation. The British intended to use Portugal''s financial crisis to force Portugal topromise the calctions, yet have not had a chance to start falling short. The French usurers have long been sharpening their knives and have rified that they are willing to provide loans to Portugal. Chapter 153: 13) Italian Debut Chapter 153: 13) Italian Debut One wave has not yet subsided. Another wave has started! The other of the Great Powers, Italy, emerged again with, as Bismarck described it, "A small and wormy tooth, but a big appetite!" On July 17, 1894, Italy invaded Ethiopia and upied Tigray in the north; in March 1895, Italy continued its war of aggression and upied Adigrat, Adwa, and other ces. Do you think that''s the end of it? That''s too much to underestimate our Italian appetite! At the same time as the invasion of Ethiopia, the Italians were very interested in the British n to divide Turkey. But the Italians had slightly more appetite and added Albania to the British n, and the British agreed! But this provoked the resentment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s reason, which reached into its own backyard! Is Albania important? In essence, to Austria-Hungary, it was just that, not worth mentioning! In the hands of the declining Ottoman Empire, it was fine, it was fine to be independent, and Austria-Hungary had no ns to annex Albania. But the premise is not to fall into the hands of the Great Powers, which would weaken the influence of Austria-Hungary in the Balkans! In the Balkans, a Great Power will be enough for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At the same time, the Russian Empire stretches a tentacle, a European steamroller, which must be tolerated! Who are you, Italy, to do that? Can I tolerate your hand in my backyard just because we are allies? The Germans were also unhappy, and in the opinion of Baron Holstein, the British were creating conflicts in the "German-Austrian-Italian alliance" in order to break it up and instructed the German delegates that Germany had no interest in the Near East and refused to participate in the British ns for the partition of Turkey! Without the participation of the Germans, Austria-Hungary naturally followed them out. The Italians are now still unable to leave the support of the Germans, reluctantly expressing their non-participation! Don''t be anxious. Italy is not finished yet, Ethiopia is an underdog, but it depends on who it ispared to it? Ethiopia''s army is not very good against the European powers or the ordinary European countries. But if you run into Italy, the other Great Powers, everything will be different! At first, the Ethiopian government, intimidated by the fame of the Italians as Great Powers, took every step backward, and finally, the Ethiopian government could not stand it anymore. On September 17, 1895, the Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II issued a world-shaking ''An Imperial Edict to the People''. Don''t get me wrong, the edict itself can only be described as moderate, but the impact it created afterward shocked the world. Italy has set another world record, a record that the Italians themselves can only break! On December 7, 1895, Ras Makonnenmanded 30,000 Ethiopian troops and fought a decisive battle against the Italian army at Amba gi. The result shocked the world, the first major Ethiopian army in Amba gi wiped out 2,400 of the enemy and recaptured Fort Mekele in January of the following year, and the Italians were defeated so crisply! It was not all. On March 1, 1896, the Battle of Adwa broke out, and Menelik II himself led 100,000 troops to another battle against the Italian army at Adwa. There is no doubt that this time the Italian army still yed at the normal level; it should be superb! The Italian army, not to be surprised, was defeated again! But his casualty rate, the highest in the history of the Italian army, can be seen that the Italians are not really that ipetent. They will also fight for their lives! The Ethiopian Army adopted the tactics of pration and division andbined frontal assault and nking detour to annihte 17,000 enemies (killing and wounding more than 12,000 and capturing more than 4,000) and captured arge number of weapons and equipment. After the Battle of Addua, Italy was unable to fight anymore. They were forced to sign the Treaty of Addis Ababa with Ethiopia in October of the same year, recognizing Ethiopia''s independence and paying 10 million Lire in reparations. This war was the 1st victory of the African people against the colonial invasion in modern times. Well, these are not the point! There are not a few examples of failed invasions by the Great Powers, and the Italians only lost a little bit worse! The key is that the Italians actually conceded defeat, it would have been humiliating to fight a losing battle, but as long as you win backter and get the ultimate victory, it''s no big deal! The Anglo-Boer War is an example. No matter how much damage, the British persevered and finally exhausted the Boers, winning the war, as usual, without losing the prestige of the British Empire! But the Italian government, not knowing what happened, was so frightened that it directly conceded defeat to Ethiopia, recognized its independence, and paid 10 million Lire in war reparations. We can''t me the Italian government entirely. The Crispi government copsed after losing the war, and there was no chance for revenge! The new government, needless to say, knows that Ethiopia is a tough nut to crack, so why bother? Isn''t it just right to keep it to show the ipetence of the previous government? The ipetence of thest administration can only set off the shrewdness andpetence of our current administration! Why should we risk failure to wipe the ass of the previous government? It was a big deal. The European powers couldn''t beat the African chiefs! The whole world was watching Italy''s joke! Ferdinand knew that the consequences were not only that, after this battle, the soul of the Italian Army was gone! Any country in Europe to fight against the Italian Army, just think the Italian Army can not even do the African chiefs, will have high morale andbat power. Then we are also more powerful than the African chiefs, right? Then in the next Europa one, the Italian Army has always been the role of beating the odds, always the enemy''s favorite opponent, the allies'' most headache teammate! In any case, the Italians did a good job and seeded in attracting the attention of the Great Powers. The aftermath of the Bulgarian War, which was silenced, is in line with Ferdinand''s low-key personality! The British are not so easy to admit defeat. The Triple Alliance side did not pass, either the French-Russian alliance? The Franco-Russian alliance of this era was still pressing the Triple Alliance and steadily dominating! As long as the support of France and Russia is obtained, the British can still aplish the purpose of protecting the rear! Unfortunately, the French were not interested in the Armenian problem, and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs - Gabriel Hanotaux, who once served in Constantinople, stated: that it would better solve the Armenian problem without the intervention of the Great Powers! The attitude of the French was obvious, not interested in the partition of the Ottoman Empire, at most, some economic interests, and the diplomatic choice of the Armenian issue sided with its ally, the Russians. Chapter 154: 14) Greater Bulgaria Chapter 154: 14) Greater Bulgaria Having failed to get the desired result in Paris, the British turned their attention to St. Petersburg to gain the Russians'' support. The Russians still gave a face and agreed to participate in the investigationmission organized by the British. Still, their attitude on the Armenian issue differed greatly from that of the British. Niki II was not interested in the massacre of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. The Russian Empire had done many such things, not even a few more than the Turks did! The main concern of the Russians was the Turkish Straits. Still, after thest Russo-Turkish War, the Russian government''s strategy changed, shifting its focus eastward, which became more evident when Niki II came to power. The Russian Empire could tolerate this major route in the hands of the declining Ottoman Empire or in the hands of any weak state for that matter. Even after the Bulgarian-Serbian War, there was no shortage of support for the Bulgarians to take control of the Turkish Straits! (At one point in history, Russia supported Bulgaria''s capture of Constantinople) But Ferdinand was unsure if this was a test of the Russian government to Bulgaria, in the spirit of security first, giving a refusal because the Bulgarian navy was not strong enough to y the game! It is obvious that the British intentions, again, have fallen t! The Russians were indeed coveting Constantinople, but after several consecutive failures, the Russian government did not trust the British and suspected them of having bad intentions again! Moreover, Russia''s Far East strategy is now at a critical moment, with the British supporting Japan in the Sino-Japanese War. Niki II considers the Far East strategy far more critical than the Armenian issue! Niki II made the same judgment as in history. He believed that the British were trying to undermine the Russian Empire''s Far East strategy and wanted to tie the hands of the Russian Empire with the Near East crisis. Not to mention that now the Russian Empire has an extra minion and a fighter in the Balkans called Bulgaria, which is under control even in case of an ident. The attitude of the Russian Empire haspletely dered the copse of the British Near East policy! Due to the different attitudes of the Great Powers, intervention in Armenia''s problems was almost useless. In April 1895, the British, French, and Russian ambassadors in Turkey jointly drafted the n for the Reform of Armenian Provinces, which was very moderate and had minimal reforms. Still, it was opposed by the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs - Lobanov, iming: that the Armenians would not be satisfied unless they carried out the reforms throughout the Turkish Asian region. Ferdinand couldn''t help but praise Lobanov''s decision. He so well did it that the Russian Empire was on the side of the Sultan, and the British Near East policy was crumbling! Due to the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, the Anglo-German conflict intensified, and the Germans explicitly refused to participate in the British strategy for the Near East. Any of the Great Powers did not support Salisbury''s n to divide the country. As for separate interventions, well! The Royal Navy of the British Empire is the best in the world! The army? The army is not so good at suppressing the vast colonies at the same time, but also able tounch attacks on the Boers, which is already a superb performance! If youe back to fight with the Ottoman Empire, there is no guarantee will fight who. If the other Great Powerse down again, they may be unable to keep their hands-on Egypt! It was here that Ferdinand breathed a deep sigh of relief, the biggest crisis in Bulgaria since he seeded the throne. It passed so smoothly in the waves! After turning his attention back to the country,te problems remain while the Bulgarian-Serbian War is over. In 1894, because of the outbreak of war, the Bulgarian government spent hundreds of millions of resources before and after. In addition to war spending, thergest expenditure was instead spent on public rtions! The good thing is that the military made a profit in Serbia, which made up for the losses, and thete pensions were offset bynd, saving tens of millions of money. Otherwise, the government would now have to consider selling real estate to survive. What is the value of the newnd? Now there are not even a few people, the so-called real estate, and how much is it worth? In addition tond, the city''s real estate, it is estimated that the price is too cheap to sell, and then someone has to buy it! Even so, the financial situation in Bulgaria now is still terrible. In order to raise money, the cab is worried sick! The Second Five-Year n must continue to unfold and catch up with the dyed progress; the newnd needs to be developed, immigrants need to be brought in, and they must extend the railroadwork and roadwork. These require a lot of money to invest, thankfully: Ferdinand, at the beginning of the import of immigrants, are honest farmers, there is no trouble. Otherwise, now the Bulgarian government will really break up! The Armenian issue also scared a lot of people, including the Bulgarian government. It is lucky that the Serbs were sent back. Otherwise, it is possible to mess up again one day. In this regard, the Bulgarians themselves are experienced, and many people in the government participated in the Bulgarian independence movement. For these operations, we all know what is going on! Now the main priority is different, the bottom decides the head, and the Armenians are making independence in the Ottoman Empire, and everyone is sympathetic and supportive. But if someone wants toe to Bulgaria once, they must eliminate another different attitude in the cradle! Ferdinand''s "strategy of being Bulgarianized" has been pursued more rapidly, and the government has introduced a series of supporting policies. For example: Establish restrictions on naturalization for non-Bulgarians (except for talented persons at the highest level); preference for Bulgarians in ess to education, health care, etc.; government preference for hiring ethnic Bulgarians as public officials... What''s even more bizarre is that this "Bulgarian ethnicity" is no longer "traditional Bulgarian ethnicity". It is not divided by ancestry! As long as you consider yourself a Bulgarian and are willing to be ruled by the Bulgarian government and learn the Bulgariannguage and culture, you are a Bulgarian! Simply put, every Bulgarian can be a Bulgarian. No matter which race you are, you can be a Bulgarian! Even if you are dark-skinned or yellow-skinned, as long as you recognize everything about Bulgaria and are willing to give up your original racial identity, the Bulgarian government treats all equally and does not discriminate in any way! Broadly speaking, the Bulgarian government is diluting the concept of ethnicity and usingnguage, writing, and national culture to ssify the broad sense of the same ethnic group, as it would perhaps be more appropriate to call Bulgarians! Anyway, the Bulgarians are also ethnic blends, from ancient times to the present, a thousand years, who is not sure how many races of blood flowing in their bodies, and then make a "Greater Bulgaria" to, we do not have pressure! Chapter 155: 15) The Bulgarian Government is Short of Money Chapter 155: 15) The Bulgarian Government is Short of Money Ferdinand had no opinion at all about the government''s push for new ideas. Any policy that promotes national integration, he will support! Can the various ethnic groups in Bulgaria now be integrated? In Ferdinand''s opinion, there is no problem at all! Religious beliefs,nguage, writing, and ethnic culture are simr. As long as there is a voice to tell them that we are one people, the fake has be natural over time! Originally, there were few minorities in Bulgaria. After the immigration from Russia, the number of new "Bulgarians" has increased dramatically, including Ukrainians, Poles, vs, Armenians... dozens ofrge and small ethnic groups. But now that they are all presenting themselves as Bulgarians, who can tell them apart when they spread out in the crowd? Well, for long years, which ethnic group they were, these honest peasants could not figure out. The big man said they are which ethnic group, which is which ethnic group! You read that right. When nationalism broke out in thete 19th century, many peasants who couldn''t read a single word did just that get racialized! So every once in a while, when you open a history book, you''ll find that some peoples suddenly have a poption boom, and some suddenly have a poption crash, often just to be assimted away! In any case, the Bulgarian policy of national integration, up to now, has been very sessful! Foreign immigrants, often more like Bulgarians than real Bulgarians, who dare to say a word that they are not Bulgarians, they can change their faces quickly! In this regard, Ferdinand has to thank the Russian aristocratic lords, which are all to their credit. If it were not for their night and day efforts, trying desperately to squeeze to death, these immigrants would not be so fast to create such a strong sense of identity with Bulgaria! The Bulgarian-Serbian War is the best example of this. When Bulgaria mobilized, the immigrants, who had just acquired Bulgarian citizenship, were not at all less enthusiastic about signing up for the army! In order to catch up on strategic supplies, Bulgarian factories chose to work overtime without fail, and they did notg behind, all doing their best to fit in! Of course, for foreign immigrants and native residents, the conflict will certainly still be there, but with the victory of the Bulgarian-Serbian War, everything has gone up in smoke. Everyone has recognized the initial immigrants through practical action! At the cab meeting, Konstantin asked with a headache, "Mr. Kennedi, ording to the government''s nning, how much will our fiscal deficit be this year?" After thinking about it, the Minister of Finance, Kennedi, said, "There is still a deficit of at least 50 million Leva by the most optimistic estimates toplete all the government''s ns!" Konstantin nodded. The number was still within the expected range. ording to the original n, the second batch of bonds should have been issued by now, but now it is obvious that everyone is not talking about it. We still know by heart how they soldst year''s national debt. Even if the Bulgarian public is more patriotic, they can not take the money now. Capitalists do not need to think aboutst year''s Bulgarian-Serbian War. It also dyed the business of everyone for two months. The capitalists are not losing a few. After they won the war, the Bulgarian government also did not have so much money topensate. A few big capitalists took the lead in giving uppensation to save face for the government. For this reason, everyone touched for a long time. Finally, in the name of the government, a que was given to each of them, and that was it. No one wanted to continue to fight them at this time. The loan from the Great Powers? Konstantin dismissed this idea at once. The key is that these days, the appetite of the Great Powers is not small, the interest rate is just, but the terms attached can definitely make people want to cry. Konstantin asked, "What are your best ideas? It could solve the financial crisis!" "Why don''t we do another anti-corruption campaign! That is, we can clean up the moths and raise funds at the same time, killing two birds with one stone!" Chekhov thought about it and said. The crowd nodded. The Bulgarian government''s fortunes, which came from raiding homes. For this, everyone is familiar with the business. Anti-corruption? The Bulgarian government doesn''t have time to analyze which are illegal and which are legal proceeds? As long as the corrupt officials catch a count, they are all beaten to death with a stick, confiscating all family assets. They will examine all rtives within five generations for the origin of their property, and those found hiding are also subject to guilt by association. Taking a bribe, which in Bulgaria is still a legitimate ie for an official, can be reported by the anti-corruption department for a tenth of a cent reward! As for the bribe-giver, of course, it is bad luck, the usual rules of the raid. Who told the Bulgarian government is poor? As far as Ferdinand knows, only the central government introduced the legal articles on raiding hundreds of families, many crimes of a harmful nature, followed by the addition of the raiding use. The Bulgarian government has gone to great lengths to raise the money. There are by no means a few local government articles on fines, such as littering and spitting. For the first offense, the penalty is the offender''s ie for one day, doubled for the second time, and so on, with no ie calcted on average. Even so, the Bulgarian government is still facing a financial crisis. The Minister of Finance raised a question: "I have no problem with anti-corruption! The problem is the anti-corruption thing, we often do, now can catch a few small fish is good, in order to solve the funding gap, I''m afraid it is a mere ss of water!" The crowdughed awkwardly, was not it? To raise money for the Bulgarian government, which is probably the most aggressive anti-corruption in the world, maye every now and then! The Bulgarian government can honorably dere that they are now the most incorruptible government in the world! Even if the official is bold, there must be room to work! The Bulgarian officials are now notorious for receiving money, not doing anything, and sending you to jail afterward. Now, what idiot would dare to give them gifts? Good or bad, they don''t need to evaluate themselves! Anyway, in terms of reputation among the people, the Bulgarian government has surpassed all previous governments since independence. After thinking about it, Konstantin said very reluctantly, "If there is really no other way, we will have to sell ournds in the country!" Kennedi paled, knowing thatnd in the hands of the government is now one of the government''s main revenues! This ie, which has been independent of the fiscal revenue, is calcted separately! Mainly used for military expenses, now if they sell thend, it will significantly reduce theing year''s ie! "No! Your Excellency, you should be well aware that we now receive up to hundreds of millions of Leva per year from thend, which is directly allocated to the army. Now that we have soldrge tracts ofnd, our ie will surely be greatly reduced in theing year, what about military spending?" Kennedi asked. Chapter 156: 16) Fiscal Deficit Chapter 156: 16) Fiscal Deficit In fact, Kennedi was not really opposed to the sale ofnd, bearing in mind that in addition to the previously confiscatednd, the government had harvested a lot ofnd in the new territories. Now the Bulgarian government has a lot ofnd in its hands. Even if some of thends are sold, with respect to but with the development of additionalnd, it can still make up for it! But this involves the military, especially at the moment of the end of the war in Bulgaria when the government sold the militarynd provided. It is easy to create an illusion to the outside world that the Bulgarian government is suppressing the military! Once this illusion got created, the political consequences are often catastrophic! The military of the countries in the Balkans is not soft. Do not look at the Bulgarian army now seems to be very obedient. It is all Ferdinand with money out! Now Bulgaria''s annual military expenditure,pared to 1888 years ago, has increased twice as much as the government''s revenues at that time! In fact, the military spending of the Balkan countries is rarely less than half of the revenue! On the surface, the Bulgarian government''s annual allocation of military expenditures ounted for only twenty percent of revenue. It is not enough to cover half of the military expenses. The rest got borne by the profits of state enterprises in the hands of the government, and the government''s hands ofnd revenue, ounting for the vast majority! Now the Bulgarian government gets more than 90 million Leva a year from thend and its surroundings, and then the cab throws money into the mouth of that money gobbler before it even sees it! One should note that in 1893, the Bulgarian government''s revenue was only 164 million Leva, and in 1894, revenue growth slowed down to 172 million Leva due to the war. In 1895, reaped the war dividend, which stimted the development of the economy. The Ministry of Finance optimistically estimated that the revenue might exceed the 200 million Leva. But military spending in 1893 was 134 million Leva; in 1894, when war broke out, it reached 220 million Leva; in 1895, it fell back to 147 million Leva! One can''t help that this is still apulsory military service system. Otherwise, the expenses would increase by 20 to 30 percent! And that''s based on the premise that Bulgaria is now operating with each division under full strength! It got based on the premise that the Bulgarian Army prevented the German system, with each full division up to 17,000 men. Each of the six main divisions had just over 7,000 men, and the military expenditure of each division amounted to more than 13 million Leva. Each of the six new divisions had more than 13,000 men, and the military spending of each division amounted to more than 7 million Leva. The military expenditure of the near-guard army, with more than 8,000 men, amounted to more than 20 million Leva! The main reason for the low cost of the new divisions is that the soldiers arepulsory for military service and can do without pay, and the weaponry is not as good as in the main divisions, which is a great saving! Otherwise, the wages of more than 13,000 people alone will have to pay more than 10 million Leva. No need to wonder why the soldiers have not got paid well. Those who have been soldiers know that there are few expenses inside the army. Food, clothing, housing, and transportation are the responsibility of the military, and what you get in hand is basically the actual ie! Ferdinand is also keen to expand the new division''s purpose; entirely, the main division is too expensive, and Bulgaria can not afford to raise it! Had no choice, Ferdinand had to choose to raise officers! Now the Bulgarian army''s officer reserves are ready to expand the troops three times. On the surface, the minimumbor wage in Bulgaria is now 75 Leva per month (about 3). In fact, after deducting food, amodation, and clothing costs, workers can really get their hands on less than two-thirds. When you meet the ruthless boss may only get half! It is still the result of the government''s intention to protect the socially weak. Otherwise, the capitalists would be able to screw the workers by the loopholes of the contract! Therger capitalists are okay, know to save face, and pay attention to the food, and the government is watching closely. The media also love to do raids, not dare to do anything for the sake of reputation. The most serious problems are the small bosses mobs. It isn''t easy to see the good qualities of Bulgarians in them. The government cracked down on one of them after turning to graze immigrants! Konstantin is silent, trying to convince the military to agree to sell government-ownednd. Unless the government decides to increase the percentage of military funds allocated, the military will certainly not agree! However, by raising the ratio of military spending to revenue, the government is more at a disadvantage regardingnd revenue growth rate, minimal. Still, in the case of the Bulgarian government''s revenue, it is growing at a high rate! Raising the military spending ratio is easy, but it''s harder to bring it down again. There is nothing else in the Balkans but a lot of wars. Wanting topress military spending, Konstantin does not think he can do it. Those sitting here are the top government officials, and it is clear that the next strategic target for Bulgaria is the Ottoman Empire. Short-term increases in military spending this is no problem. They are willing to allocate special wartime military spending. But a long-term increase in the proportion of military spending is a headache. You know, in order topress the ratio of military spending, the government''snd, that big piece of fat, which the previous cab was not hesitant to throw out, it was for long-term nning. Chekhov thought about it and said, "This matter is too big, let''s report it to the Knyaz for a decision!" The crowd nodded. Ferdinand is now as good as gold in Bulgaria on the big issues. Without his nod, it is simply impossible to pass. Ferdinand, who was working hard in the Sofia pce, trying to make a baby, didn''t know that trouble was at his door again. You know that since 1892, half of the Bulgarian government''s problems have been financial! I can only say: the world without money is a world in heaven! Ferdinand then very deeply felt the essence of the phrase! Before traversing, he was a poor loser and then ran around for money; after he traveled, he was wealthy and thought he could get rid of money troubles, but he didn''t expect that he still had to work hard to earn money! After bing monarch, you have a few years of afortable life, and again worrying about money, and still can not see the end of the worry! After listening to Prime Minister Konstantin''s report, Ferdinand knew it would be bad. The Bulgarian government was short of money again! Ferdinand did not hesitate to veto the cab''s proposal! In any case, soon to take on the Ottoman Empire, anything that might strike a blow to the military, the government can not do now! Even if you want to sell yournd, you can only consider it after the war is over. As for the government''sck of money, Ferdinand decided to call on the French; the usurious empire''s name was not for nothing! It raised the Bulgarian government''s credit strength in the international arena a notch with the victory of the war in Bulgaria, and it was impossible to ask the Russian Empire to guarantee it! The government''s funding shortfall, which may be astronomical for Bulgaria, is aplete drop in the bucket for France''s usurious empire. Chapter 157: 17) Loan Chapter 157: 17) Loan Consider that twenty years ago, the Franco-Prussian War caused France more than 20 billion francs of economic losses. With more than 5 billion francs of war reparations to be paid, the usurious empire did not wait to breathe, to pay back. The German attempt to use the war reparations to drag across France was just beginning to end! After the war, there was another bourgeois revolution in France, a firefight, still have cane up with enough money to restore vitality, you can see the old empire''s bottom. Ferdinand turned his attention to France. The main reason is that after the Franco-Prussian War, the newly established French Republic moved on the road to the usury empire! The second is the existence of the Russian-Bulgarian alliance and the Franco-Russian alliance. In the international arena, Bulgaria has been tacitly recognized as Russia''s sphere of influence. Even if the conditions proposed will mostly be within the economic scope, France is unlikely to destroy the Franco-Russian rtions for Bulgaria! At the end of the 19th century, when they established the Franco-Russian alliance, the French needed the Russians much more than the Russians needed the French, so in the international arena, many times, the French had to take into ount the Russian attitude! Until 1905, the Russian Empire was in its prime, the Franco-Russian alliance held down the Triple Alliance, and the British position was biased in favor of the Germans. It was not until the Russo-Japanese War that the weak nature of the Russian Empire was exposed and the power of the two sides was reversed and different. In order to suppress the rising Germans, the British bnced the continent''s foreign policy changed and joined the Entente. Ferdinand also knew that, even so, the loan to France was not so simple! The French are not a charity society. The conditions attached to it are absolutely inevitable! "Now what is the government''s financial deficit for the next three years that adds up to?" Ferdinand asked. Minister of Finance Kennedy''s face changed, and he was tempted to say, ''Your Highness, you''re not following the usual rules! Under normal circumstances, shouldn''t you ask what the current fiscal gap is?'' Kennedy mentally calcted a moment and said with some hesitation: "Your Highness, this year''s fiscal deficit is about 50 million Leva, next year and the year after, the preliminary estimate will be between 150 million Leva and 200 million Leva! All of this is based on the case that the government is going after it, and there are no new big construction projects, and there is no war!" Ferdinand nodded. In fact, the ''Second Five-Year n'' period is the most difficult period for Bulgaria''s finances. Once passed, the government''s revenue will increase exponentially! Moreover, there was a "Bulgarian-Serbian war", which increased the war expenses and expanded the scope of the ''Second Five-Year n''. The financial expenditure will naturally go up! If one considers theing ''Greek-Turkish War'', Ferdinand also wanted to make a snake swallow an elephant, so it would be possible to spend an astronomical amount of money on the war! After thinking about it, Ferdinand asked, "So if, in the meantime, we had a war with the Ottoman Empire, taking into ount the war expenses, what would be our financial shortfall?" The crowd''s faces changed slightly. They knew Ferdinand was nning a war with the Ottoman Empire. Looking at the Minister of Finance with a nk face, Ferdinand knew he had slipped up! Even if you want to calcte the war funding, you must get the military first, follow the strategic n, the scale of the war, the number of people mobilized, etc., a series ofplex factors to calcte! Nothing is known, even the scale of the war is a local conflict, or full-scale war has not yet been determined, and it is too difficult for the Ministry of Finance to calcte the war expenses. Ferdinand grinned and added: "Of course, I''m not asking you to tell me now. When ites down to your Ministry of Finance and General Staff in touch, estimate a rough figure and report it to me! In addition, the Prime Minister''s government must now do a good job in advance of the strategic material reserves. It must be done so that in the event of an emergency, we have a strategic reserve that can support 300,000 troops and continue to fight for more than a year!" Konstantin was first stunned, then he reacted instantly and stammered, "Your Highness ~ I''m afraid there are difficulties with this! We are already working on war preparations, but the government is in financial difficulties and we stillck sufficient funds!" Well, the final difficulty stilles back to the word ''money''! In fact, without a detailed budget, Ferdinand can also roughly define Bulgaria''s next shortage of funds. In order to detonate the Balkan war in advance, ensure victory, and take into ount the domestic construction, it is impossible to fight without 400 to 500 million Leva! Ferdinand thought about it and then said without question, "In that case, the Ministry of Finance contact the national banking groups, talk about the terms of borrowing, this time the shortage of funds is toorge, or be prepared to borrow from the countries!" Ferdinand''s monarch mind is bing quite good, and now he can do it quickly, hiding his mind at will. Though the decision has been made to get a loan from France, no sign of tendency has been shown. As prime minister, Konstantin is the most obvious sense, he has clearly found that Ferdinand''s authority is gaining strength, and many times once a decision is made, it will not allow people to change. It is both good and bad! The good side of it can increase the awe of the people under them. The bad side of it is easy just to use themself, which is also amon problem of the monarch! What the final result will be, no one can say anymore. Ferdinand''s order, anyway, was carried out quickly. Since the Berlin Conference of 1878, the Balkan states have turned their prying eyes to the European part of the Ottoman Empire. Austria-Hungary was the first to include Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece, Bulgaria, and Serbia have added their tentacles to the Macedonian region, with all three governments expanding their schools and churches in a big way. Bulgaria was at the forefront in this regard. From the end of the 19th century, they spent twenty-five percent of the Bulgarian government''s revenues on work in the Macedonian region. In 1885, three hundred and six schools were established in the Macedonian region; in 1890, the number increased to eight hundred and seventy-one. On the other hand, Serbia and Greece had just over two hundred schools by the end of 1890 and were left far behind by the Bulgarians. At the same time, Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia were all engaged in a fierce struggle with the Church over the schools founded by such lesiastical schools, which were generally organized by the consuls of the three countries and supervised by them! During this period, the Serbs openly promoted the idea of Macedonian national separatism due to the fear of the Bulgarian monopoly of the Macedonian region. The main reason why Serbia was so eager to expand was the pressure from Austria-Hungary. Chapter 158: 18) Balkan Situation Chapter 158: 18) Balkan Situation In thete 19th century, as Austria-Hungary continued to infiltrate Serbia, those with insight within Serbia believed that if Serbia did not expand into the Aegean region, the country would sooner orter be annexed by Austria-Hungary. That is why Serbia adopted a radical expansionist policy, including the propagation of national separatism everywhere. A series of messy ideas set the stage for the copse of Yugoviater. In addition to the Macedonian region, the other countries are also expanding into other regions. The most famous is the ''Greater Bulgaria'' and ''Greater Serbia'' ns and, of course, the ''Greater Greece'' and ''Greater Montenegro'' ns. The Great Bulgarian n, a Bulgarian national ideal of unification, aimed at restoring thergest frontier in the history of Bulgaria. Bulgarians, of course, have not been foolish enough to really go to restore thergest frontier in history. When it is time to give up, it still chooses to give up! The target areas developed include the in between the Danube and the Balkan Mountains, the North, and South Dobruja, the Sofia region, Pirot, Vranje, Northern Thrace, and parts of Eastern Thrace, Macedonia, and other areas. They aimed the main target at the Turks, not stupid enough to put the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Greece, and other countries in the circle, and even then, it was beyond the capacity of Bulgaria at the time. The Greater Serbia Project is attractive, which again is Greater Serbianism, the concept of national unification proposed by Serbian nationalists. Well, the basic goal is to unify the areas where Serbs are concentrated, and there are ims for areas where Serbs are a minority. This area would be difficult to define, with arger Serbian state being advocated for the western Balkans in southeastern Europe. Thetter was even worse. When the strength of the radicals expanded at the end of the 19th century, it epassed the entire nation of Yugovia. For the most basic objectives, the regional area includes Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Albania, Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia, etc. If we go by the radicals'' goals, the tiny Balkan region, which already can''t amodate Greater Serbia, has involved Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, the Austrian region, and even has an interest in Moldova. (not necessarily urate, from Baidu, for reference only) Of course, this group of radicals is only a minority of a minority and is the radical of radicals. It can be understood as madness! And that''s not all. vic nations are influenced by Pan-vism and openly advocate the unification of the world! You read that right, right after the establishment of Yugovia after WWI, there were advocates of unifying the vic nations of the world and establishing a Great vic Empire with the Serbs at its core! Even the great strategic idea of unifying the Soviet Union came out! Well, just take it as a joke! What country doesn''t have a few crazy people? There were just a few more lunatics in Serbia in those days! Blind nationalism, which had neither economic nor military power andcked international support, could only have disastrous consequences. Greater Serbianism eventually became the trigger for the outbreak of World War I! The Greeks are still self-aware, perhaps because the first "Greek-Turkish War" woke up the Greek nationalists, and the Megali Idea was just a dream, and after shouting twice, they felt tired and stopped shouting! Greater Montenegro n, which Yugovia was created once realized, except that he is one of the unified, well, at least theypleted it, right? Perhaps feeling that the result is not so wonderful, andter became independent! But all of this in this time and space, under the butterfly effect of Ferdinand, have changed fundamentally! Of course, these ns still exist, but the ''Greater Serbia n'' was just called out and died. The situation in the Balkans before 1892 was basically the same as in the parallel time. Not much changed. At most, the Bulgarian government built a few more church schools outside and a little more widespread. From the Bulgaria-Russia Alliance''s establishment, history turned for the worse here! First, Ferdinand provoked the arms race in the Balkans, followed by the devastating economic crisis, which was that little bit bigger! Then, beginning in 1893, the Greek and Serbian governments were forced to stop their efforts to expand in the Macedonian region for financial reasons. After the Bulgarian-Serbian War, Serbia even shut down most Serbian schools and churches directly! Time entered 1895, and Serbia, which had been ambitious, was now licking its wounds and did not have the energy toe out and make a fuss. Now the most active instead is Montenegro, which is working to establish the Kingdom of Montenegro! Gergios I of Greece was still hiding in the shadows, looking for an opportunity to give the Ottoman Empire hell, simr to Ferdinand''s idea. The two sides tacitly agreed to export the revolution to the Ottoman Empire, although Ferdinand lit a fire, and if the Greek government did not cooperate, the Greeks in Turkey would never have made such a fuss now. The Macedonians depended on the Serbs until 1860, after which they shifted to depend on the Bulgarians. The main factor responsible for this was the Russian Empire''s single-handed promotion. The Russians led the Macedonians to Bulgaria regarding religion and diplomacy, and the attitude of the Russian Empire had a huge impact on all the Orthodox poptions of the Balkans! This influence became more evident after the Russian-Bulgarian alliance and the Orthodox faith areas in the Balkans drew closer to each other and Bulgaria. Taking advantage of this, Ferdinand''s government elerated its pration into the Balkans. The more miserable should be Romania, watching the expansion of the Balkan countries. Carol I had no ce to show their ambition but to watch the scene in peace! The west is Hungary and Serbia, the north river in Russia''s Ukraine and Moldova, the south is Bulgaria, and the east is the ck Sea, surrounded by strong enemies. There is no ce to expand. The Romanians were ready toe out and get a piece of the pie during the Bulgarian-Serbian War. Still, they chose to support Serbia because of their rtionship with Austria-Hungary. But Serbia was defeated too quickly, so fast that the war was over before Romania had time to mobilize the whole country. Who could not help but call his neighbor in the north the Russian Empire? And the Russian Empire happens to be an ally of Bulgaria. Anyway, the Romanians are afraid to bet! More than seventy percent of the country''s main forces were ced on the Moldovan and Ukrainian fronts. Carol I was confident in his ability to use his troops, but he did not think that a partial Romanian division would be able to defeat Bulgaria. Coupled with the situation in Romania at that time was also unstable, and a new round of peasant revolts could break out at any time, Carol I finally chose to abandon the Serbs. ... (As for the situation in the Ottoman country, just think about it! (There are only three words: Smoke and Fire!) Chapter 159: 19) Secret Talk Chapter 159: 19) Secret Talk "What? A secret visit from King Gergios I of Greece!" Ferdinand said in disbelief. I don''t want to spit it out. Am I not reading too many retarded novels? At least a king of a country, ying secret visits, who can be fooled? The Balkans are so big. Once one discovered Gergios I did not show his face for a long time; anyone with a bit of attention would know to look into it! As soon as they confirmed George I was in Bulgaria, who he would target? Well, it hadn''t urred to Ferdinand that the Ottoman Empire was just that retarded now or simply didn''t have small countries like Greece and Bulgaria in mind. They were too busy dealing with the British to make thingsplicated! Historically, before the outbreak of the First Balkan War, Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Greece, four countries that prepared for war with great zeal, had not attracted the attention of the aristocratic lords until the outbreak of war was caught off guard! In any case, Gergios I hase, Ferdinand had to go to receive, at least they are still rtives, this point of the face or to give. Since Gergios I was visiting secretly, Ferdinand also decided to y along with him, pretending not to know about it as long as the Greeks did not take an active part in informing him. And he can skip the grand wee ceremony and can not choose even the meeting ce in the Sofia Pce. The most important thing now is to find out why Gergios I was visiting secretly? And it came so suddenly that if intelligence agents hadn''t noticed it, it is expected that he would have only been discovered when he arrived in Bulgaria. "Minister of Foreign Affairs, I remember that George I''s secret envoy arrived in Sofia not long ago, your Ministry of Foreign Affairs was in charge of contacting him, how did the talks go?" Ferdinand asked. The Minister of Foreign Affairs said with a headache: "Your Highness, nothing hase of it, the Greeks are asking too much and what they can give is too little!" Ferdinand was stunned and then asked, "Oh! I would like to hear how big the Greek''s appetite is? And what price do they intend to pay?" The Minister of Foreign Affairs said with a smile: "The Greeks want to join forces with us against the Turks. Three hundred thousand troops from Bulgaria, 150,000 from Greece, and the Greek navy will hold the Ottoman navy in check, and there is no problem with that! But they demand Thessaloniki and an equal share with us in Macedonia, Albania, and Eastern Thrace!" Ferdinand was a bit speechless. The Greek navy in 1895 simply could not cut off the Ottoman Empire between Europe and Asia, which was held entirely only in the Thessaloniki region to fight some role. Since Greece wants the Thessaloniki region, it makes sense to do it on its own, so why should it be included in the alliance''s contribution? If the Greek navy, as in the Balkan Wars, could suppress the Ottoman navy, it would be more or less the same! Macedonian, East Thrace, and Albania battles rely on decisivend battles. To get these areas, Bulgaria is the main force. Even without considering the difference in thebat power of the two armies, it is also Bulgaria to take the lead! It is no wonder that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not like the joint with Greece. The gap between the two sides'' conditions is toorge. There is no possibility of talks! In Ferdinand''s opinion, Greece''s 15% army on the battlefield, but also just to make up the number, is far worse than Serbia. Look at the history of the ''Greek-Turkish War'' to see! In 1897 there was an uprising in Crete, and the Greek army upied Crete in early February. In April, the Greek army attacked the Turkish army in Thessaly, and the Greek-Turkish War began. They defeated the Greek army at the end of April. The Turkish army was not even close to Athens before the armistice on May 20. and on December 4, a peace treaty was concluded in which Greece paid 4 million Lire to Turkey and ceded part of the territory of Thessaly to Turkey. Well, the Ottoman Empire did note with full force. They defeated the Greek Army. On this fighting ability, it is the same as the Italian Army! Ferdinand''s bottom line is that Bulgaria gets most of the Macedonian region, the Kosovo region, the Eastern Thrace region, and the Istanbul region. It is possible that Greece can get part of the Macedonian region, and the rest of the region, including Thessaloniki, Epirus, and Thrace, can be owned by Greece! In fact, even with this split, Greece is already at a great advantage! The Ottoman Empire had roughly more than 250,000 square kilometers of territory in the Balkans. Bosnia and Herzegovina''s region is in Austria-Hungary''s pocket, leaving out the 50,000 to 60,000 square kilometers. Montenegro will get the area of the Raka, nearly 15,000 square kilometers of territory; Greece gets part of Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaloniki, Crete, etc., more than 40,000 square kilometers of territory. But beyond his mind, the Greek appetite directly carved away arge part of the spoils of war, nearly more than 100,000 square kilometers of territory. The Greek government could not inherit the spoils of war from Serbia because they were out of the game, could it? Then Ferdinand is not a big loser? But Gergios I, who was about to arrive in Bulgaria, did not think so. In his opinion, among the Balkan countries, Greece was the earliest to be independent and the earliest to build up its army. Even if it only sent 150,000 troops, itsbat power would not be weaker than 300,000 Bulgarian troops! Then it makes sense to divide the territory in this way. Greece''s strength is strong. Naturally, taking on the burden of responsibility should take thergest piece of cake! Well, before the Greek-Turkish War, the Greeks were confident in the fighting ability of their own army. Otherwise, they would not have tried to single out the Ottoman Empire. Time passed quickly, and a weekter, the disguised King of Greece - Gergios I - arrived in Sofia. Ferdinand had a cordial and friendly meeting with him in a royal estate on the outskirts of Sofia. The two sides agreed to strengthen the economic andmercial rtions between Bulgaria and Greece! Simply put: Bulgaria and Greece agreed on the issue against the Ottoman Empire and decided to join forces to overthrow the Sultan''s evil rule in the Balkans! As for the question of the spoils, looking at the confident Gergios I, Ferdinand could not directly say: that the Greek army is weak and can only be used to fight for the sake of the game! Ferdinand can only make a very creative proposal: "Gergios, it seems that our bottom line is too far apart to be able to negotiate today! Why don''t we just bet on it? After defeating the Ottoman Empire, the territory of the Balkans will belong to whoever grabs it first, and half of the territory will go to each of us if we grab it at the same time, and those whog will admit they are in bad luck!" There was a moment of silence, and Gergios I seemed to be calcting whether he would lose out! Ferdinand said in a mock dare, "How about it? Dare toe and bet?" Chapter 160: 20) New Balkan League Chapter 160: 20) New Balkan League After considering the situation, Gergios I found that although the Bulgarian army wasrger, the Istanbul area was close to Constantinople, and the Bulgarian army was to bear the major part of the war. The Greek Army is still confident in its fighting ability. If not for fear of Bulgaria doing the dirty work, the Greek government is ready to take on the Ottoman Empire alone! "Great, Ferdinand! I will bet on behalf of the Greek government! Put this one in the treaty, too, and don''t you regret it?" Gergios I said confidently. Ferdinand smiled slightly, waiting for the Greek Army to show up on the field. There will be you crying then! On August 12, 1895, Ferdinand signed the famous Balkan Treaty with King George I of Greece in his estate on the outskirts of Sofia, marking the initial creation of the Balkan League! The treaty stiptes that: 1. The two countries undertake mutual defense tasks against the Ottoman Empire; once either country is at war, the other country must also unconditionally dere war on the Ottoman Empire. 2. Within three months before the outbreak of war, one must notify the other side to prepare in advance, or the other side can join the war one week after it breaks out! 3. The outbreak of war must be after five years, or Bulgaria will have the right to dy entering the war for one month! (Ferdinand proposed this because Bulgaria had just finished fighting Serbia and needed to recover.) 4. On the issue of loot, in principle, firste, first served in individual battles, joint battles are divided by the number of enemies destroyed by each side divided by the total number of enemies destroyed and distributed ording to their respective proportions. ... In addition to the secret treaty, the two countries also signed a treaty of friendship andmerce. Still, of course, it was no longer Ferdinand and Gergios I who signed it, and the ordinary treaty was naturally handled by both sides'' ministries of foreign affairs. The contents include: 1. The two countries grant each other the most-favored-nation treatment to facilitate direct trade andmerce between the two countries. 2. The two countries strengthen civil cooperation and encourage cultural exchanges. ... After digging a severe grave for the Greeks, Ferdinand returned to the pce satisfied. Since the Greeks were not on the right track, they could not me him for the shady dealings. However, a slight change in Bulgaria''s strategy, again, is about to take ce! The ess to the Mediterranean Sea, and not always Albania, all based on Macedonia, plus Thrace, Epirus may be a better choice! ... In fact, Ferdinand did not care about the ''Balkan League'', and the fighting ability of the Greek army at the end of the 19th century was really doubtful. Serbia is ruined, and they will not appear in the Balkan Wars for at least twenty years. After twenty years, if Austria-Hungary does not annex them, it will be toote to emerge from the bubble. Montenegro is too tiny in size. Even if it blows their wallets and bridges, the most they cane up with is that 20,000 to 30,000 troops can y the game. The biggest purpose of the alliance was to cheer up the Greeks and encourage them toe out and challenge the Ottoman Empire. It would be perfect if, by the way, by the hand of the Turks, they could abolish Greece as in history! If Gergios I had known what Ferdinand really thought, one wonders if he would have been furious! Now he was returning to Athens with confidence. As Ferdinand asked for the war to be in five years, the Greek government had not even begun preparing for the war. Of course, if you want to do it, there is no money! Ferdinand did not yet know that there were people who yed on his ideas when too plotted against Greece. After the Second Bulgarian-Serbian War, Bulgaria came into the eyes of those who wanted to. This foreign loan became another game of the Great Powers! Since the Bulgarians have presented their ns for loans, they have attracted the attention of the Great Powers. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Metev, the Minister of Finance Kennedi, and Prime Minister Konstantin have be the focus of public rtions in the various capitals. Of course, this is not a good thing because now Germany, Austria, France, and Russia have joined forces to form a consortium. The British Empire is naturally still working alone. In addition, the United States, Denmark, the Nethends, Sweden, Belgium, and other countries also participated in the banking consortium. Bulgaria will again face diplomatic choices, leaving aside others regardless. Bulgaria must choose between Germany and Austria and France and Russia! The benefit of choosing German and Austrian is that they can repay long-term loanster. Once the World War broke out, German and Austrian did not have the ability to collect debts. After the Great War, maybe Bulgaria will be able to clear the debt of one hundred Leva. However, Bulgaria was awkward in the next Balkan expansion. Would Germany give up the Ottoman Empire for Bulgaria? Ferdinand would not believe it anyway! The key is the Russian Empire''s response. Bulgaria can not afford it. Ferdinand does not think his political maneuvering is so contrary. He can be swayed! Even though the German-Austrians offered more favorable conditions, Bulgaria had no choice. Ferdinand knows this problem; others also know it is estimated that the German and Austrian themselves do not hold much hope, giving the Russians more hope to add to the problem! The British are worthy of being spoilers, and their ability to fool people is not a secret. In addition to loans, Bulgaria was advised to build a navy and invited to join the fight for African colonies. The cab was confused. Even Ferdinand was secretly tempted. He knows the end of the 19th century was the peak of the Great Powers to divide Africa. There is no such store after this one! If there is British support, then Bulgaria will focus on the full force, smashing all the fleet out, and will not be able to get a share of the pie in Africa. Ferdinand still ruthlessly refused. The navy is not a day to build and wait for the Bulgarian fleet to form a fighting force. It is believed that it is not! It was a big cake, but you couldn''t eat it. Do not know if the Greeks were so fooled by the British, desperately wanted to get a fleet, and finally not get the colonies, but y a deadly fight with the Ottoman Navy! Do you think that after refusing, the British are done with it? Next, the British Empire invited Bulgaria to join the intervention army to meddle in the Armenian question. Oh, and the Greeks were already on board. This time the temptation is much greater. The three countries have joined forces to overthrow the Turks. In theory, there is no problem when the Balkans are left to the two countries of Bulgaria and Greece to divide. Ferdinand knew that this was actually a huge problem. While the British Empire may be able to handle the Turks in the navy easily, the Bulgarian army is ready to fight the Turks alone! It is not that Ferdinand looked down on the British Army. If not for the Boer War experience, the First World War, there was no room for the British Army to y! Ferdinand had to use his prestige to forcibly suppress the turmoil in the people''s hearts at home, but it also made him profoundly aware of the influence of the British Empire! Chapter 161: 21) Russian-Bulgarian Relations Chapter 161: 21) Russian-Bulgarian Rtions There is no free lunch in the world! After the Bulgarian-Russian alliance, Bulgaria''s overall national power has grown considerably and has increased at least twicepared to the same period in history. Now it also has to be subject to the constraints. Once without this alliance, it will at least deprive Bulgaria''s national power three times! Since they would rip it off, Ferdinand also decided to give the big deal. Anyway, no matter how much it costs, you can get it back from the Ottoman Empireter. The French have a lot of money, don''t they? Well, we''ll borrow more, no problem to mortgage, both the legal rights and taxes are negotiable! Ferdinand suggests one billion francs, as long as you are willing to lend it, even if you want the Sofia Pce as a mortgage! What? You want to build a railroad, fine! Look at what other roads are avable in Bulgaria now. Go ahead and build them! Anyway, the main roads are almost finished, so it''s not our business if the other routes lose money! What? Want a tariff mortgage? Yes, you can! Bulgaria''s most important trading partner, the Russian Empire, is equal to zero tariffs. As for trade with other countries? The biggest item is the export of agricultural products, which are directly free of tariffs! Thergest imports are machinery products, which are urgently needed in Bulgaria and tariff-free! In fact, Bulgaria''s customs revenue, as a percentage of the treasury, is already very low! That''s only 7 or 8 million Leva a year, do what you want. The Bulgarian market is that big? Typical of the die-hard pigs are not afraid of boiling water! That''s the state of Ferdinand now, anyway. Bulgaria''s market is so big in terms of international politics and dependence on the Russian Empire. If the French appetite is too big, it will certainly affect the interests of the Russians! It is clear that this time the joint French-Russian group, the strength of the Russian banking consortium is limited. The French are the gold master. The obvious purpose is to use the loan to control the Bulgarian economy. A Franco-Russian agreement is likely. The Russians will further expand their influence in Bulgaria, and the French will gain economic benefits! In this regard, Ferdinand is under no pressure at all. Now Bulgaria''s major domestic industries are in control of his own hands. The governmentpletely holds the railroads. Any foreign capital intervention mustply with his rules, or you can feel what is difficult to move an inch! Unless the French create a ''French Concession'' out, but this possibility is infinitely zero, the Russians will be the first to say no! After the Bulgarian-Russian Alliance, the industrial andmercial circles of the two countries were the first toe together, and they reduced tariffs repeatedly. If France was allowed to establish a concession, wouldn''t it allow French goods to enter the Russian Empire and escape tariffs? Unlike Bulgaria''s weak link, France at the end of the 19th century was an industrial power, and if there was no tariff protection, it is estimated that the Russian national bourgeoisie in its infancy could not bear the impact! ... Niki II, far away in St. Petersburg, also had a headache with Bulgaria''s request for a loan. It is funny to say that the Russian government does not know what to demand except for direct economic benefits? Let''s talk about tariffs! I''m sorry, but what is the tariff between Russia and Bulgaria now? Even the customs staff''s sry is not enough to pay. If not checked, the illegal traders use this channel to smuggle goods from other countries. The customs do not even bother to check! The tariffs of other countries are in charge in order to facilitate the export of goods from their own side, but for Bulgaria, there is no need at all! As for opening factories? Well, Bulgaria wees Russian businessmen to invest over there. As long as you have the money to invest in arsenals are fine, as long as you can sell them, but of course, the Bulgarian military will not buy them! Mineral resources? Niki II expressed disdain. Is Bulgaria still thergest importer of Russian minerals? As for other religious and cultural exports? Is this a condition? Is there any less cultural exchange between the two countries now? Bulgarian novels are read in the streets of Russia, and in the streets of Bulgaria, poems of the Russian Empire are written! The two countries are simr innguage and simr in writing. Even though religious customs are simr, the two sidesmunicate without any problems, even without trantors. These simply do not need the government to meddle! You can''t me Bulgaria for being too cooperative, can you? Russia exports its culture to Bulgaria, and Bulgaria exports its culture to the Russian Empire, and the birthce of the ancient Russiannguage is still in Sofia? Sometimes the minions are too cooperative, which is also a problem! At least now, to consider the feelings of Bulgaria, the Russian Empire can not impose excessive conditions and destroy the friendly rtions between the two countries! "Prime Minister, what additional demands do you think we can make now?" asked Niki II in a depressed voice. The Prime Minister smiled and said, "Your Imperial Majesty, it seems that we do not need to mention any conditions now, as long as we continue to maintain friendly exchanges between the two countries, perhaps in 30 or 50 years, there will be one more highly autonomous Grand Duchy of Bulgaria under the Russian Empire!" The crowd roared withughter. Yes, theoretically, the two countries are tied together economically, with cultural exports and immigration, and after 30 or 50 years, a new generation grows up, and it is natural for both sides to unite as one! Since sooner orter, it will be part of the Russian Empire, it doesn''t matter if the Bulgarians take advantage of it. It is still a benchmark for the unification of the entire vic nation! At this time, the Minister of Navy suddenly spoke up and said, "Your Majesty, in fact, we can strengthen the military ties between the two countries, and even support the Bulgarians to master the Turkish Straits when the time is ripe!" In his mind, Niki II understood that the Navy had always been attached to the Turkish Straits, but after the Russian Empire shifted its strategic focus eastward, it no longer had the energy topete for the Turkish Straits. After all, the European powers, except for France, are not expected to wee the Russian Navy into the Mediterranean! Never look at the good words of the British. With a partition of the Ottoman, the Russian Empire gained the Turkish Straits. Once the Russian Navy broke out of the Turkish Straits, ess to the Mediterranean Sea waters was another situation! Whether it was the British, Italians, Spaniards, or Germany and Austria-Hungary, all would be an obstacle to the Russian Empire. Thoughrge, the Mediterranean could not amodate so many other Great Powers! Niki II did not divide the Ottomans with the British. It is known that entering the Mediterranean Sea will face too many enemies! Once trapped, it will be difficult to escape! It is possible that they surrounded the British and beat back the small matter so that the British or any of the powers to take control of any section of the Strait. It will be a bad day for the Russian Empire! The Turks could hold the Straits because the Ottoman Empire was weak and didn''t have the guts to cut off the Russian Empire''s maritime artery! How about the British? One wrong move, and the Russian Empire will be cut off from the world in no time! Chapter 162: 22) Strategy of the Russian Empire Chapter 162: 22) Strategy of the Russian Empire Since they can not, supporting the puppet is also a good choice! The Ottoman Empire was indeed weak, but it could not resist the Russian-Turkish feud! Does God know the Sultan will not go crazy one day to give a little? The Armenian question, isn''t that an example? If you do it, you do it. How to keep it secret too? Suppression of minority rebellions, the Russian Empire has done a lot, but by the time the news leaked, they had already done it! Where has the internationalmunity ever caught you red-handed? It seems to the Russians to be totally intellectually disturbing! Well,pletely ignoring the gap between the two sides in terms of national power! If the Armenian problem had urred in the Russian Empire, it would probably have been a couple of yells from the people, and the governments would have pretended not to see it! The strategy of the Russian Empire had to start from the beginning. It was all forced out! The Russian Empire, formerly known as the Grand Duchy of Moscow, was located in the middle of the Eastern European in, and most of its territory had hightitudes, a cold climate, and a harsh environment, so the Russians focused their expansion on the south and west, followed by the east and finally the north. To the north is the Arctic Ocean, which is known to have an extremely cold climate and poor passage conditions. The long Arctic Ocean coastline has only one ce in Murmansk that can be used as an outlet to the sea and is the only unfrozen port in the Arctic Ocean. But Murmansk is an estuary port, hightitude, cold climate, in August the highest daytime temperature is 12 degrees and 0 degrees at night, and the lowest temperature at night in winter used to reach more than minus 60 degrees, in this kind of icy wilderness to develop the port, one can imagine the difficulty. The way to the north was blocked and looked to the west, where the Russians fought their western neighbors for centuries. One after another, they grabbed part of the coastline of the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea from Find, Sweden, Lithuania, and Pnd, but the Baltic Sea is a closed ind sea! The Russian Navy was confined to the eastern Baltic Sea and wanted to go out unless they annexed the coastal countries such as Sweden, Germany, and Denmark. But the coastal countries, regardless of size, are strong, and none of them are easy to mess around that much. First, Denmark''s Kalmar is dominant, then the Swedish bully again, and now it''s Germany''s turn to rise. Anyway, the Russian Empire is unable to put up! Next south, it is a pity that the ck Sea is more closed than the Baltic Sea, and you have to go through Turkey to get out and cross the Mediterranean Sea after Turkey. The Russians tried to seize the Bosphorus from Turkey, only to have the British and French gang up on them and beat them back in the Crimean War. Now the situation is obvious. Even if the Russian Empire can remove Turkey and enter the Mediterranean Sea, they still have to be beaten back, so the Russian Empire has put its strategic focus on the Far East! In contrast, Europe is a hard bone, and the Far East is a soft tomato! The Russians had already seized arge area ofnd from Great Qing Dynasty and acquired the natural port of divostok. But although divostok was in good condition, it had a freezing period and was surrounded by the Japanese inds, the Korean penins, and the Aleutian Inds, so the Russians had to borrow a route if they wanted toe out into the Pacific. But a sharp contrast will reveal:pared with the British and German in Europe, this little trouble in Japan and Joseon is insignificant! The Russian Empire had no ns to lend a hand. Since they had their eye on it, they grabbed it soon! Anyway, Japan and Joseon at the end of the 19th century were underdogs, not yet in the eyes of the Russians. Russia has found the best opening to break through and naturally will not stay in Europe to continue fighting in circles of hell. The Navy wants to open the way to the Mediterranean in advance, but it is a saving grace. Sess is certainly good. Failure does not hurt! And the reason why you can''t talk about it is to brush up on your presence! If you support the Bulgarians toe out and grab the straits, you must always have a navy, right? Bulgaria''s pocket-sized Navy now, it is okay to catch smugglers in the coastal area; if they set sail, pirates may directly destroy them? The value of the Russian Navy is not shown? ording to traditional practice, the Bulgarian Navy is the Russian Navy wearing a mask. From the creation to training are supposed to be handled by the Russian Navy, including themand! As for the attitude of Bulgaria, does it matter? What is the importance of this? Can you not eat the pie thates to your door? Anyway, the future is part of the Russian Empire, just like several kingdoms within the German Empire. Pay now for the future harvest! After all, before the opening of the Siberian Railway, the power that the Russian Empire could put in the Far East was extremely limited, and the Navy is to be reduced to a spectator! It is something the Admiralty can''t tolerate. Whether for personal gain or the collective good, the Minister of the Navy has to keep the Navy in the picture at all times! Then Bulgaria, who obeyed, came into the eyes of the crowd. It so happened that the Bulgarian Army did well in the Second Bulgarian-Serbian War, thanks to the Russian Empire! (Remark: Before 1886, the Bulgarian Army was Russian, from its creation to its training, all at the behest of Russian instructors!) To support Bulgaria in ouwing the Ottoman monopoly of the Straits is a good choice! As for whether Bulgaria will make it big? Sorry, there is no such thing! At least in front of the Russian Empire at its peak, if Ferdinand were to unify the Balkans, he would have to be a good boy! At the end of the 19th century, in terms of general national power, the British Empire was the rightful boss, followed by the Russian Empire, Germany, and the United States are still practicing their internal strength! This ranking continued unchanged until 1905! The Franco-Russian alliance suppressed the triple alliance of Germany, Austria, and Italy in Europe, and in order to relieve the pressure on the European continent, the countries (except France) chose, by chance, to divert the trouble to the east. Austria-Hungary has to y the mascot, relying on Germany to counteract the Russian Empire, not to mention Bulgaria barely! And so decadester, Bulgaria rose, the two countries have long been tied together, the individual does not resolve they can untie it! The Minister of the Navy''s arguments, simr ns were already in ce in the Russian Empire more than a decade ago, but for various reasons, they were never implemented. From the time of Bulgaria''s independence, the Russian Empire had a strong influence and even held the Bulgarian Army for a time until 1885, when it changed. It is now brought up again and different from the past: Bulgaria is slightly stronger by so much, and in order to avoid causing discontent among the Bulgarians, it began under Aleksandr III to switch to the use of gentle tactics! It seems to be working well so far, the ''Greater Bulgarian Nation'' promoted by Bulgaria, and the vic national unification strategy proposed by the Russian Empire, are essentially the same. The only difference is that the appetite is smaller! Chapter 163: 23) The Russian Thoughts Chapter 163: 23) The Russian Thoughts To support Bulgaria in its fight against the Turks for the Bosphorus and the Marmara Sea is not big. It is not enough to change the strategic center of gravity of the Russian Empire. To say that it is not small means that a new round of Balkan wars is about to break out! One of the objectives of the First Balkan War in history, in which the Russian Empire supported the Bulgarian-Serbian coalition to end Ottoman dominance in the Balkans, was the Bosphorus! However, it is a pity that they did not realize this strategy due to the collusion of the Balkan League! The position of Bulgaria in the hearts of the Russians was thus greatly reduced. After all, the Bulgarian army was only 20 km away from Constantinople! No matter what reasons the Bulgarians had, they did not take Constantinople and fulfill the strategy of the Russian Empire, and they took the me! In the eyes of the Russians, this is a sign that the Bulgarians just want to take advantage and do not want to take responsibility! There is also a hidden factor, which is the Bulgarian government''s desire to suppress the influence of the Russian Empire in the country - is exposed! And the position of the Bulgarian government at that time, which swung between the Allies and the Entente, was even more displeasing to the Russian Empire. Of course, Ferdinand''s title of Tsar was difficult for Nichs II, who dered: ''One Tsar in the world is enough!'' All of these factorsbined to create a situation where the Russians abandoned Bulgaria in favor of Serbia! All is now different, and a crippled Serbia is now meat on the lips of Austria-Hungary, and even if the Russian Empire wants to support them, there is nothing they can do! Simply put, without the nod of Austria-Hungary, it was difficult for the Russians to enter Serbia, let alone anything else. After a short silence, the Minister of Finance asked, "Will the Bulgarians be able toplete this n? Do not forget that the Ottoman Empire, however weak, is still arge country with a poption of more than 30 million people, and is notparable to a small Bulgaria?" The Minister of Finance''s objection was not surprising to the crowd. Well, basically it costs a lot of money and the Minister of Finance doesn''t like it! The Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke and exined: "I can answer this question. The Ottoman Empire is far ahead of Bulgaria in terms of overall powerparison. But now the Turks are having a hard time, the revolution at home, the British are ying Egypt and the Euphrates Valley; the French and Italians are eyeing Libya and Moro in Africa, and of course, their main force is still eyeing us! They can use their strength in the Balkans in only three or four points, which is still built on the premise that the capital city of Constantinople is still important and well prepared in advance! If the Turks are smart, they should solve the Armenian problem right now, never mind international public opinion! Now the Great Powers, except for the British, are not going to take on them, and it so happens that the British are being held back, and the Italians are deep in Ethiopia! The fastest way to solve domestic conflicts is much easier to meet the challenges thate! Even so, of course, in the Balkans, the Ottoman Empire could theoretically amass an army of 400,000. It''s still challenging for Bulgaria, and without our support, both sides will most likely lose both!" Niki II brightened up and asked in disbelief, "Really? Bulgaria now has the strength to fight the Ottoman Empire on both sides?" The Minister of War smiled and bragged, "Your Imperial Majesty, the Bulgarian Army was trained by us. How is the fighting ability? Even if it is still a bit far from us, it is still much better than the Turks!" The Minister of War''s exnation was taken for granted by all, as the Russian Empire was now so powerful! How else could they have the courage to challenge the hegemony of the British Empire while suppressing the German-Austrian alliance? The words of the Minister of War gave Niki II enough courage. He was young and vigorous, and now he needed to make achievements to prove what he could do to the world! It is only ''Wenzhi Wugong1), diplomatic tactics''! ''Wenzhi'' without taking into ount this is always a long-term project. After a decade or eight years and then it is not toote to see. What about ''Wugong''? Now that the Russian Empire is as strong as ever, the Siberian Railway is not open to traffic, and Europe is piled up with the great powers, it isn''t easy to get a breakthrough. The Russian Empire has reached the limit of its expansion on the maind unless it goes to the sea! In diplomacy, the Franco-Russian Alliance and the Russo-Polish Alliance were established during the reign of Aleksandr III. What about international diplomacy? Sorry, but now the German-Austrian alliance is unbreakable. They can not resolve the ''Anglo-Russian conflict''. There is no room for him to y! Historically, the Russian Empire, in order to focus on its eastern expansion,promised with Austria-Hungary in the Balkans in 1897, and the situation in the Balkans was stable for ten years. While Austria-Hungary is no better, ten years busy cleaning up the mess at home! It is the ''Golden Age'' for the small Balkan countries, but it is a pity that everyone has failed to seize it! Greece and the Ottomans had a friendly fight, licking their wounds. Bulgaria is busy with its political struggle at home. In Serbia, King Aleksandar I was busy amending the constitution, plus disgracing himself (by taking a ten-year-old olderdy of the court as his queen. Well,pared to him, Emperor Tianqi2) was weak!) The Serbian people were busy revolting against the king, such as the assassination of Aleksandar I in 1903. After Russia''s strategic focus shifted east, it was the Great Qing Dynasty''s bad luck first, and then it was the Japanese''s turn. One can hardly describe Niki II''s attitude towards the Japanese as ''bad''. The scar on his forehead is the shame of his life! Historically, the ''Tripartite Intervention'' happened in this context after the Sino-Japanese War. ... (several omitted) The Minister of Navy''s proposal is still very much to Niki II''s liking, for the Bosphorus, his ancestors did not stop fighting with the Turks, and now it would be great if they could easily get in! He smiled and said, "Since the Bulgarians have that strength, how can we not push it? Let Ferdinand hold the Bosphorus for us first; if we can, we can support them all. If we can, include it in the Aegean Sea!" The Prime Minister said with a teasing smile: "Your Imperial Majesty, the Bulgarians still have some fighting power in the army, but the navy? Do they have this strength? I remember that they are just a smuggler''s patrol! Isn''t it a joke to rely on them to control the strait?" The crowd roared withughter. Yes, can the Bulgarian navy be considered a navy? Altogether, the tonnage is not as good as a battleship! The Russians have enough courage to despise the weakest navy in the world. Trantor: 1) It means the parameter of how good the King performed in government (Wenzhi) and the military (Wugong). Chinese historians used this parameter to ssify the ruler and how effective that ruler was in government and military. 2) Emperor Tianqi, personal name Zhu Youjiao, was the 16th Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1620 to 1627. Chapter 164: 24) Pan-Slavism Chapter 164: 24) Pan-vism The Minister of Navy argued: "I think their navy is fine now! The Russian Empire''s influence in Bulgaria is growing by the day, but its influence on their military is extremely limited! Now that the Bulgarian army is self-contained and we can''t prate it at all, it''s vital to master their navy!" The Prime Minister asked suspiciously: "You mean we have full control of the Bulgarian navy? But is this necessary? You know that the navy can''t be built in a short time, so does it take that much effort?" The Minister of Navy said firmly: "No, Mr. Prime Minister, you misunderstood me! We have no intention of training a navy for Bulgaria. Even if we give him one, they can''t afford to raise it! We do as long as it is necessary. To be able to have a navy flying the Bulgarian g on the line! The seizure of the Bosphorus and even the Aegean Sea still needs to be done by ourselves!" The crowd understood that, after all, it was still the Navy wants to master the sea route to the Mediterranean. Bulgaria is nothing more than a target pushed into the open so as not to stimte the British anxiety nerves! Even if the strategic goal was now the Far East, Niki II was moved, but it was good to master the main road to the Mediterranean. In the future, the strategic focus of the Russian Empire will still return to Europe! The Minister of Foreign Affairs, who advocates Europe before Asia, said, "Your Imperial Majesty, now the British are busy with the war with the Boers, and all Europe is tripping them up, and for a while, it is difficult to pull out. Now is a good opportunity for us to act!" The Minister of Interior objected: "No! It''s OK to support the Bulgarians. However, if we can get down there personally, it will probably trigger a new round of great wars in Europe! The British are no fools. Trying to fool them is simply impossible! And the Triple Alliance, too, will not stand by and watch us act!" ... In the end, Niki II vetoed the proposal to strike at the Bosphorus now. After all, the Turks were not stronger overnight, and the weakened Ottoman Empire was not bold enough to fight Russia hard! The proposal to support Bulgaria passed, though, and it was a long-standing state policy of the Russian Empire to weaken the Ottoman Empire! The Ottoman Empire, with a territory of millions of square kilometers and a poption of more than 30 million, was at its peak a formidable force in Europe, and now that it was in decline, how could Niki II not beat up the dogs? As for whether Bulgaria will be bigger, this is not in his thoughts, anyway. Now Bulgaria has been tied to the Russian chariot, and it can not leave! Bacsh is non-existent. Political and economic cultures have been connected to each other, and it will be a pain in the ass for the Russian Empire to leave Bulgaria. Bulgaria has to consider the problem of survival to leave Russia! The Minister of Finance: "So what can we gain from this now? Who can say what the future holds, if for no reason we go to help the Bulgarians, now we are at a disadvantage!" When ites to interests, the prime minister said coldly: "But now we are allies, and the hard-won good civil rtions between Bulgaria and Russia are important for the future strategy of the empire. We make conditions. We must take care of the civil sentiment. Many demands simply can not be made! Plus, we havee together economically, although we are still two countries!" All approved the Prime Minister''s words. It was again rted to a current of thought at that time - Pan-vism! At the beginning of the 19th century, vs living in Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans, influenced by the expansion of capitalist rtions of production and the French bourgeois revolution, emerged as the liberation movement of the vic nations, and thus Pan-vism arose. vic intellectuals first advocated the study of the history, folk songs, and folk tales of the vic peoples, promoting cultural ties, achieving political unity against foreign rule, and changing the status of the vs who were bullied and oppressed. In June 1848, the vists convened a congress in Prague and asked all vs tomit themselves to unity, cooperation, and the equality of all nations. Due to the delegates'' differing opinions, it was impossible to reach an agreement. Also, in Russia, vic factions emerged, praising the Tsar and the social system of Tsarist Russia, and many of them established contacts by letters or mutual visits with Pan-vists in Austria and the Balkans. In the middle of the 19th century, Russia''s serfdom crisis deepened, while capitalist rtions gradually developed and the Tsarist government was eager to expand abroad in order to ease domestic ss conflicts. The Russian Pan-vists used the Pan-vist ideas that had appeared earlier in Austria and tampered with them in the service of the Tsar. Their basic ims rted to: 1. ims that vs and Russians share amon history and lineage, a simrnguage and culture, the same religious beliefs, the same geographical proximity, amon destiny and interests, and that the Russian nation is the leader of the vs; 2. To promote Russia as the ''protector'' of the vic peoples and to rely on the Tsar to guarantee the future of the vs. 3. The establishment of the Great vic Empire with Russia as its ''ally'' was the only way to free the vs from Austrian and Ottoman domination and finally advanced Russia''s European frontiers to the west and south. These ideas met the interests and needs of the Russian rulers and became the ideological weapon of the Tsarist Russian government for foreign aggression and expansion, thus making the support of Pan-vism and its movements, from Aleksandr I to Niki II, the basic state policy of the Russian Empire! As a result of Ferdinand''s butterfly effect, rtions between Bulgaria and Russia are now showing a positive trend, with civil exchanges increasing daily and Pan-vism beginning to gain strength, especially among the younger generation. This situation is exactly what the Tsarist government needs! It is clear to all who are present that if it continues, in another 20 or 30 years, no one will be able to stop Russia and Bulgaria from establishing the ''Great vic Empire'' with the Russian Empire at its core! In this context, Niki II would not tolerate any move that would undermine the rtions between the two countries! That''s why the Minister of Navy supported Bulgaria''s expansion into the Ottoman Empire. Sooner orter, it will be their own anyway! As for whether Bulgaria will do big? None of the Russian government will worry. The volume gap is too big! In arge empire with a territory of more than 20 million square kilometers, a poption of more than 150 million, and a small country with a poption of only four million and a territory of just over 100,000, the difference is too great! Even if Bulgaria grows two or three times more, what can it do? Would it change the power bnce between the two sides? ... Chapter 165: 25) The Doomed Turks Chapter 165: 25) The Doomed Turks In order to ensure the security of the Turkish Straits and to build the ''Great vic Empire'', the Russians finally decided: to support Bulgaria in challenging the Ottoman Empire! But the biggest problem now is not the Russian government, but the attitude of the French government! Who said that the Russian Empire is not very good at finance? One billion Leva is not a small amount. Which trantes into nearly 40 million pounds and hundreds of tons of gold! It''s not that the Russian Empire doesn''t have this money, but there''s absolutely no way they have so much free money to take out as a loan! Are they even still borrowing money from the French themselves? Of course, Ferdinand''s one billion Leva was nothingpared to the Russian loans! In the Russo-Japanese War, the Russians borrowed 800 million francs at once, and this was only a small amount of it! Of course, the French were willing to lend money to the Russians because, in addition to their economic interests, they needed the Russian Empire as an ally to suppress the ''Triple Alliance'' on the European continent. Bulgaria clearly does not have the strength to do so, and the risk of lending to small countries is still very high. For example, the previous French loan to Serbia has now been basically dered a bust. Ferdinand has beaten Serbia, the government has long been bankrupt, and now the country is in chaos. The situation depends on Austria-Hungary to maintain that ''repay the debt'' did not exist! With the rtionship between Germany and France, Austria-Hungary will not likely let Serbia pay! And the Serbian government itself? Long ago has been racked, and Austria-Hungary is not a charity. By helping stabilize the situation, it will reduce spending as much as possible, such as the Serbian Army was disbanded! It is not right to say that it was disbanded, the major part of the Serbian army went up in smoke after the end of the Bulgarian-Serbian War, and Austria-Hungary simply discharged their mobilized militia back home. And then, thest armed force within Serbia was left with the 3,000 men of Alexander I''s Royal Guard. There were also groups of policemen, the Austro-Hungarian army took on the task of defense of Serbia, and it looked like it was only a matter of time before it was annexed! The loan amount is notrge, and the French are rich and powerful. It does not matter. The capitalists, whose interests have been lost, are not satisfied. Now that Bulgaria has applied for a loan, they have long been sharpening their fists and preparing to make up for the losses from it, but the attitude of the international loan authorities is critical! Ferdinand does not need to do anything. The capitalists, driven by their interests, have already started their public rtions. They want to use the influence of the French government to seize the maximum benefit for them! President Flix Franois Flevol is in the middle of a meeting with his men. That''s right, the famous ''Death under the peony, even a ghost can be a beauty''1) is the sixth president of the Third Republic of France! (Note: He died of a heart attack during sex with his mistress.) Please don''t get this wrong. Although they are discussing something to do with Bulgaria, the core is not Bulgaria''s loans but rtions with Russia! The Minister of Foreign Affairs analyzed: "Mr. President, from our point of view, the Russian Empire''s strategic focus to the east will certainly be a strategic retreat in Europe. The pressure on France on the Western Front will be greatly increased in the future! Our best bet: is to pull the Russians'' attention back to Europe again, but that''s hard to do! Unless their Far East strategy is thwarted, which sadly, the Tartars in the East, now fallen, are powerless to stop their expansion! The greedy Russians, however, still have no ns to abandon the Balkans and turn to the idea of supporting puppets! So far, it''s still a sess! The Bulgarians are doing pretty well so far, but the future is hard to say. The young Knyaz Ferdinand is not so easy to control. Niki II now wants to control Bulgaria further economically again, but the Russians themselves are short of money, and that''s why the Russians are asking us to form a joint bank." President Flix Franois Faure thought about it and said, "I understand what you mean, the Russians are still not finished with the Balkans or are still interested in the Bosphorus, right?" The Minister of Foreign Affairs replied: "Yes, Your Excellency! The greed of the Russians knows no bounds, and their appetite is much greater than we can imagine. However, it seems that Niki II learned the lesson of his great grandfather, knowing that no one in all of Europe wanted them to enter the Mediterranean, so he adopted a detour strategy, using Bulgaria as a pawn first to test the attitude of the Great Powers! Of course, we can''t argue that it''s an effort to build the legendary ''Great vic Empire'', or even both! If we agree to this loan, perhaps a new round of Balkan wars will break out again soon! The Bulgarians could not resist the bait the Russians threw! Both Istanbul and the Macedonian region are Bulgarian targets! Once war breaks out in the Balkans, whether the Russians want it or not, they will have to withdraw some of their energy back to Europe! And as far as I can judge, if the Russians are not taking action themselves, there is a high chance of achieving this by simply supporting Bulgaria''s expansion in the Balkans again. The price is that the Russians do not enter the Mediterranean! In South Africa, there are still disputes between the British and the Germans over the Boers. In North Africa, we are also at odds with the British, who do not have the energy to interfere with the Russians in the short term! In order to get the Turks to admit the fact that the British upied Egypt, I guess the British are now eager to break out of the Balkan War immediately?" In a surprise, Flix Franois Faure asked, "So, the situation in the Balkans is now, in turn, in our hands?" "That''s right!" The Minister of Foreign Affairs replied in the positive! Flix Franois Faure loosened his shoulders, then said: "We seem to have no reason to refuse? The Russians in the Balkans, sooner orter, will have to sh with Austria-Hungary. In that case, might as well make them whole! It''s best to be able to pull Russia''s strategic focus back from the Far East. Even if it fails, it doesn''t matter. Our capitalists can still make a big profit anyway!" The Minister of Finance interrupted: "Only if the Bulgarians can win the war! If they lose the war, they will be no better than Serbia. And when that happens, who will we collect the loans from?" The Minister of Foreign Affairsughed and said, "Oh, I can answer that question! Does sess or failure depend on the input of the Russians? As the Ottoman Empire has fallen, it now just sustains an empty shelf that will break at the first poke! Except for the Germans, Russians, and us, the British, the Italians, and Austria-Hungary wanted them to lose the war. So whether the Bulgarians will win, we don''t know yet, but the Great Powers are on the same page, the Germans are at best neutral, and the Turks are already destined to be the losers anyway!" Trantor: 1) It means that in the old days, one thought that when you died doing sexually-oriented things, it was also beautiful. Chapter 166: 26) The French Approach Chapter 166: 26) The French Approach The faces of the crowd changed slightly. If there is any Great Power other than Germany that has the best rtions with the Ottomans, it is France. There is no other, just interest! In 1895, French investments in the Ottoman Empire were second only to Russia''s, totaling more than 2.5 billion francs, or about ten percent of France''s total foreign investments. In addition, France also held 60% of the Ottoman Empire''s government bonds, which together, in essence, brought the total amount of money invested by France in the Ottoman Empire to over 3 billion francs! For reasons of interest, the French government is most interested in maintaining the status quo in the Ottoman Empire! After all, once the war broke out, French interests in the Ottoman would definitely be affected. It is a pity that, except for France, Germany may secretly support the Turks by pulling their strings, but all the other Great Powers are enemies of the Sultan''s government! Is it possible for France to unite with the Germans for the Turks? Of course, it is impossible! The French government would not choose to side with the Germans unless it were insane. And it was unlikely that the Germans would be able to provide much substantial help to the Turks. The Austro-Hungarians in the "Triple Alliance" were fighting against the Turks in the Balkans, and Bosnia and Herzegovina was the focus of conflict between the two countries; the Italians were eyeing the Turks'' Libya and Moro; the Germans could not abandon Austria-Hungary and Italy just to bring in the Ottoman Empire! Simply put, the British proposed n to divide the Ottomans is a clear stance. Especially during the Anglo-Boer War, the British have to worry about the Sultan''s government taking the opportunity to recover the Egyptian region! It goes without saying that the Russian attitude, over the history of the Russo-Turkish War, we will find that the small battle kept on, with the big battle on average less than once in 19 years, ording to the time, a new round of the Russo-Turkish War shoulde again! Both sides have been fighting for more than two hundred years. The feud is as deep as the sea. If you want to ease their rtions, dream on! The Russians rejected the British partition n mainly because they feared uneasy intentions, such as undermining Russia''s Far East strategy or taking advantage of the opportunity to enter the Aegean Sea. No way is the ck Sea so closed? With a random blockage of a key route, you can lock up the sea lines of traffic to the Mediterranean! And even if Britain kept her promise, it would be of little use to the Russian Empire. The Great Powers would not let the Russian Navy gain a foothold in the Mediterranean, and then there would be more enemies. With the current strength of the Russian Navy, there is no chance of challenging the British hegemony at sea! Too much risk and not enough reward anyway! However, on the issue of weakening the Ottoman Empire, the British, Russian, Italian, and Austrian fiercely were on the same page! The Russians were worried that the Ottoman Empire would rise again and threaten itself again! For the Ottoman Empire, one can say that the international situation now is worse than during the First Balkan War! If Bulgaria wants to challenge the Ottomans now, the Great Powers don''t mind supporting it! It was not like the ''Greek-Turkish'' war of 1897 when the Great Powers had reached a basicpromise, the Armenian issue had faded away, and they had temporarily eased the conflicts between the Turks and the countries. At that moment, the attitude of the Great Powers changed and wanted to maintain stability in the Balkans and did not support the Greeks in their fight. Even so, at the time of talks, the attitude of the Great Powers favored the Greeks. But now it''s all different! Due to Ferdinand''s butterfly effect, Bulgaria, which was already standing along all sides, is now hugging the Russians; Serbia is ruined and could be annexed by Austria-Hungary at any time. The situation in the Balkans had changed, and the historical conflict between Russia and Austria-Hungary was no longer intense. Historically, Austria-Hungary dominated the Balkans, and the Russians feared that Austria-Hungary''s expansion in the Balkans would threaten the Turkish Straits''s security. All objected to Austria-Hungary''s annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Moreover, Serbia and Montenegro came out with Russian support and opposed Austria-Hungary''s annexation of the Bosnian region, and the attitude of the Bulgarian government was again indecisive. And at this time, the Germans were busy fighting with the British for South Africa and did not want to get involved in the strife in the Balkans. Without German support, Austria-Hungary was forced to give in. The Russians also did not intend to expand in the Balkans in order to implement their Far Eastern strategy. In 1897, the two countries reached apromise on the Balkans! All things were different now, although the Germans and the British had sharpened their conflicts due to the Anglo-Boer War and did not have the energy to get involved in the Balkan strife. But due to Ferdinand''s butterfly effect, the Russian Empire had not yet seeded in Serbia''s actions, the second Bulgarian-Serbian war broke out, Austria-Hungary haspletely controlled Serbia, there was no ability toe out and sing against the boss; and Bulgaria held the thigh of the Russians, with Bulgaria''s blockage, Austria-Hungary''s threat to the Turkish Straits has not yete to fruition! The conflict between the Russian Empire and Austria-Hungary is far less acute than it was at the same time in history. Although the two sides have not yet agreed on the division of the Balkans, they do not have core conflicting interests now either. The Russians'' strategic focus was on the Far East, and expansion in the Balkans mainly focused on supporting Bulgaria. Meanwhile, Austria-Hungary''s Balkan partition n, and Ferdinand''s Balkan strategy, were mostly aligned in the short term! This point, naturally, can not be hidden from astute politicians. The Second Bulgarian-Serbian War, when Austria-Hungary did not care about the war, it ate the biggest cake, is no doubt the best example! In the eyes of those who are interested, Bulgaria has likely reached an agreement with Austria-Hungary on the Balkans! President Flix Franois Faure recognized this and could also be sure that the Russians would support the Bulgarian move! Putting Constantinople in the hands of the Turks is no better than keeping it in your own hands! As for Bulgaria, forget it! In his eyes, the Bulgarian army is just fine, but the navy? What kind of creature is that? In any case, without a navy, Bulgaria had to turn to the Russians to master the Turkish Straits, and Constantinople was still in control of the Russians! "Looks like the Turks, again, are out of luck! But it does not matter much to us, as long as we can keep our interests!" said Flix Franois Faure after thinking about it. The Minister of Foreign Affairs said with a smile, "If we are not going to intervene, then we will leave the Bulgarian loans to the capitalists themselves, and I believe they will have a good harvest this time!" The people looked at each other and smiled. Not only will the capitalists have a good harvest, but the people sitting in the crowd will also have a good harvest. After all, international loans are subject to the government. Otherwise, the capitalists can not afford to go to a country to collect debts! Chapter 167: 27) Russian Ambition Chapter 167: 27) Russian Ambition Although he spected, Ferdinand had to confirm the attitudes of the French and Russians before he could rest assured. So he asked, "Mr. Metev, what are the conditions of the Russians?" Metev said nervously, "The Russians want to preserve the Russian and Bulgarian navies and can share all military ports!" It can not help him not to be nervous. Bulgaria and then the ck Sea ports, for the Russian Imperial Navy, arepletely dispensable existence. There is only one possibility for this condition to be made now: Bulgaria''s strategy has been exposed! Only the ess to the Mediterranean Sea is worth the attention of the Russians! As for the navy''s shared military port, they were simply stashed away, but it was just a nice thing to say! It is hard to believe that the Bulgarian navy, which exists in theory, can really use Russian military ports? A few momentster, Minister of Foreign Affairs Metev added, saying, "And that is, I hope our two countries can have more in-depth cultural exchanges!" Ferdinand''s mind was stunned. Sharing a military port earlier is okay, while the Russian already knows the strategic intentions of Bulgaria, but it also implies the intention to support the expansion of Bulgaria! As for the Bosphorus, Ferdinand had not dared to think about it. To master the Bosphorus, you can not escape a core issue - Constantinople! And there must also be a navy, so good as it is, Constantinople is still a piece of gold for Bulgaria now! It''s easy to get, but it''s hard to keep! The Turks will certainly not give up easily. Without the control of the sea, the Ottoman navy will attack every day, and Ferdinand does not want to live! As for the desire for deeper cultural exchange,ter on, the ambition is clear! Aren''t the cultural exchanges between Russia and Bulgaria deep enough? It is obvious that they are to spread ''Pan-vism''! Ferdinand sneered. Now Bulgaria''s nationalism has risen, ''Pan-vism'' is trying to gain recognition, but it is impossible to do so in a short time! In a decade or two, Bulgaria will not be the Bulgaria of today! By then, even if Ferdinand agreed to establish the ''Great vic Empire'', would the European Great Powers be able to agree? And ''Pan-vism'' is not entirely bad for Bulgaria! At least it will increase the approval of the immigrants from Russia to Bulgaria! In the end, who can get the most benefit, depends on the means! In this case, Ferdinand decided to simply push one more time, not to promote ''Pan-vism''? All right then! To the Russian Empire, too. Ferdinand has decided to send someone to the Ukrainian region to promote a good wave of ''Pan-vism'' for the Russian government. Of course, he can remove Russia as the core of this article! If the Russian Empire can resist a war against the odds, there''s nothing to say! Ferdinand can simply bow down, admit defeat, and be a king in the federal empire. What about history remains the same, though? It''s not his fault that he inherited part of the Russian Empire! Anyway, we are all vic peoples, and under the influence of ''Pan-vism'', everyone must not be so resistant to joining the Bulgarian family! One can say that Ferdinand is ying a big gamble. If you win, Bulgaria will step on the corpse of the Russian Empire and establish the ''Third Bulgarian Empire''; if you lose it for Bulgaria, everything will be over. For Ferdinand personally, the big deal is to be the king of the ''Great vic Empire'', no matter how you look at it, is to make a gain. It is only a question of how much gain! Ferdinand said firmly: "Tell the Russians that their conditions, we agree! But we have to get the Russian Empire, full support! Whether in diplomacy or military technology, I hope to start an all-round cooperation!" On this issue, Ferdinand did not ask the opinion of the cab. He knew that if they let them resolve, it would likely not pass! Without foresight, who would not have thought that a ''Russo-Japanese War'' would break out in the Far East more than ten yearster, and then the internal conflicts in Russia would intensify, and a revolution would break out, pulling the Russian Empire down from the throne! More than twenty yearster, a World War would break out and directly bring down the Russian Empire! ... After a few moments of silence, Prime Minister Konstantin hesitantly advised, "Your Highness, the scheming of the Russian has been exposed, and I am afraid that if we agree to their terms, we might be in big trouble in the future?" Ferdinand said coldly: "It''s not that simple. Even if we reject the terms this time, the Russians will not stop! We don''t know how many tricks they will use to force us topromise! If that''s the case, we might as well just trade it for some benefits! As long as our strategic goals are achieved, Bulgaria will be a medium-sized country with a poption of over 10 million. At that time, even if the Russians wanted to establish the ''Great vic Empire'', we would have enough strength to negotiate the terms! Besides, the Great Powers would not tolerate the annexation of the Balkans by the Russians, at least not by Austria-Hungary! And the British would not let Russia run to the Mediterranean and fight them for supremacy!" All the people now had an angry look on their faces. The Russians actually wanted to annex Bulgaria, which was totally intolerable to the people! The Great vic Empire sounds great. If the Russian Empire is weaker, or Bulgaria is stronger by about ten times or eight times, maybe it''s really possible to achieve! But now there is no need to think about it, the gap between the two sides is too big! The so-called Union is not yet a one-way street for the Russians! Seeing the crowd''s reaction, Ferdinand reassured: "You don''t have to worry too much. We still have enough time. At least now we are separated from the Russians by Romania! To build the Great vic Empire was not so simple. Even if we cooperate with our hearts, the Great Powers will intervene! There is only one chance, and Niki II will not take the plunge without sufficient certainty. Now the strategic focus of the Russians is still the Far East, arge number of human and material resources are invested in the Siberian Railway, at least ten years there is no chance for Russia to pull out!" Hearing Ferdinand''s words, the crowd looked a little more rxed. Even if Pan-vism is powerful, it is impossible to achieve results in the short term. Moreover, ''Pan-vism'' and Ferdinand''s Greater Bulgarians have simrities, which will promote the integration of ethnic groups in Bulgaria! Besides, in the absence of a border, even if Niki II were confident, he would not set up a federal empire in advance. If not, being separated in two ces, the Great Powers will easily cause another split when they intervene! The Russians have to y their cards right, so let''s take care of Romania first! Along with this, they must take care of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the German Empire behind Romania. To do this, let''s win a World War first! Chapter 168: 28) Big Loans Chapter 168: 28) Big Loans There is no doubt that after the political agreement, the rest of the details of the talks, tug of war, does not need Ferdinand to bother. Although the loan is mainly from France, it does not mean that the Bulgarian government does not need to borrow from other countries! Thete 19th century was the golden age of capitalist progress, and even when talks failed at the government level, capitalists did business as usual as long as they thought it was profitable. After the Bulgarian-Serbian War, Bulgaria fully attracted the internationalmunity''s attention. Everyone noticed with a jolt that a small country began to rise in the Balkans. Politicians are concerned about the impact on the international situation. Capitalists are naturally concerned about profit! Anyone with a strong mind will easily notice that the Bulgarian economy has been growing rapidly in recent years! High economic growth, naturally, is a golden period for capitalists to make money. It is a pity that this discovery has beente. Bulgaria''s domestic market is limited and already saturated. There is no chance of thest entering! But this is only for small capitalists. It is far faster to make money from finance forrge consortia than in the real economy! After assessing the risks, it bes clear that the Bulgarian government''s ability to repay the loan is still very strong. You know that Bulgaria, to stimte economic development, is reducing taxes, or even tax exemptions, for many industries, and once taxes return to normal levels, revenues will certainly increase sharply! ''Once there is a proper profit, the capitalists are very bold! With 10 percent profit it is guaranteed to be used everywhere; with 20 percent profit it is lively; with 50 percent profit it is desperate; with 100 percent profit it dares to trample on all earthlyws; with 300 percent profit it dares tomit any crime!'' -- Karl Marx - Das Kapital For ordinary people, perhaps the profits from issuing loans and buying bonds are just a few points. But who would be willing toe out without a few banks in their hands for the consortium? Using other people''s money to generate money is their mostmon tactic! In essence, taking out the risk, the cost of loans is surprisingly low, which is why capitalists are keen to engage in finance! Otherwise, how much higher interest can be simply lending with their own money? In the face of high profits, there is no resistance to capital ever! Even if diplomacy doesn''t get everything it wants, loan talks continue as usual, but in much lower amounts! In the spirit that the mosquito, no matter how small, was meat, the Bulgarian government is still very warm to all parties on behalf of the contact, trying to get every loan. ... Time passed quickly, and by the end of 1895, through the tireless efforts of the Bulgarian government, a total of 15 loans of varying sizes were obtained, involving a total of 987 million Leva. What is a high level of debt? The Bulgarian government is now heavily indebted, paying interest on its funds alone every year, up to more than 80 million Leva! If you add the interest on previous loans, the figure has exceeded 100 million Leva! The French once provided 800 million Leva (the same value as the franc) and other dozens of loans, adding up to less than 200 million. We can only say that the government dominates this age of international loans! Small loans are fine, just a little higher interest rate, not many conditions attached, and most of them are issued at once. But the huge French money, or the ''French-Russian'' joint loan, is not so easy to get! First, the loan was not granted at once but divided into three releases. The first release of 300 million Leva, with the rest being released twiceter! Secondly, the direction of the use of the loan had to be monitored. ording to the agreement, for which 300 million Leva, Bulgaria must be invested in the navy. As for how to use it, it does not worry Ferdinand. The Russians will help develop a ''proper'' naval development n! The remaining 600 million Leva, or francs, of which half the funds must be used, must be used to buy French goods! And the Bulgarian government must also ensure that not less than 100 million Leva is invested in the military industry! Ferdinand has done his best to imagine the audacity of the Great Powers but still underestimated the low morality of the Great Powers! To monitor the use of loans, it will notin. But even the specific use of the situation is clearly specified. There is nothing to say! If it were not for the 300 million Leva ''naval development n'', which is a twenty-year interest-free loan, he would never have asked for it! That''s right, France and Russia have nned to support Bulgaria to get the Turkish Straits, which is only nominal ess. The actual control is still in the hands of the Russians! On the other hand, the French were granted the right to travel freely without paying customs duties. The Russian Empire was the number one investor in France abroad and thergest overseas market for French goods, so the Turkish tariffs were an eyesore. One can see that the annual payment of tens of millions of francs in customs duties to the Turks has made the French capitalists very unhappy. They were ready to kick out this stumbling block as soon as they had the chance! When they got this final treaty, the top Bulgarian government was outraged. Is not Bulgaria fighting for the Russians or the French? Moreover, it is the kind of mercenaries who bring their own rations without paying the army. All the harvest can only rely on their own to grab! It is lucky that the Bulgarian navy has no presence. Otherwise, there would be no chance of passing it at all! Once this treaty is signed, the Bulgarian navy will be reduced to one of the fleets in the hands of the Russian Empire! However, Ferdinand was tempted to rely on Bulgaria''s strength to build a navy. Without 20 or 30 years, there is no way to form a fighting force. If you can use the power of the Russians, it may only take a few years to build a fleet. The Russians can send officers, but not all the soldiers too! If not, Bulgaria can also get a batch of naval soldiers with a set of naval logistics systems! Ferdinand said in a serious voice: "All right, gentlemen, put away your anger! Anger can only burn your reason, and it is only through calm that you can solve the problem! It is now clear that our strategy has been exposed, or at least the Russians have surmised it! Either we agree to their terms and be mercenaries with the support of the Franco-Russian alliance. If we defeat the Turks, we will gain arge part of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans. Of course, we also have to pay a heavy economic price. Even our navy will be one of the fleets in the hands of the Russians! Either reject the Russian conditions, from now on, and the Russian Empire parts ways, we not only can not get support, but I''m also afraid we have to face a series of Russian suppression! All of you are the elite of Bulgaria. Now you need to choose the fate of Bulgaria, think calmly, and then tell me the answer!" Chapter 169: 29) Choice Chapter 169: 29) Choice In the end, it was all said and done by Ferdinand, and the crowd just had to decide whether to do it or not! In fact, the Bulgarian government has no choice between the two paths before it. There is no free lunch in the world. How is it possible to get the benefits without paying the price? The Russians have been fighting the Turks for over two hundred years over the Bosphorus, and now they will support Bulgaria for nothing to get Constantinople, forget about it! Ferdinand drew up a strategy that never hit Constantinople from the beginning to the end. Who could not help but call the Bosphorus the Russian lifeline to the Mediterranean? By holding Constantinople, one held the Bosphorus, and of course, there was a Dardanelles, also a major route for the Russians into the Mediterranean. The Russians now had the obvious goal of seizing the Turkish Straits and taking control of the Marmara Sea while Britain was busy fighting with the Germans over South Africa and the French over North Africa. Once they achieved this strategic goal, the Russians would have been unbeatable in the Mediterranean Sea: they would have been able to attack and retreat! If Bulgaria rejects the Russian offer, it is the same as breaking the Russian strategy in the Mediterranean, and the end speaks for itself! In the same way, the Russians'' Mediterranean strategy is in the French''s interest. If the Russians enter the Mediterranean, they will not focus their efforts on the Far East strategy or even abandon it, which will help relieve the pressure on France on the European continent! Bulgaria now has no choice, a plow, and a harvest! In Ferdinand''s opinion, the Russians did a pretty good job this time, and despite the huge price Bulgaria paid, the gains were huge! Even at the expense of others, Bulgaria would still have ess to more than 100,000 square kilometers ofnd, including the Istanbul region, the Macedonian region, Eastern Thrace, Albania, etc.! In his opinion, all this can bepromised, and anyway, when the World War is over, all these rights will return to Bulgaria, and it is perfectly possible to trade a short-termpromise for the growth of Bulgaria! After being silent for half a minute, Prime Minister Konstantin sighed and said, "Gentlemen, we simply don''t have a choice now! By agreeing to the Russian conditions, Greater Bulgaria is essentiallyplete, and the dream of several generations is barely realized in our hands! As for the future, we can only take one step at a time. As long as Bulgaria is strong enough, none of this is a problem!" It is clear that Prime Minister Konstantin is rational and not overwhelmed by anger and knows what is in the best interest of Bulgaria! The Russians are stuck at the right point with their conditions. The Bulgarian navy should be more suitable to be called the marine police. To master the Marmara Sea is aplete joke! In that case, it would be better to give it to the Russians. After all, if the Ottoman Empire cut off the connection between Europe and Asia, Bulgaria''s chances of winning would also increase greatly. As for the future military ports in the territory, which the Russians will control, it does not matter. Anyway, it is still Turkish territory. Even if they sold out more interests, we could not feel the pain of the cut. It is the same as Bulgaria providing the army and the Russians providing the navy to attack the Ottoman Empire jointly and then share the spoils, and the people do not have to worry about carrying the reputation of traitors! Minister of Foreign Affairs Metev also spoke: "The international situation is now very favorable to us. The British are bound to South Africa, and the Germans are unwilling to let go. They are fighting in South Africa by backing the Boers and the British, have the support of the Europeanmunity, and will not be divided in a short time! At the same time, because of the Egyptian issue, the British and the Turks have nasty things going on, leaving aside the Russian Empire, and they are anxious for us to be able to weaken the Ottoman Empire in order to protect their interests in Egypt. Austria-Hungary had long had ns for the Balkans, and they wanted to annex the Bosnia-Herzegovina region, which they had not realized before due to strong resistance from the Turks and opposition from the Russians. Well, now there''s a Serbia to add, and we can work together on that, and I''m sure the Russians are willing to make that deal with them! As for the other Great Powers, they have limited strength in the Balkans and are unable to interfere with our actions! Moreover, it is still the weakest time for the Turks, with a mess at home and endless national uprisings depleting thest reserves of the oldest empire!" Ferdinand was stunned and did not expect that the usually obscure Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is still a downright liberal, was starting to agitate for action. And his proposal, again, exactly was what Ferdinand needed right now. He seeded in diverting the crowd''s attention, and now many of them are intent on it. Of course, Ferdinand also knows this is based on the premise that there is no damage to the core interests of Bulgaria. Now Bulgaria is a time of high nationalism, and the crowd can not help but be affected, for the national interest is particrly important. Still, Ferdinand broke the crowd''s illusory dreams. "Okay, just have your minds back! We are not ready at all, and the weapons and ammunition are still a pile of raw materials right now. Even if the chances are good, we can''t follow the Serbian example and let the soldiers go straight to the battlefield to die with a bunch of rustic iron!" With Serbia as a counter-example, Bulgaria will not be caught in the ''courage to win'' theory. After all, the Serbian soldiers, brave but on the battlefield, are still beaten by the Bulgarian army to the ground! The crowd secretlymented that they missed a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Ferdinand, however, did not think so. The Ottoman Empire''s domestic conflicts have been a long time, and how can be cleared up overnight. It is not a day or two for the international situation to change. South Africa''s value is so big that all of Europe is jealous of the point, and Britain intends to kick out the Germans alone, not give them more. It is still Wilhelm II? Even if the British could pacify the Germans at great cost, what about the French, the Spanish, the Dutch ...? It can''t all beid to rest, right? As long as there is the support of the Great Powers, the Boers are not so easy to handle! Is history not just three years of fighting? It is still based on the premise that the British set up the Germans, pulled in the Portuguese, and smoothly pitted the Spanish in the Spanish-American War, gaining the Americans'' support. Now? The Americans are still the vanguard of the anti-British. It is not the courage to go directly, but they have sent volunteers to bring their dry food to help the Boers. Historically, the U.S. government supported the British, but private citizens still donated money and organized volunteers to go and give the British a hard time. Chapter 170: 30) Battle Preparation and Debate Chapter 170: 30) Battle Preparation and Debate The reason is none other than gold! At the end of the 19th century, in this era of the gold standard, no one wanted the British to get the gold of South Africa and take control of the world''s financial lifeline! The British, who have historicallymitted the people''s wrath, cleverly used diplomacy to stir up conflicts between countries so that the Great Powers could not unite. Even so, the British eventually fought hard for three years before winning under the small moves of the countries. However, against the backdrop of countries that manipte public opinion to give the British a hard time, the European public has set off a boycott of the British. The British were victorious while still paying the price, with industrial products forced to lose part of their market in the European region, reced by German industrial andmercial goods, creating a chance for the German economy to overtake Britain! The situation now is even worse than in history. In Ferdinand''s opinion, even if John Bull''s diplomacy is more than good, it is not a short time to fix. Of course, the British don''t think the Boers are much of a fighting force! Of course, now the British are prepared to intervene in the Near East crisis after fighting the Boers! If Bulgaria is out to weaken the Ottoman Empire, it is estimated they are still happy to do so. After all, the importance of Egypt speaks for itself. The British are not allowed to let go of thendline of transport to India! In contrast, the Balkans'' importance will take a back seat. Besides limiting the expansion of the Russian Empire, it isn''t very important to the British Empire in terms of benefits! Ferdinand took a deep breath, calmed down a bit, and said, "Since everyone has no opinion, let''s sign with France and Russia as soon as possible! Don''t think about those useless. All we have to do now is get ready for war, get ready for war, and get ready for war! Strive to win the war with the least cost and get the biggest piece of the cake! As for the navy, just leave it to the Russians. Anyway, there is a history of this. Isn''t it true that the Russians were the ones who took care of the army before? Isn''t the army returning to our own hands now? Don''t have any stress in your mind. Instead of this, go and put your energy into building the country!" The new Minister of Defense Petrov asked in a nervous voice: "Your Highness, are we now going to conduct an all-out preparation for war right away?" Ferdinand thought about it, nodded, and said, "Yeah, what''s the n for your Ministry of Defense?" Petrov said calmly, "Our Ministry of Defense has devised a national reserve training program, in which all young people (over 17 years old and under 55 years old) in Bulgaria of the right age are required to take part in military training. With the actual situation in mind, we focused our reserve training on the countryside, using the spare time of farming to conduct militarized training. The training time varies from three to six months per year, although such high-intensity training also requires the government to allocate part of the funds to subsidize the young and strong people who participate in the training. Of course, townspeople are not exempt, but since most of them work in factories, we reduced the training time to one month per year! In theory, once war breaks out, we can mobilize 300,000 troops within three days, 600,000 troops within a week and the maximum limit of mobilization can reach one million people!" Ferdinand''s face changed slightly and then returned to normal, and he thought: ''This may be the historical Bulgarian set of mobilization system! But now, I''m afraid it''s a little crazy. After all, the people have not been through the humiliation of the Second Balkan War. Who knows if the people can withstand such hardship?'' "Mr. Petrov, has your Ministry of Defense considered the actual situation when it made this n? It is the whole of the country already, will the Bulgarian poption be able to bear it?" Petrov said confidently: "Your Highness, please don''t worry! Bulgaria has a tradition of having a full military poption; in fact, all Balkan countries have a tradition of having a full military poption. If Serbia could do it before, there is no reason we can''t do it! As long as there is sufficient military funding, we at the Ministry of Defense can ensure this mission is aplished!" Looking at the confident Minister of Defense, Ferdinand knew that it was hard to say in other countries, but Bulgaria was really able toplete, but the capitalists will have a hard time, or Ferdinand himself will have to lose a lot of money! Besides, if only it were Bulgaria and Ottoman alone, Ferdinand may not likely really fought, but it''s not to that point yet. So he threw it into the cab, opened his mouth, and asked, "What does the cab think?" The result was beyond Ferdinand''s surprise, and the cab, which was expected to oppose it, actually supported the Ministry of Defense''s proposal en masse! Konstantin: "Your Highness, I see no problem with the program developed by the Ministry of Defense to maximize the war potential of Bulgaria!" Then Minister of Foreign Affairs Metev, Minister of Industry dimir Ivanov, and Minister of Education Chekhov voiced their support! Ferdinand finally understood why Bulgaria was able to expand in World War I. ''The fall of a single leaf ushers in the autumn''1). What could not be done in the context of the upper line? He still shook his head and said, "That''s true in theory, but you''ve overlooked the logistical supply problem when war breaks out! We also have to have enough manpower to put into logistics! From the military point of view, after the outbreak of war, the main battlefield is the Macedonian and Istanbul regions. Other regions are secondary battlefields. We simply do not need to use so many troops! How many troops did the Ottoman Empire have? How many troops are there in Europe? There are less than 200,000 people in Europe right now! Even their entire army is merely 500,000 to 600,000 men! With their rotten system and low efficiency, if they want to mobilize the whole country, it is estimated that the war will already be over before it starts! The enemy army we face, at most 300,000 to 400,000, but we also have to consider that they suffer from ack of response, in this regard, detailed information, someone will give youter! Don''t be scared by the name of the Ottoman Empire. This huge empire is already very sick. The most they can mobilize is the European region, and the reserve training is deserted! The supplies reserve is a joke! If we really want to fight, I guess they are not as good as the Serbs! At least when the national crisis, the Serbian government officials still perform well. Ottoman Empire? Suppose half of the funds are used in practice and are already running. In that case, it is usually under the situation of different stages of restraint down, adhere to the seven or eight stages of the normal level! In addition, there is no need to ignore that we still have always a 200,000 people army avable! When necessary, with a little training, we can send the militarized road construction workers to the battlefield! So this time, the main preparation for the war is in the supplies and personnel training, rather than simply go after the number!" Trante: 1) It means that when you see a leaf fall, you can tell theing of autumn. It is a metaphor to deduce the changes and trends of things from subtle signs. Chapter 171: 31) Naval Power on Paper Chapter 171: 31) Naval Power on Paper The words of Ferdinand are not without reason. The Greek''s dare to single out the Ottoman Empire is not without reason. It is true that the Turks are now very weak! It was much weaker than during the First Balkan War, or the British would not have intended to carve up the Ottomans, and the Greeks would not have had the guts to dere war on the Ottoman Empire! In the Macedonian region, for example, the Ottoman Empire nominally had a garrison of 110,000 troops, but in reality, probably less than half that number. The domestic power elite has saved the military budgets from dividing up, which got achieved by arresting civilians during the period of spot checks, which was the status quo of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the 19th century! After all, unlike Ferdinand, the traverser, Bulgaria had not long been able to gain independence from the Ottoman Empire and was still in awe of the sovereign state. When making strategies, one can''t help but overestimate the other side''s strength! Their assessment of the Ottoman Empire''s strength is still very realistic. The people''s faces were a bit embarrassed after hearing Ferdinand''s words, and they were relieved. The Ottoman Empire is, of course, the weaker, the better, and as to the n? You can always change it, as long as you win the war on the line! Well, Ferdinand''s sinister idea of using immigrants as cannon fodder, people pretend not to see. Anyway, they are not yet Bulgarian citizens. People do not care if they die. As for the Russians, they do not care about the death of foreign animals! Petrov said dryly, "Yes, I''ll go back and revise the n to include workers for road repair in the reserve n and will try to keep the factory running normally!" Thinking of the Second Balkan War, the main factor in the defeat of Bulgaria was theck of guns and artillery. The army had nothing to fight, but it is a pity that there were no weapons and ammunition for them to y with it. So, Ferdinand urged: "In a modern war, it is no longer the number of people that can determine victory! The battlefield is no longer just people. Weapons and equipment have be the core factor in determining the war''s victory or defeat! Of course, I''m not saying that the human factor is not critical anymore. The training of soldiers can never ease up! However, cold weapons can not beat the hot weapons, but it is a fact, not to hold the guns, can not find the ammunition, can only let the soldiers fight bays, it is embarrassing!" As soon as Ferdinand finished his words, Prime Minister Konstantin instantly took a stand and said, "Please rest assured, Your Highness, that our government will do its utmost to guarantee logistical supplies! In order to ensure thepletion of the ammunition stockpile, our cab will at once allocate funds and order the arsenal to increase the production line, even if it is a twenty-four-hour rush toplete the reserved task ahead of schedule!" ... Ferdinand was relieved that they took the government care of it. If now the Russians messed up, Bulgaria would definitely be unable to escape. No matter how proud the Russians are now when the Russo-Japanese War breaks out, they will know how to cry! As long as you survive the decade, by that time, a wounded Russia with a rising Bulgaria will fundamentally change the contrast in power between the two sides. This time, Russia''s efficiency was rare and efficient. As soon as the secret treaty was signed, the Russian Empire began to open up the supply of weapons and equipment to Bulgaria, and they could buy even some of the weapons and equipment prohibited by the French. It is a pity that now Ferdinand: what you can see can not be used, what you can use can not see! It took the time to purchase many high-tech machinery and equipment from France to enhance the industrial strength of Bulgaria. And then, the sign of the National Assembly came around, and they officially issued the Bulgarian n for a big navy! Specifics? Sorry, only God knows what the Russians intend to do! The Bulgarian government has no right to interfere with ''this new navy''. Ferdinand still underestimated the degree of shamelessness of the Russians, the so-called ''Bulgarian Navy'', which is directly a part of the Russian ck Sea Fleet, with a direct change of national g, that is, the Bulgarian Navy! Not to mention, for the control of the navy, even ordinary movements must be agreed to by the Russians. It is entirely at the expense of the Bulgarian government to raise the fleet for the Russians, from ship to crew. There is no ce where Bulgaria can intervene! Well, Ferdinand can onlyfort himself: in fact, two hundred million Leva, thrown into the mouth of the Navy, the gold-devouring beast, can not make much of a ssh, but now there is a powerful ''fleet that exists''? Even though it is not easy to use, at least you can take it out to scare people, right? In terms of tonnage, Bulgaria is one of the top ten naval powers in the world! And it is not entirely fruitless. Besides being able to scare people, at least the Russians still help Bulgaria get a system of logistical services. There is an additional shipyard for warship repair and maintenance. Although it sucks a little bit, at least it can also carry out simple warship maintenance! Of course, Ferdinand always thought that it was the Russian naval officers who, in order to embezzle military expenses, simply threw these costly expenses to the Bulgarian government to bear! However, he epted it readily. In addition to the engineers sent by the Russians, the Bulgarian government also stuffed a group of workers in to learn, just as a way to pay the tuition. In thete 19th century, naval power was deeply rooted in people''s hearts, and a nation''s power got measured by its navy, which is one of the most important indicators! The general public doesn''t care. How much is foul y involved? Anyway, this bought fleet puts up the Bulgarian g and hangs around in the ck Sea! Everyone had bragging rights to talk about and had a good time dreaming of a great nation! Along with the big reserve training that started, there was much more enthusiasm. With the changes in Bulgaria, people with a little bit ofmon sense know that a new round of the Balkan Wars will start again! The Balkan countries quickly began to follow suit. Firstly, Montenegro announced an expansion of 10,000 troops. Not muchpared to other countries, but for Montenegro, it''s already the limit! A small country with a poption of less than 400,000 is exerting its strength by raising an army of 25,000. One must admire King Nik I of Montenegro, who seeded the crown of the Prince in 1860 and fought against the Turks twice, in 1862 and 1876, and finally won a glorious victory. Again through diplomatic efforts, it decided at the Congress of Berlin that it would double its territory and it would be a sovereign state. Visiting St. Petersburg in 1868, he befriended the Russian Emperor Aleksandr II and embraced the Russian power, and from then on, the Tsarist government regrly supported him with money and arms. At the same time, he was a huge supporter of Serbdom (serfdom), wanted a united Serb nation, and advocated the creation of a United Kingdom. However, he was strongly opposed to Obrenovi. During the Bulgarian-Serbian War, the Montenegrin government took Serbia''s side and broke diplomatic rtions with Bulgaria. Chapter 172: 32) Undercurrents Chapter 172: 32) Undercurrents They did not keep the Russian support for Bulgaria secret at all. When they informed him, Nik I ordered the Montenegro government to pass the bill on the expansion of the army, despite the government''s financial capacity. Despite the bad rtions with Bulgaria after the Bulgarian-Serbian war, they also joined through the Russians. They tried to get a piece of the cake! Ferdinand quickly invited the future Kingdom of Montenegro to join the alliance, and thus the Balkan League was officially formed! Of course, the most critical thing is: that Montenegro is limited in strength. Even with the support of the Russians, they can not eat much. What''s more, it''s not the period of Aleksandr II anymore. Without the bundle of interests, just out of sympathy, the Russian support for Montenegro has significantly been reduced! For Serbia, the main force of the historic Balkan League was now in a difficult position to defend itself. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was not a simpleton who kept nibbling away at their sovereignty. The young Aleksandar I, already cornered, began to give up on himself. He bade farewell to his political affairs and hid himself in the pce for his happiness. To Ferdinand''s surprise, the Socialist Party, which historically folded in Bulgaria, was not even visible at this moment. It was in Serbia thatmunism began to flourish. Having escaped, the head of the anti-government forces embracedmunist influences. They are involved again with the radicals in Serbia and are preparing to overthrow the treacherous government by force and expel Austria-Hungary! In the face of the life and death of the country, Bulgaria was no longer the first enemy of the Serbs. The Austro-Hungarian Empire, which had worked so hard, took over the position of the viin, and the government, which was working for the post-war reconstruction and recovery of Serbia, became a ''corrupt'' reactionary colonial government! Well, the Serbian government indeed got wronged. They were stillpetent in thete 19th century. Only through their tireless efforts did Serbia barely retain its national sovereignty. As for the social conflicts, they are entirely the aftermath of the Bulgarian-Serbia War. The ability to ensure that the relief food got distributed on time in a situation of internal and external difficulties is proof enough of their ability! However, the idealists, the radicals, can''t see it all to no avail! me it all on the corruption of the government and the exploitation of Austria-Hungary. They are totally ignoring the fact that the Austro-Hungarian Empire contributes funds, and the Serbian government is bowing and scraping for the country! One couldn''t help it. Who told Serbia that there were many radicals? The revolutionary undercurrents are surging, and Ferdinand reckons that a new round of major uprisings will break out within two or three years! Ferdinand knew that after the end of the Balkan Wars, Bulgaria would be bordering Austria-Hungary and that the tacit understanding between the two countries would no longer exist due to the Bulgarian-Russian alliance. The tiny Balkan region also cannot contain two regional powers. Since the two sides got destined to be enemies in the future, he is happy to see the Austro-Hungarian Empire as a joke. If it were Ferdinand, he would never be so indecisive as Austria-Hungary! Either directly control Serbia, as in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and find a chance to annex it directly, or simply support the pro-Austro-Hungarian government, so that Serbia is entirely independent. At present, Austria-Hungary''s attitude toward Serbia is wavering. On the one hand, trying topensate for economic losses by usurping Serbian rights, and on the other hand, supporting pro-Austro-Hungarian regimes. It is clear to the sharp eye that the Austro-Hungarian Empire is now paying for Serbia, and the gains arepletely disproportionate! ''A cup of rice feeds a kindness, and a basket of rice feeds an enemy''!1) Amon practice in ancient and modern times, in the eyes of blind idealists and radicals, remains only the exploitation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire! ... Time passed quickly, and entered the year 1896. As we entered the new year, the situation in the Balkans worsened. The Balkan states'' moves still caught the Ottoman Empire''s attention. Among the decadent empire, a few people understood, and Said Halim Pasha, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was one of them. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the oldest empire, Halim Pasha was also arrogant enough to disdain the moves of the three small Balkan countries. He was concerned about the attitude of the Great Powers behind him, and that extra fleet in Bulgaria was the focus of attention! Halim Pasha has been advocating apromise with the British so that he can focus on solving the Armenian problem in the country. Like most Ottoman nobles, Halim Pasha supported the Sultan and used ferocious methods to suppress the revolution at home. He thinks that once the Armenians are allowed to be independent, it is likely to cause a chain reaction when the Kurds, Greeks, Bulgarians, and Arabs, will all demand independence! It isn''t good. The Ottoman Empire may fall apart, which any Turkish aristocrat can''t stand! The Balkan problem had always troubled the Ottoman Empire, and Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Montenegro has not spared by any of the subjects who were eyeing the Ottoman suzerainty. In the opinion of Halim Pasha, if not for the intervention of the Great Powers, the Ottoman Empire would have settled these rebellious parties long ago! It was so easy to wait until Bulgaria and Serbia were at each other''s throats, thinking that they could live a few days of peace of mind, but they didn''t expect the Serbs to be too useless, and they were taken care of by Bulgaria in three steps! Now the moves of the three Balkan countries disturbed him! The British devised a n to carve up the Ottomans, which Halim Pasha knew all too well. The Sultan''s governmentunched a diplomatic effort to convince the Germans and the French to gain support and made concessions to the Russians in exchange for their neutrality. Halim Pasha knows very well that the Balkan countries'' moves now are without the support of their arch-enemies, the Russians! In the same way, Austria-Hungary is certainly in favor. Not long ago, the Austro-Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed - to let the Ottoman Empire give up sovereignty over Bosnia and Herzegovina, has rightly rejected by him! Halim Pasha knew that the Ottoman Empire could not defend itself against the British, Russians, and Austro-Hungarians at the same time, even if they did not act jointly! Halim Pasha, who knew that he was in big trouble, had just proposed to the Sultan: to give up the region of Bosnia and Herzegovina in exchange for the support of Austria-Hungary; to recognize the status quo in the Egyptian region and gain the agreement of the British! At once invited a revolt! The Minister of War then said sarcastically, "Cowards! The enemy hasn''t even attacked yet? You''re already thinking of surrendering! If they doe, it''ll be a disaster!" The Minister of Interior said gloomily: "No need to scare us here. If the situation were really that serious, it wouldn''t be a few buffoons making a fuss now but the allied forces of Britain, Russia, and Austria! Can the British and the Russianspromise? Are the British not afraid of the Russians entering the Mediterranean? If so, wouldn''t their Crimean War have been fought in vain? Can the Russians tolerate Austria-Hungary''s expansion in the Balkans? If so, Austria-Hungary would have annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina long ago, and Serbia and Montenegro would no longer exist!" Trantor: 1) It means that if you give a small help to someone in times of distress, they will be grateful to you. If you keep this up and suddenly, one time, for whatever reason, you don''t help, the person will hold a grudge against you and hold it for life! It''s as if the person receiving relief tends to take it for granted after getting used to it and naturally doesn''t consider doing something on his own to get food by his ownbor. If you find outter that he has regained his ability to work and you don''t give him relief anymore, he will hold a grudge against you. It is because the other person takes the loving support for granted. It is the bucket of rice and the stone of revenge. Others help form a dependence, from gratitude into a matter of course, so that eventually bes a grudge. Help people for a while but not for a lifetime. You can help people but not make them dependent on the vice. Chapter 173: 33) Ottoman Preparation Chapter 173: 33) Ottoman Preparation Minister of Foreign Affairs Halim Pasha sneered and said, "Rat''s eyes! Even if the British are held in check by the Boers, they are still the world''s number one power, and wouldn''t it be easy to give us trouble? Not to mention far away, now they support the Balkan countries to challenge our position and support the Armenians to be independent. These are enough for us to suffer! The Russians certainly do not want Austria-Hungary to expand its power in the Balkans, but if it is for the Bosphorus and the Marmara Sea, is it not worth making a deal with Austria-Hungary? You know that whether the Russians enter the Mediterranean or not, it doesn''t matter much to Austria-Hungary! As long as there are enough benefits, who are we to stop the two countries frompromising!" The Minister of War retorted, "The Russians do dream of entering the Mediterranean, but I don''t need to tell you what the Turkish Straits is! Even if they gain the Bosphorus and the Marmara Sea, what can they do? A series of archipgo chains ahead need to be broken through before they can enter the Mediterranean! And the Russian navy now does not have the strength topete in the Mediterranean. Once in the Mediterranean, the British, Italians, and even the Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch could be their enemies! Would the Russians be so unwise as to rush foolishly into the Mediterranean? If that''s the case, letting the Russians go through the strait is easy enough. Then we''ll organize an allied army and fight a new Crimean War!" Minister of Foreign Affairs Halim Pasha gave the Minister of War a disdainful look and said: "Don''t think of the Russians as idiots. Taking the Turkish Straits is not the same as fighting for domination of the Mediterranean! The strategic focus of the Russians now is still on the Far East. With the capture of the Bosphorus, or even the Dardanelles, and control of the Marmara Sea, only to master the gateway to the Turkish Straits, the Russians will gain the strategic lead! The British will not intervene as long as they are notpeting with the British for supremacy in the Mediterranean! It''s already enough of a headache for the Germans and the French!" The Minister of War continued his rebuttal, saying, "Then tell me, Mr. Halim Pasha, are the Russians still capable of provoking a full-scale war in Europe now that their strategic focus has shifted eastward? To fully master the Turkish Straits, Istanbul, and Asia Minor, are hurdles they can''t bypass! At least they have to acquire the coastal areas. Otherwise, they are still not safe even if they capture Constantinople! Unless, if the Russians have to go out of their way to dere war on us! Otherwise, at best, they will support a few fleas from the Balkans ande out to cause us trouble! A few small countries, even with the support of the Russians, we would be able to crush them! With no way to gain the Bosphorus, would the Russians be willing topromise with Austria-Hungary?" Well, Minister of Foreign Affairs Halim Pasha was sprayed speechless! He couldn''t say that the Ottoman Empire couldn''t even handle a few small countries! At this moment, the Sultan stepped forward to be a peacemaker and spoke, "Gentlemen, all of you are the pirs of the country, there is no need to argue over a small matter! Prime Minister, what do you think about this issue?" The Prime Minister, who was called out, looked at the Sultan''s face and spoke slowly, "Everyone is right. We must take the situation in the Balkans seriously, and I propose increasing troops in the Balkans to deal with future changes in the situation! As for the Russians who do not fight may personallye down, or they would not sell a fleet to Bulgaria! If you add the Greek navy, they now have the advantage, but we don''t have to take our precious navy and battle them at sea! The navy just has to hold the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, separate them, and wait for thend forces to gain victory, and then it''s all over! Now the three little children in the Balkans, the reason why they dare to make small moves, in addition to the incentives of the British, Austria-Hungary, and the Russians, our domestic outbreak of the Armenian uprising, is the main factor. Probably they feel that our Ottoman Empire is rotten and is about to be finished, and want toe out to be a vulture, eager toe out to divide the carrion! Right now, our focus is on solving domestic problems! And then give those three disobedient little kids a lesson in blood!" It has to be said that the Ottoman Prime Minister was quite urate! Until the Bulgarian army reached Constantinople, the Russians would not take the navy to fight them. The Bosphorus is that treacherous. The narrowest point is just over 700 meters. The Ottoman Navy can rely on the defense of the forts on both sides! If the Russian Navy went in, it would be simr to using a warship against artillery batteries, and probably themander wouldn''t do it if he wasn''t brain-dead! It is also the reason why the Russian Empire copsed in World War I! The Entente navy was clearly dominant but still unable to break through the Turkish Straits. In order to open up the transport route, Britain and France had to send troops to Anatolia! As for the idea that the British and French purposely let the Russians copse, that''s total bullshit! Not to mention the foreign debt the Russians owed, just from a military point of view, without the Russian hold on the Eastern Front, the British and French were being pinned down on the Western Front! In 1917, the Germans were terribly close to breaking through the line several times. If not for the British and French efforts and the German strategic mistakes, the French may kneel! As for the Americans, money and supplies are okay. Think of the pocket-sized version of the army of only a few tens of thousands of people, and expect them to fight or forget it! Even if theyter entered the war, the material brought much more help than the military, and even the moral support got more than the military. The main force is still Britain and France! The pride of the Turks is not without reason. At the end of the 19th century, they were at least among the top powers. Nothing else dares to say, at this time, their military power is still the world''s top ten, but can not beat the British and the Russians, but also can not beat Bulgaria, Greece, and Montenegro? Minister of Foreign Affairs Halim Pasha could only sigh and return dejected! How is the Ottoman Empire now? Sitting here can not know it? It is also to fool the Sultan, but no one dares to uncover this mess. Of course, not paying attention to the opponent is also a reason! ... After receiving the information that the Ottoman Empire had increased its troops in the Balkans, Ferdinand was shocked, but he still did not see any movement! It wasn''t until 1896 when the Armenians started a rebellion in Constantinople, that the Turks really increased their troops to Europe! Ferdinand also had to admire the efficiency of the Ottoman Empire. No wonder in history, when the first Balkan Wars were fought, reinforcements were still on their way from Asia! Think about it is also tipsy! Both sides have made it clear that the Sultan''s government is still idle! If it were Ferdinand, he would have taken care of the Armenian issue at once, organized the army, and began to work instantly, using the contradictions between the three countries, one by one! Chapter 174: 34) Inventory Chapter 174: 34) Inventory In any case, the Ottoman government''s slowness and ipetence, as Ferdinand wanted, kept him from asking for trouble! Turning back to the country, the ''Second Five-Year n'' was still in full swing, and by 1895, many projects had achieved milestones! In the Bulgarian government, steel nts, arsenals, and other heavy industries have made great strides in progress under the bloodless investment! In 1895, Bulgaria produced 150,000 tons of steel per year, of which 48,000 tons of steel and 102,000 tons of iron! The arsenal, by now, was able to: produce on average 500 new rifles (Shui Lianzhu), 15 machine guns, 1.5 of 75mm rapid-fire guns (Artillery of Italy or Mademoiselle Soixante-Quinze), 500,000 rounds of ammunition, and 2,000 artillery shells per day! A 150mm howitzer has been sessfully copied, but it is better to forget it. It is not Bulgaria can afford to y now. It is just about getting a few units out to make a show! Steel nts have reached their limits for the time being and would like to continue to break through, but can only wait until after the Balkan Wars, after Bulgaria has obtained sufficient mineral resources! The pace of expansion of the arsenal did not stop for a moment. As requested by the military, rifle and machine-gun output needs to be doubled, artillery output needs to be increased by one-third, and ammunition output needs to be expanded by five times! By the end of 1896, he nned that Bulgaria would be able to arm 40 divisions, a total of more than 600,000 troops, and have a strategic reserve of supplies to meet six months of constant warfare. As the military calctes, the reserve of bullets must not be less than 1 billion rounds, and the reserve of artillery shells must not be less than 10 million. No way called Bulgaria equipped with all the gold-devouring beasts? The Maxim heavy machine gun, known as the one that could shoot 600 rounds of ammunition a minute, showed his power in the Bulgarian-Serbian War. After the tireless efforts of the engineers of the arsenal (copycat), they have sessfully reduced weight by one-fifth, but the other aspects of performance are still not much improved. The military still likes it. In one breath, they gave the arsenal an order for 10,000 units. Each machine gun is equipped with 50,000 rounds of ammunition. That''s five hundred million, and the rest is for rifles! Now that the war is not far away, Ferdinand does not expect to make a technological breakthrough now! If quality is not good, let the quantitye together. In any case, the opponent is the Ottoman Empire which is not an industrial power! The Bulgarian Type 75 gun (Mademoiselle Soixante-Quinze) goes without saying. How could a rapidly firing gun not fire faster? The firing speed naturally meant that the shells were consumed quickly, and at 15 rounds per minute, the rate of fire far exceeded that of simr artillery products. As nned by Ferdinand, the main A division was equipped with 32 guns, and the new B division with 24 guns. In addition, five heavy artillery regiments were formed, each with 72 guns of various calibers. Not taking into ount the quality, from the point of view of firepower alone, at the division level are catching up with two-thirds of the French Army in World War I, but of course, the overall picture is still far from it! Well, who told Ferdinand to set his strategic goals so high? No matter the military''s demands, whether or not it was too big to ask, he had to approach full force toplete! The top approved this aspect of the top Bulgarian government. No matter what, winning the war is now the most crucial task for Bulgaria! Thousands of guns, tens of thousands of machine guns, much stronger than the British at war with the Boers in South Africa! These are the biggest bottom line for Ferdinand to challenge the Ottoman Empire and swallow the Balkans! ... Ferdinand was in a good mood at the annual inventory meeting, and for Bulgaria, 1895 was another good year! Demographically, Bulgaria still maintains a high growth rate, with a natural poption growth rate of 2.73%, excluding new immigrants and about 110,000 more people. In fact, 1895 was another year of the great migration to Bulgaria,cking sufficientbor for newnd development. In order to develop the Ni region as soon as possible, the Bulgarian government brought in 242,000 immigrants for the whole year. By the end of 1895, the country''s actual poption had exceeded 4.3 million, of which 3,948,000 had Bulgarian citizenship. The rest were primarily new immigrants who did not yet meet the conditions for getting citizenship! In agriculture, they haltednd annexation. By the end of 1895, the country had a total of 41,300 square kilometers of arablend, and the arablend per capita remained at a high level of 0.95 hectares! Sixty-five percent of them were scattered in the hands of more than two million three hundred thousand farmers. The Bulgarian government was thergestndowner, holding 29 percent of the country''s arablend;ndowners owned the remaining six percent of the emerging military ss and made up arge proportion! The total agricultural production,pared to 1894, increased by 18%. The increase was mainly due to the increase in arablend but also to the promotion of new technologies, the construction of water projects, and many other factors. With the development of additional territories, Bulgarian agriculture will continue to grow at a high rate in theing years! At the same time, the core problem limiting the development of Bulgarian agriculture - the diversification ofnd use - is still unresolved! The point is that Ferdinand did not intend to solve it now, mainly becausend annexation would cause the bankruptcy of the peasants, which would quickly lead to social conflicts and undermine the stability and unity of Bulgaria! At the end of the 19th century, when the material base was not abundant, and Ferdinand reduced the agricultural tax, for quite some time, there was not much difference between the ie levels of the peasant ss and the working ss! In terms of living standards, many farmers with much lower ies exceed workers. The gap between industrial and agricultural scalers is not yet so obvious a short time. As for the future, let''s talk about it when the timees! Maintaining social stability now will help the poption grow at a high rate and allow for maximum preparation for war! ''Military service'' is the most effective way for the Bulgarian poption to move up the socialdder and be the ruling ss! At the end of 1895, there were three hundred and eighteenpanies of all sizes in Bulgaria, employing 897,600 workers and possessing total assets of 1.75 billion Leva! There are 15rgepanies with more than 30 million assets, with the Royal Bank topping the list with 350 million Leva, followed by the Bulgarian Railway Company with 280 million Leva. Behind them arepanies such as Shuanghui Food Development, Union Bank, Bulgarian National Bank, Bulgarian Steel nt, Bulgarian Machinery nt, and Bulgarian Arsenal, all of which are on the list! Together, the 15 megacorps have a total of 685,000 employees, including 342,000 workers in the Bulgarian Railway Company alone! The total assets are even as high as 1.58 billion Leva, and the total assets of the remaining 300panies add up to less than 200 million. A monopoly capital already upies 90% of the total volume of the Bulgarian industry andmerce, and most of the other businesses survive around this group of giants! Except for the three major banks, the others are all real industries. Three of them, the Bulgarian Railway Company, the Steel nt, and the Arsenal nt, are state-owned enterprises that have been losing money. Ferdinand was ready to divest the road from the railroad, but after considering the actual situation, it was abandoned. Although the railroadpany is a bright future, with a loss in the early stage, then a separate road project, probably even until the next century, is still a loss, which is a big loss! Now the automobile''s performance is pitched down once, on average, running on thirty or forty kilometers, it has to be repaired once, the performance is vtile, not to mention whatfort! Now on the road, it is still horse-drawn carriages that make traffic. As for collecting tolls, forget it! The original transport costs are high, and then scrape to the first stage, and do not want to develop the economy? Chapter 175: 35) Achievements Chapter 175: 35) Achievements Bulgaria''s industry, of course, is still dominated by light industry, with the most dominant performance of agricultural processing businesses. There are 84 agricultural processing businesses across the country, ounting for 25% of the total number of businesses, and eight processing businesses with assets of more than 5 million Leva. Their total output ounts for 35.4% of the total industrial output, and flour processing nts are at the top of the list in the food industry. But still, it is a monopolistic economy that dominates Ferdinand''s Shuanghui Food Development. Thispany ounts for over seventy percent of the output and almost monopolizes all exports! The field of machinery manufacturing is still Bulgaria''s biggest shoring! Besides Ferdinanding up with the ''Bulgarian machinery factory'', there is not a single one. Only a few remaining machinery factories alsock the marketpetitiveness of a single product. Even if the Bulgarian government has been exempted from taxes, it is still struggling to survive on the line. In contrast, Ferdinand''s Bulgarian machinery factory is much more outstanding and is now an integrated machinery manufacturing consortium. Basically, they can copy the world''s major machinery, such as textile machines, mills, most steam engines, and other products. The quality is already on par with the international! Even have manufactured cars but have not been able to market, either the cost is too high, or the performance is too poor to bepetitive in the market! At the same time, the Bulgarian machinery factory is also thergest spare parts manufacturer and supplier in Southeast Europe, with a market share of about 53.5%. Machinery factories can proudly dere that there is no part in this world that they can not copy! By 1895, Bulgaria had more than 9,800 miles of railroads and 15,000 kilometers of roads, and the main arteries were basically all connected. The level of transportation, although not as good as in Western Europe, but is one of the best in Southeastern Europe. In the field of primary education, Ferdinand can proudly dere that Bulgaria is already at the top of the world! Although there is nopulsory education, it is almost there, and the elementary school enrollment rate in Bulgaria is already as high as 96.6%. The secondary school enrollment rate is a staggering 20.4%, surpassing the Great Powers and ranking first in the world! (Historically the world''s number one) Of course, at a higher level of education, Bulgaria still has a gap from the Great Powers. There is only one science university across the country, supported by more than a dozen vocational education colleges of various types, which is all the top-level education in Bulgaria! Ferdinand does not want to get a few more universities, but these days the university professors, where are precious, to be able to get together the staff of the University of Bulgaria is not easy! Between quality and quantity, Ferdinand did not hesitate to choose quality. Quantity is not enough to use technical schools to make up! The University of Bulgaria''s main purpose is to train top-notch talent. Bulgaria''s poption base, with five or six hundred students enrolled yearly, also puts a of talented people! Compared to the pathetic two thousand college students in Bulgaria, vocational colleges are muchrger, with up to 38,000 students and teachers. Among them, the factorymissioned training personnel and upied arge proportion! Since it is to train engineers, as for the requirements, of course, are much lower! At the end of the 19th century, there were few advanced medical devices, and doctors could not rely on machine examination but mostly on experience. Therefore, the training cycle of doctors is much longer, and unlike thete four or five years to train out of doctor, there are no ten or eight years of study in this era. You do not want to graduate! Due to insufficient doctors, Ferdinand could not do anything about it. The measures taken in the short term remain the same: organize local physicians and conduct short-term training. As much as they can improve it, it counts. As for the medical school, I''m sorry, they haven''t graduated yet? The earliest group of students, only seven or eight years of study, are still interns, in gaining experience! Of course, the level of medical care has increased dramatically, nurses are much easier to train, and the need has been initially met. In 1895, the total import and export trade of Bulgaria amounted to 760 million Leva, which was almost four times more than in 1887. The total imports amounted to 365 million Leva, the total out was 395 million Leva, and the trade surplus was 30 million Leva. Among them, 71.5% of the total trade is with Russia, which is thergest trading partner of Bulgaria, and in this trade has been a trade surplus, of course, counting on the expenses of the introduction of migrants, basically considered a trade bnce! Revenues, which continued to grow rapidly, increased by 25%pared to 1894, reaching 218 million Leva! It was much higher than the 13% growth rate of the Bulgarian economy, mainly due to the benefit of the ''First Five-Year n''! In order to stimte economic development and encourage private capital to enter the industry, the Bulgarian government has taken administrative measures to intervene in the market. Tax breaks of varying numbers of years have been offered to many industries, and now that the time hase for tax relief for some businesses, the government coffers are beginning to reap the dividends! After listening to the cab''s report, Ferdinand secretly sighed: it''s not easy! After ten years of hard work, Bulgaria has finally developed by leaps and bounds, both in the industrial and agricultural fields, and in the military field, has achieved excellent development! Only Ferdinand nodded and said, "Good! After ten years of hard work, Bulgaria can also be said to have stepped into the doorstep of an industrial country! However, now we still can not rx, a new challenge ising, and the sess or failure depends on this one! The next year will be the most crucial year since the founding of Bulgaria! What is the cab''s nning strategy?" Prime Minister Konstantin calmly said: "Your Highness, in theing year, the government does not intend to carry out any major construction, except for the implementation of the ''Second Five-Year n'' already made! In order to ensure an advantage in the uing war, the Cab will devote maximum effort to preparing for war and maximizing our war potential as much as possible!" Ferdinand nodded and signaled to continue. The people sitting here are aware of the current situation in Bulgaria that the industrial development has almost reached the limit of this country! Raw materials and markets are the dual factors that constrain the further development of Bulgaria! It was also a mistake in Ferdinand''s estimation before. If not for the 1894 Bulgarian-Serbian War, which consumed part of the supplies, the rapid development of the Bulgarian economy now would have stopped! No way; who called Bulgaria''s own market limited? And international trade, for most medium and small businesses, is undoubtedly a fool''s errand! First of all, the quality of the product,pared to the developed countries, does not have an advantage. Secondly, the export of Bulgarian products through thend: the cost is too high, and it reaches as far as Austria-Hungary is the limit. Export by sea: In addition to the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire and Romania exported to other countries. First of all, the Ottoman Empire has to draw a tariff and raise the cost! After adding a tariff in terms of price also tends to disadvantage. It is why one of the reasons why trade between Bulgaria and Russia is booming is forced out and blocked by Turkey. Except for very few specialty products, other goods are difficult topete in internationally! Of course, there are disadvantages and advantages to the industrial andmercial products of the industrial powers of Western Europe, which must also go through double tariffs into Russia. Not to mention the quality, the price alone, plus freight and an additional tariff, notpetitive than the Bulgarian goods! Likewise, the export of Russian goods (mainly grain and industrial raw materials) had to be skinned by the Ottomans, which seriously stood in the way of the aristocratic lords! Chapter 176: 36) Double Jeopardy Chapter 176: 36) Double Jeopardy The Ottoman Empire is already the greatest enemy of the Bulgarian and Russian capitalists! This point was felt most deeply by Ferdinand, who was called the biggest capitalist in Bulgaria. It s okay to say that the industrial products of Bulgaria are not a big deal to sell to the Russian Empire. The Ottoman Empire also blocked the entry of Western European industrial goods, which is considered a mutual benefit! But what about agricultural exports? The Russians don''t need to import food, they can''t even eat all their own food, and they need to export it? Being scraped by the Ottomans gave the Bulgarian government tax exemptions for businesses to ensure theirpetitiveness. Even so, the profits from exports were minimal! Ferdinand''s Shuanghui Food Development pays more than 30 million Leva in import and export duties to the Ottoman Empire every year, a pain in the neck! Cutting off people''s money is like killing their parents! Located on the ck Sea, this golden channel, the Ottoman Empire can ensure the Russian hatred to its full value! Of course, Romania''s feelings it is estimated to be simr. The export of agricultural products is still to be hard to cut a good scrap! If the Ottoman Empire was strong, it was just that everyone was no longer unhappy and also had to put up and tolerate. It is a pity that now he is in decline. It will pull the hatred! Even if the Russian government can endure for the sake of the greater good, the aristocratic lords of the country, for the sake of profit, are absolutely intolerable! Otherwise, the Russian government would not find the chance to send a fleet over instantly; Ferdinand would not be anxious to overthrow the Ottoman Empire. It is the interest that he has to force out! This point is also obvious to the Bulgarian government. It knows that cooperation with the Russians is to seek help from the tiger, but there is no choice. The Ottoman Empire, he must take out the obstacle! If not, Bulgaria would not want to be well, the old Ottoman Empire sucked blood through tariffs, and the benefits of industrialization were taken away by the Turks! Of course, the Sultan''s government will probably say they are wronged. The tariff they received in the ck Sea is already very low, lower than most countries'' tariffs! Who dares to make trouble with this guy, who can''t even hide from him? Nobody is guilty of sin, but you are guilty of sin! 1) The Turkish Straits is the throat of West Asia, North Africa, and Southern Europe to the ck Sea. It is the only way for the Russian Empire, Bulgaria, and Romania to enter the Mediterranean Sea, which has always been a ce of struggle for soldiers. It is a golden channel through which tens of thousands of ships pass every year, with a total tonnage of tens of millions of tons and tariff revenues of tens of millions of pounds! With so many factors added together, the Ottoman Empire''s rtions with the Russian Empire, Romania, and Bulgaria were predictable. If strategic issues can still bepromised, there is no way to talk about economic strife! No way. Who called these countries not rich? Let the Ottoman Empire give up collecting tariffs. It is obvious that it is impossible. That is the same as killing his old life! Other than state revenues, there is no shortage of benefits for the Turkish aristocrats; if they are cut off, the sultan''s position will be unstable! Not to mention Bulgaria. How can it gain further development without annexing the European part of the Ottoman Empire? Raw materials, markets, where to find them? This aspect of the Romanian attitude can be ignored, not bordering with the Ottomans onnd and the sea that can be simr to the Bulgarian ''sea police'' fleet, but also the ability to go to the Turks to seek bad luck! The Russian, no doubt, their appetite is the biggest, but people have the strength to back it up! If it were not for the mutual restraint of the Great Powers, it is estimated that the target would not just be Constantinople. Asia Minor and Georgia are all good choices, which are very much in line with their operation of turning the ck Sea into an ind sea! The Sultan wanted topromise with them, but he couldn''t! That is, the strategic focus of the Russian Empire is now in the Far East. Otherwise, if Ferdinand had the guts, he would not dare to seek a tiger''s skin, right? ... The Minister of Industry and Commerce dimir Ivanov went on to say: "Your Highness, judging from the situation in 1895, our import and export trade for theing year, the main point of growth is still the Russian Empire. Except for a few specialty products and other industrial andmercial goods in the global market, still difficult to make a breakthrough! Taking into ount the possibility of a war outbreak in the next two years, we have decided to temporarily restrict the export of many agricultural products and switch to unified government purchases as a strategic material reserve! The economic growth rate in theing year may drop sharply, and certain industries may even experience negative growth! At the same time, the government is coordinating with the major domestic businesses so that they can be ready to implement a wartime economy if necessary. Since there has already been an experience in the previous Bulgarian-Serbian War, the problem should not be too big!" ... After thinking about it, Ferdinand asked again, "How much of our loan, has been in ce?" "Your Highness, the loans we have made with the major European consortia have basically been put in ce, and the first batch of loans promised by the French have been granted!" Speaking of this, Minister of Finance Kennedy halted for a moment and said with some difficulty: "But regarding the naval loan of 300 million Leva, the French did not allocate all of it to us. Except for 20 million Leva for the construction of naval ports, and 30 million Leva for the construction of shipyards, they allocated all other funds directly to the naval fleet! The Ministry of Finance has negotiated with them several times, all to no avail. They gave because to ensure that the naval military expenditure could be used for specific purposes, they reduced the middle link and allocated it directly to the Navy!" Ferdinand''s face paled and then recovered, knowing that this was a joint French-Russian effort to trap Bulgaria, but ''when a man stands under eaves, he has to lower his head''2)! He said coldly: "Forget it, this money is not so easy to take! It has already been in someone''s pocket. If you want to take it out again, it''s not that simple! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested to the French and the Russians, and even if we suffer a loss, we must eat the loss in public." Prime Minister Konstantin said worriedly: "Your Highness, now that the military expenses are directly allocated to the navy, it''s bad for us! I was already on this Russian fleet. There is no binding. Now the influence is even less, and the future war broke out. I''m afraid it will not be moving!" Ferdinand sighed and said: "There is no need to worry about this aspect. The Turkish Straits is much more important to the Russians than we are, do not fear they will not cooperate! After the war and gaining ess to the Mediterranean Sea, the Turkish Straits'' economic value has been reduced to a minimum; as for the military value, wait until our own navy grows up and then consider it! It''s still too early to say this. We don''t dare to take it over without the Russians, even if the Turkish Straits is given to us!" At this moment, Ferdinand had to envy those who traversed in previous times. Other people are quickly getting a big navy all the time, with three years to catch up with Britain and the United States and five years to fight the world. Here he is, he has been tossing and turning for seven or eight years, and so far, he has just knocked over a Serbia. Not to mention to engage in storm clouds around the world, a Balkan has not been done, it is simply a disgrace to the traversers! Trantor: 1) It refers to the ability to make a disaster out of wealth and treasure. Later, it also refers to a person with talent and ideals but suffers. 2) It means one often has to concede when they are in a disadvantaged position Chapter 177: 37) The Great Revolt of Armenians Chapter 177: 37) The Great Revolt of Armenians One thing leads to another! Just as Bulgaria was preparing for war, the Ottoman Empire made big news again - the Armenians revolted! Of course, the Armenians had revolted for more than a day or two, but it was different this time. They seeded in their uprising! It is Ferdinand''s own pot. In order to trouble the Ottoman Empire, he even funded a special operationmand years ago. It was led by the rising star of the intelligence service - Molka Vardo - who led the intelligence work in the Ottoman Empire. There is only one mission, to cause trouble for the Sultan''s government! Whether it''s provoking internal government strife, supporting the revolutionary party, creating ethnic conflicts, or religious conflicts, it''s fine! Even if it''s spreading rumors and making something from nothing. He did not expect that Molka Vardo, who had just recently taken office, would live up to Ferdinand''s expectations and make a piece of big news. To alleviate the country''s economic crisis, starting from 1893, the Sultan''s government increased the exploitation of ethnic minorities. Among them, the Armenians were the most vocal and began to make their independence. In 1894, a bloody massacre was carried out to suppress the Armenian independence movement. However, it became different in this time and space due to Ferdinand''s meddling. They delivered a steady stream of Bulgarian arms to the Armenians. Faced with the brutal repression of the Sultan''s government, Armenians took up arms and rose against a well-nned massacre that turned into a civil war! Of course, civilians are no match for the regr army, and even when the Armenians rose, they were only met with increased repression by the regime. Historically, it took until June 1896 for the Armeniansunched a massive uprising in Constantinople. In this period, they pushed it forward to February 1896, and the scale was muchrger. The uprising also gained the support of other minorities such as Greeks and Jews! On January 24, 1896, Dnge, an Armenian, owed a loan shark to the Turkish aristocrat named Gzd and could not repay it under the interest rates. However, Lord Gzd, who is not to be messed with, brought people to collect the debt in anger, to take away Dnge''s daughter to cover the debt, and the two sides shed. Gzd''s men beat Dnge almost to death and took away his daughter, and before they left, they set fire to the family''s house in order to vent their anger. The problem lies in the fire. Dnge lives in the ghetto, a gathering ce for Armenians. The house is said to be actually a shack but also stacked with firewood, which is extremely easy to burn. If it is usually the same, the people of the surrounding area wille to put out the fire. They can soon extinguish it. At most, it will burn a few unlucky families nearby. But this time, there was an exception. The Bulgarian intelligence agent who managed to infiltrate the Armenian resistance - Viktorikis Georgiev - was present. He knew that the actions of the Turkish aristocrat Gzd had angered the Armenians. Still, after a long period of oppression, these ordinary people had be as numb as the walking dead and did not dare to rise against them. He took the chance and fired a shot at Gzd, who was leaving, right in the chest, and then quickly left. The matter is very big. He shot the aristocrat lord, of course. Themon people ran at once, not caring to put out the fire! If they are implicated, the Ottoman government will not care about that much. All of them are going to lose their heads! Not to mention Gzd''s men, who have the energy to fight fires? Then, the fire grew and spread rapidly in all directions. This year, there is no professional firefighter. The fire had already spread when the government people came over. It is also a blessing that most of the buildings in Constantinople are made of stone, and after burning the slums, it stopped. If it was in Japan, where wooden buildings dominate, it could have been the end of a city! Even so, the fire left dozens dead, hundreds injured, and tens of thousands homeless! It included, in addition to Armenians, some Greeks, Bulgarians, Jews, and other minorities. Viktorikis Georgiev, who had already blended into the Armenian pair, immediately reported the Turkish atrocities to the resistance, and upon receiving the news, the angry Armenian revolutionaries instantly organized demonstrations! Demand that the government should punish the murderers andpensate the people for their losses! Obviously, the reasonable demands of the Armenians, instead of being epted, ushered in the suppression of the army and police. Under the survival threat, these tens of thousands of people were united by Victorikis in the name of a resistance group, and Molka, who got the message, gave him support on the spot. They delivered two thousand rifles and more than 100,000 rounds of ammunition to the Armenian resistance, and at the instigation of Victorikis, it was decided unanimously to revolt! Of course, it is not a rebellion that will not work. These tens of thousands of refugees'' homes were destroyed by fire. It is a question of what to eat for the next meal! The great uprising broke out, and because Victorikis performed well, the key was to get the weapons, so it was logical to be one of the leaders of the uprising! Compared to others, Victorikis is at least a well-trained professional, participated in the Serbian uprising, and can be considered as having a lot of experience in rebellion. With his rich experience, he led the first to capture the police station, robbed the arsenal, and quickly expanded the pairs, whether Armenians, Greeks, Bulgarians, or Jews, all came to be integrated. Then with growth like snowballs, it continued to plunder Constantinople, and after capturing the Ottoman Bank building and moving all the vaults, it simply blew up the building. Anyway, his mission was only to sabotage, and as for historically Armenian upation of the bank building and talks with the Ottoman Empire, it did not exist. How much Constantinople began as one of the capitals of the Ottoman Empire, the garrison was still quite a lot, and Viktorikis knew very well that with this mob of insurgents, they could not win against the regr army! It was already the eighth day after the uprising broke out when the insurgents captured the government building, and the Ottoman Empire reacted even if they were slow to react. After destroying the information, Viktorikis decisively handed over the building to the interim government that the resistance had set up. Under the pretext of setting up an alley battle, and in essence, was ready to run away. As for the army''sposition, unfortunately, these are not problems for Viktorikis to consider. In order to expand the revolt against the army, these are trivial. As long as the submission is made, everyone is one of us! The Turks in Constantinople, then, were out of luck. The ''martyrs'' were, of course, the heads of the Turkish aristocrats, and the insurgents soon followed his action! Take revenge for revenge, have grievances andints! 1) The whole of Constantinople has been a mess. The interim government set up by the Armenians is incapable of controlling the situation. Rape and pige are happening in the city at all times! Trantor: 1) This is amon saying, meaning to take revenge on the person who makes a grudge and to beat up the person who makes aint. It usually refers to the situation when someone who is powerful and has made a lot of grudges with others, and when he is out of power, others take revenge. Chapter 178: 38) The Rise of Victorikis Chapter 178: 38) The Rise of Victorikis Raising the butcher''s knife is easy, but putting it down is hard!1) Slowly the insurgents, who had killed the Turkish aristocrats, the ordinary Turks, among others, also entered their eyes and became new prey. In order to continue to expand the number of people in the revolutionary circle, Viktorikis came up with another bad idea to improve the excellent methods of ''Taiping'' operations to pull the circle. Of course, how this method specifically came, he does not know. Although Ferdinand was referred to unintentionally during the spy training and became a teaching material, Viktorikis is now considered to live and learn to use. It''s a good way to hold other minorities to join, and the way to do it is, of course, still tomit, either by killing Turks or raping Turkish girls! Whether willingly or unwillingly, as long as you step on the ship of criminals, do not think about getting out! With the shitty nature of the Sultan''s government, will they let go of these soldiers who are being held, hostage? No need to dream. Their hands have been stained with Turkish blood, unable to be washed clean! When the interim government was ready to negotiate with the Sultan''s government through the embassies of the Great Powers, it suddenly realized that it was already toote. They could not solve the hatred between the two sides! At least tens of thousands of Turks in Constantinople had already fallen under the swords of the insurgents! Since this is the case, let''s go all the way to hell! Anyway, the strength of the rebel army is not weak. The old and the weak, the sick and the disabled have reached more than 200,000, or more than 300,000, who knows? Anyway, it''s not statistically possible now. The slow-reacting Ottoman army is, after all, here! It''s a pity that Constantinople, a fortress-like city, is so easy to defend and hard to attack! In order to prevail in the Armenian uprising and gain time for the interim government in the city, Viktorikis took over the task of defending the city! Of course, this is only to fool the resistance. His main purpose was still to dy the Ottoman Empire''s quelling time, for every day of dy, thousands of people in Constantinople would disappear! At the same time, using the chance to defend the city, Victorious smoothly obtained the majority of troops that only answered him, a leap to be thergest real power faction of the resistance! All these problems, of course, were overshadowed by the war! The Armenian resistance, which is working for national independence, can''t wee a rare military talent like Viktorikis enough? At the beginning of the war, Viktorikis used the fortress guns on the walls to give the Ottoman army a head start! Then the bloody siege began, and the Turks never dreamed that the fortress they had built would be the burial ce of their own troops! Historically, the Armenian uprising in Constantinoplested more than two months before it ended. This time waspletely different. From the beginning of February until May, the majority of Constantinople was still in the hands of the insurgents. Abdlhamid II was in a bad mood. The damn Armenians had revolted again, albeit in Constantinople. He cursed angrily, "Stupid! What a bunch of fools! An army of more than 100,000 troops can''t wipe out a small rebellion, and they still have the nerve to ask me for reinforcements! How many Armenians were there in Constantinople? Even if they all revolted, it would only be a gang of one hundred thousand or so! ..." Originally, the Sultan''s government had ns to increase troops in Europe. Now there is no need to hesitate. Hurry up and mobilize troops to put down the rebellion! Constantinople is not only one of the capitals of the Ottoman Empire but also the most developed city in the Ottoman Empire, with millions of people! One can say that every day, it drags on and causes incalcble damage to the Ottoman Empire. Apparently, the Sultan''s government is not yet aware of the massacre that has erupted in the city! Or rather, the Ottoman officials already knew about it and hid it on purpose! It is amon problem for bureaucrats to report good news but not bad, not to mention the corrupt Ottoman Empire. The Armenian uprising in Constantinople always required someone to be in charge, but the Ottoman Empire was a world dominated by the aristocracy! After the outbreak of the Armenian uprising, the city''s top officials first sent the city guards to suppress it. Still, it is a pity that this group of honorable-looking lord soldiers is only routed by the enemy ''on bravery''! Then it scared the aristocratic lords, leaving the city to run away. If resistance is organized inside and the rebel army attacks the city outside, the insurgents will be able to upy Constantinople is like a fool''s dream! But there is no if. Otherwise, the historical Armenian uprising would not havested sessfully in Constantinople for more than two months! The Sultan, who received the news of the rebellion, was furious and cursed! When the Sultan had almost done with his anger, the prime minister spoke up and said: "Calm down! The most urgent task is to send troops to quell the rebellion at once! Otherwise, it will be easy to change the situation if it takes too long! Once the Great Powers intervene, it''s not so easy to solve! And the Balkan countries, again, are on the move. If we can''t solve the Armenian rebellion in a short time, it''s likely to give the enemy a wrong signal, and then they''ll attack us all at once, and it''ll be trouble!" Abdlhamid II, who was already enraged, became even angrier at the prime minister''s words. Still, he forced down his anger and said, "Minister of War, send the troops to suppress it immediately! Didn''t you n to send more troops to Europe earlier? Now execute it at once, transfer 100,000 troops and first go to exterminate this group of rebellious Armenians, then! In the Asia Minor region, we should not let down our guard so as not to give the Armenians another chance to take advantage of the situation and extinguish it as soon as it happens. We would rather kill a thousand by mistake than spare a single rebel!" Even though he was angry, Abdlhamid II did not lose his head and knew he could not move the army in the Balkans! After knowing the Armenian uprising, Ferdinand could hold on to his seat, and some people started to sit on their hands! The Russian ambassador to Bulgaria, Count Pavel, was lobbying the Bulgarian government to send troops to Constantinople! It is a pity that the Bulgarian government has a muchrger appetite and knows it is not ready yet. If it starts the war early, it is difficult to aplish many of the strategic goals previously set, and it decided to reject the Russian proposal! Also, the Greeks and Montenegro can not sit. Still, the army has been expanded, but their finances can not stand it! The foreign debt the government owes is already too much, now they want to borrow again, but they can''t get the mortgage! For them, starting a war right away is undoubtedly a good way to get out of the crisis! To appease the nations, Ferdinand also personally sent a telegram to Niki II stating that: the Bulgarian army was not yet ready. Unless the Russian Empire could first cut the link between the Turks and Eurasia or the Russians themselves came down to the war, Bulgaria was now incapable of starting a war! A telegram was sent to Gergios I, proposing that the Greek government should unleash its influence and encourage the Greeks in the Ottoman Empire to revolt and hold back the Ottoman Empire''s forces. And also: Bulgaria is already doing it, In the Armenian uprising, it was Bulgaria that provided the weapons, and the effect was great! Ferdinand was not so patient with the future Kingdom of Montenegro and directly asked Nik I how the army training was? If Montenegro is ready to start the war in advance, Bulgaria will abide by the treaty and enter the war within three months! Due to the firm attitude of Bulgaria, the Greeks felt they could lose a lot by going it alone. Gergios I suppressed the intention to do it, was interested in Ferdinand''s proposal, and began to fan the mes in the Ottoman Empire! Trantor: 1) The original word is "Put down the butcher''s knife and right away change into a Buddha" from A History of Zen Buddhism Based on Five Books of Zen Quotations. Chapter 179: 39) End of Uprising Chapter 179: 39) End of Uprising Never overestimate the modesty of politicians! Perhaps the Greeks acted when they saw that the Armenians were doing well and increasing their chances of winning. Again, they offered money and weapons to encourage the Ottoman Greeks to start an uprising in Asia Minor. The ipetence of the Sultan''s government boosted Gergios I''s ambition. They can not manage all the problems of Armenia, and now even with constant revolts in Constantinople, it seems that the Ottomans have really fallen! Likewise, he is now very dissatisfied with Bulgaria as an ally. If not for fear of being caught, Gergios I would have been ready to go it alone. Perhaps there are people within Greece, who can''t help but want to do it, and it''s troublesome to suppress radicals as a king! One of the ways he diverted his conflicts was by staging an uprising in Asia Minor. In order to suppress the Armenian uprising, the Sultan''s government drew additional troops from Asia Minor, which also gave hope to the Greeks. You should know that at the end of the 19th century, Greeks were the secondrgest ethnic group in the Ottoman Empire, with arge poption that was vastly different from that of Armenians. As soon as they started an uprising in Asia Minor, the Greek government could support them through the navy or even intervene directly with troops. Theoretically, the insurgent army would be unable to suppress the several tens of thousands of Turkishnd forces in Asia Minor as long as they could produce an outbreak of Armenianbat power and millions of Greeks revolted. If the Greek government deres war on the Ottoman Empire, the troops in Asia Minor and the insurgent army may be able to swallow this piece of meat. If not, Greece can also have a piece of the pie in Asia Minor! As for whether the Sultan''s government will send reinforcements, you can rest assured about that! There will be reinforcements, but the number is definitely not too many! More than 200,000 troops in the Balkans simply do not dare to move. If the Ottoman army moved, Bulgaria and Montenegro could sit? Every minute will take advantage of the fire! The Greek navy would not let them pass unless they went to the Marmara Sea, and now the main force of the Ottoman navy was held in check by the Bulgarian ''navy that exists'' and did not dare to leave the Bosphorus for a moment! Even if the Sultan''s government breaks its back, gives up the Balkans, and takes the Marmara Sea, with the Sultan''s government''s ability to organize, it will not be able tomit tobat without a few months! Not to mention the Constantinople area, where the Armenian rebels are still present! Withdrawing now is the same as giving up Constantinople, which the Russians crave! The Sultan''s government could give up the rest of the Balkans, but giving up Constantinople would bepletely uneptable. Especially in the hands of the Russians, which is the same as giving away the Turkish Straits for nothing! Moreover, it is important to quell the rebellion quickly. Suppose time is dyed so that the rebels and the Russians collude and give the fortress city directly to the Russians. It means the Sultan''s government can not cry! Without this golden channel, the Ottoman Empire is not far from copse! ... Ferdinand was not concerned about how the Greeks yed as they wished, but now the main force of the Ottoman Empire''snd forces, which basically gathered in the Balkans, it was impossible for him not to worry! There are Armenian insurgents, but Bulgaria has not felt the pressure. Once the rebellion subsided, if the 400,000 to 500,000 troops still stayed in the Balkans, it would be an eyesore! At least a hundred thousand troops defending Constantinople, it is not easy to conquer. It may turn into a war of attrition! Now that the Ottoman Empire had blocked the Bosphorus and the Armenians had been surrounded in Constantinople, Ferdinand could not give them support even if he wanted to. Sitting in a lonely city, it is a fact that they will extinguish the uprising sooner orter! Ferdinand was not yet aware of how much damage the uprising had caused to the Ottoman Empire, or he would not have been so worried! The revolt, especially under themand of Victorikis, a professional, was fighting with the Ottoman government forces, and the two sides were at the point of no return. In May, the outer walls had all fallen because the insurgents had run out of artillery shells. No artillery, naturally, can not stop the enemy''s attack! The weakness of the mob has now been exposed. With the blind expansion of the revolutionary rivalry, the Armenian interim government is incapable ofmanding the troops! If it was fine before, the Ottoman army did not enter. People still had the hope of victory and could work together to try to fight! But with the loss of the outer defenses, everyone''s confidence in holding Constantinople has gone. The key is that the interim government has been looking forward to the intervention of the Great Powers. More than three months have passed, and there is no sign! Today there is booze; tomorrow''s concern wille future sorrow!1) Military discipline is a false hope. Military orders are also selective to execute, depending on the mood decision. It is the status quo of the rebel army! Victorikis, the nominalmander-in-chief of the defense, was powerless against the rest of the troops except for a few thousand of his direct troops. Therefore, he never had any illusions about the insurgents. After directly assigning the defense zone, let it go, do what you like! Anyway, they are on the criminal ship and can not escape! When the Turkse, in order to live, we have to fight with them! The city is full of bones, and if the Turks don''t know what''s going on, they''re blind! The atrocities of the insurgents enraged the Turks. Are you kidding? When did the lowly pariahs get to ughter the aristocrats? Rudolf Pashar, themander-in-chief of the rebel army, ordered blood to be shed! There was no more room for peace between the two sides, and the Turks, bent on revenge, were already burning with rage. Well, they can''t help but kill. So many aristocrats died. Who dares to let the rebels go? Their families and friends will not rest! Both sides were cornered. The insurgents, even if they were a mob, put up a fight and still caused a lot of damage to the Ottoman army! Time passed in a hurry and swiftly entered the month of June. Anti-rebellion army did not disappoint the Sultan''s expectations. It had taken half of Constantinople, and the rebellion was reduced to a couple. The uprising is about to be extinguished! But themander-in-chief, Rudolf Pashar, was not happy. The heavy casualties were only one aspect when he was the militarymander. Other than the loss of soldiers, other losses have little to do with him! Since ancient times big wars have often been followed by pandemics, and this time is no exception. Now that it''s summer, the city is filled with the stench of rotting corpses, and the gue has broken out! Faced with the gue, Rudolf Pashar could not help but worry, he instantly decided to withdraw from Constantinople, but the epidemic had already begun to spread in the army! It''s a good thing that this gue, as in history, didn''t spread very far, and with Rudolf Pashar blockading Constantinople again, it didn''t spread in the Ottoman Empire! The arrival of the gue created a chance for Victorikis to make a good escape. Now that both sides were exhausted, Victorikis easily convinced the ruling faction of the insurgent army to fight for their lives! (10,000 words omitted) After all, after the gue outbreak, people were dying of the disease every day, and the mental pressure on people was enormous. Rather than live and wait for death, it is better to go and fight with the Turks to earn a way out of life! On July 8, 1896, the Armenian uprising, whichsted for more than four months, failed! The remaining 100,000 or so insurgentsunched a surprise sally! But the mob was a mob, and there was no surprise that the sally failed, and they almostpletely wiped out the rebellion! Trantor: 1)It is part of a poem from Luo Yin''s ''Self-pity'' of the Tang Dynasty. This line is often used to describe the negative sentiment that one should be happy in a time when life is not. The poem portrays the condition of thete Tang Dynasty, which is a politically corrupt society. Chapter 180: 40) 4 Uprising from Ottoman Chapter 180: 40) 4 Uprising from Ottoman Although the Sultan''s government extinguished the uprising in Constantinople, there was no way to eliminate the aftermath, the formerly thriving cosmopolitan city; now it''s almost like a ghost town! Hundreds of thousands of people were buried here. It took more than a month just to clean up the bodies! The people who were lucky enough to escape also escaped instantly from this ominousnd. ording to the official statistics of the Ottoman Empire after the war, the unrest caused the death of more than half a million people, including the loss of more than 30,000 soldiers involved in the quelling of the rebellion, and the economic losses were incalcble! What mood the Turks were in now, Ferdinand did not know. Anyway, he was in a good mood. They extinguished this uprising in Constantinople, but the effects were far-reaching! It was much more influential and destructive than it had been historically! It had shaken the foundation of Ottoman rule, and various regions began to grow vigorously with their revolutionary organizations. The Greeks, Macedonians, Bulgarians, Serbs, cks, and other ethnicities couldn''t help themselves and joined the ranks against the Sultan''s government! With the secret support of Bulgaria and Greece, the Ottoman Empire began to be undermined from the Balkans to the Anatolian teau! The Albanians could not bear the long-standing brutal taxation by the Sultan''s government and were influenced by the uprising in Constantinople. With the secret support of Bulgaria, the Albanian Revolutionary Party nned a peasant revolt on July 14, 1895, and at one point also captured Durrs. However, the uprising wasposed of temporary andcked strong organization, and they did not belong to each other and fought separately. The uprising broke out on July 14 and was extinguished by the Ottoman army on July 27, whichsted only 13 days! After the end of the uprising, the Ottoman government ruled with a White Terror in the Albanian region. All organizations and individuals who supported or sympathized with the revolutionary party were persecuted! In one moment, the entire Albanian Revolutionary Party was wiped out! Well, the Albanian Revolutionary Party in this era was not quite a political party, formed only by a few zealous young people or under the influence of Bulgaria. A grassroots group, without formal preparation, under the influence of Bulgarian intelligence agents, and after providing a thousand rifles to support, hastilyunched an uprising. Failure is inevitable! On August 6, the Greeksunched another uprising in the Aegean coastal area of Asia Minor. The original n was tounch the uprising on August 18, when the Greek navy would send a batch of supplies to support them, but they were betrayed by traitors and forced tounch it earlier. Due to the early uprising, there was no time to receive support from the Greek government, and they extinguished the uprising just three days after it broke out! Ferdinand knew that the Ottoman Empire had ruled Asia Minor for hundreds of years and that the local Greeks were mostly used to being ruled and not keen on the revolution! As if this were not enough, on August 15, 1896, another uprising broke out in the heavily fortified Macedonian region of the Ottoman Empire. This uprising can be divided into two stages, starting with the outbreak of the capitalist revolution in the region of Western Macedonia on August 15, when the insurgents once captured Kozani. But due to theck of prior preparation and the fact that the Ottoman Empire was in the Macedonian region with strong military power, the uprising soon fell into a slump. It exposed the weakness of the capitalist, and after the uprising had fallen to a low point in the face of the Ottoman Empire''s brutal repression, the revolutionary leaders decisively ran away. After the loss of the leader, the insurgent army began to split. That was just the beginning, however; on August 24, another uprising broke out in the Kumanovo region of Macedonia. Due to Ferdinand''s meddling, the Kumanovo did not attack the heavily-armed Skopje but instead turned towards Kosovo! Well, actually, they drove it out! The Ottoman Empire had more than 100,000 troops stationed in the Macedonian region. Themand is in Skopje, just over twenty kilometers from Kumanovo, so it''s over if you don''t leave! This movement took ce out like a bandit. Except at the beginning of the uprising was supported by the arms of Bulgaria. The rest of the time, the insurgents will have to test themselves to find a way. No guns, no food, no supplies, looting! No soldiers, still loot, loot, loot!!! The insurgents seeded in carrying forward the essence of the word ''robbery'' at the cost of the revolutionary army''s change to a rogue army! By thete stage of the uprising, it had already lost its spirit and was wreaking havoc all the way, starving people everywhere it went! In order to strengthen their ranks, the volunteers, under the training of Bulgarian instructors, fully learned the essence of the peasant uprisings of Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong! (Trantor: Rebels fromte Ming Dynasty) They raised the banner of fighting against thendowners and dividing thend. They constantly held the ordinary people hostage to participate along the way. As for theck of willingness, that is simple: hold the people hostage to attack the estates of the Turkish aristocrats and then fully exploit them with the spiritual light, and after doing so, they have to set free a few informants. Of course, if it is to believe in the high moral integrity of the aristocrats, who are not afraid of retaliation, the insurgents will not be forced to stay if they want to! If it''s just an insurgent army, then it''s not a big deal, there is an Ottoman army chasing after it, and they can''t harm many people. ''A bandit passes like a hairbrush, a soldier passes like a barb!''1) This is not the monopoly of Eastern dynasties, it is equally applicable in the West, and the Ottoman Empire is the best of them all! They do not dare to move to the aristocratic lords'' estates, but they are not so gracious to the ordinary people. It is not a problem to rob things politely, and it is easy to rape, pige, and kill good people! Of course, you can notpletely me the army that did notply with military discipline. The Ottoman Empire''s logistics are entirely too poor or inefficient. If you wait for the officials to deliver the supplies, it is estimated that the cabbage is cold! At first, both sides are still doing real work, and in theter stages, the Ottoman soldiers are not paying attention! They couldn''t wait to be able to dy longer so they could keep salvaging! This fight went from Kumanovo to Kosovo, from Kosovo to Albania, and then back to the Macedonian area. Both sides have formed a tacit agreement. The insurgents ran in front, and the Ottoman army then chased behind. From time to time to engage in a battle, the insurgents dropped a body to them as a military achievement. The insurgent army could not win, and it had to run away! The Ottoman army is war-weary. Compared to the regr withholding of payment by the aristocratic lords, it is now a rare chance to make a profit by going to war! To hell with military discipline! No matter what was done, the me could be put on the rebels in front of them, kicking the actual benefits into their pockets, and the beautiful thing is that there was still a war to fight! In the minds of ordinary soldiers or basic officers, it would be nice if they could not fight and loot with impunity! In contrast, the top of the Ottoman army had a hard time. Although those below sent them a good amount of revenue ording to the rules, he is under increasing pressure from the government! After more than two months had passed, Chief Commander Kelter finally couldn''t take it anymore, even though he knew his men were hoping to make a buck while they could, and it wasn''t in their interest to take out the enemy now. However, with the lesser of two evils, the most will be scolded for offending the people at the bottom. If you vite the Sultan''s orders, the future is in danger! Keeping thieves in their own right is also to be divided into objects. At least this group of rabble in front of you is not enough. Kelter knows that a randommander will win the war by takingmand. At that moment, they didn''t dare to dy any longer and ordered all troops to attack with full force! The Ottoman army is serious! Although they alsock training, morale is not high, but there is no pressure to deal with such a mob of insurgents! When the Ottoman army started, the insurgent army could not stand it. Even though the force, now expanded to tens of thousands of men, was confronted with a much smaller number of regr troops, they still defeated it! In order to preserve the revolutionary forces, the insurgents have scattered in all directions on the advice of Bulgarian intelligence agents. They suppressed the uprising, but the Macedonian region became even more chaotic! The best choice for the routed soldiers is to settle down as a bandit and take over the mountain as a leader! It was easy to suppress the uprising but difficult to eliminate the mountain bandits! Until the Ottoman Empirepletely lost the Balkans, it could not eliminate the mountain bandits everywhere! In the future, Bulgaria upied the Macedonian region but alsounched a two-year campaign against bandits in order to clean up the cepletely. Ferdinand said it is also considered to lift a stone and smash their own feet! Trantor: 1) It refers to the old days when the officials and soldiers harmed the people more than the thieves. Chapter 181: 41) The Ottoman Empire in the Stormy Weather Chapter 181: 41) The Ottoman Empire in the Stormy Weather Europe is unstable. Asia and Africa are not peaceful either! First, in the Jordanian region, the Gulf of Aqaba, there was unrest; then there were riots in Syria; then there was a rebellion in Mtya! In short, 1896 was a stormy year for the Ottoman Empire! This oldest empire, entering the 19th century, bes powerless! The sessive uprisings exhausted the Sultan''s government, and it was difficult to suppress them, but the Ottoman Empire also paid a heavy price! In order to suppress the uprising, the Ottoman Empire lost more than forty-three thousand soldiers in 1896, and the pensions alone were a considerable sum of money! The most critical is the damage to the locals, basically the outbreak of the uprising in the region. The Ottoman Empire struggled to gain revenue in the next few years but needed financial allocations to fill the hole! And the uprising also destroyed the Ottoman Empire''s ruling base. Many basic officials have swept away, and to stabilize the locals, the Sultan''s government had to station heavy troops in the locals! This series of expenses made the Ottoman Empire''s already fragile finances even worse! In 1896, the Ottoman Empire had a deficit of more than 16.5 million Lira (about 15 million, 1 Lira = 6.651519 grams of gold) and could be said to be on the verge of bankruptcy. Fortunately, with itsrge family and heritage intact, the Ottoman Empire finally emerged and stepped forward in 1897. The Ottoman government may have sensed that a crisis was closing in on them, and the reformists began to grow. In fact, the Ottoman Empire has a long history of reform, which began a century ago, specifically in the military, with the building of an always modern army! Even the best system needs people to implement it to produce enough new types of talents. They initiated secrized educational reforms during the Tanzimat era. Real educational reforms began under Abdlhamid II (1876 to 1909) when the Sultan government made a major effort to develop higher education and increase the size of colleges and universities. Istanbul University was reorganized in 1900 and was the first modern university in the Middle East. The higher school adopted a Western-style education, and the curriculum included history, mathematics, and foreignnguages. Secrization was the main focus of higher education in this period. A whole modern education system was established during this period, including secr primary and secondary schools, teacher training, and specialized schools. The establishment of new types of schools positively impacted education and updated the traditional contents of teaching. In addition to the traditional contents, they introduced history and geography. They added general health in these schools at the primary level and mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, civics, Turkish, French, and Persian at the secondary level. The modernization of schooling greatly contributed to the development of secrized education. The European Great Powers of this period opened businesses in Ottoman Turkey and schools, and the establishment of European-style schooling promoted the spread of Western culture. The educational reform pushed forward the secrization of justice and education by removing from the cab the Imic Supreme Code Clerk from the Cab, initiating secr control of the Shari''a courts by the Ministry of Justice, bringing religious schools under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, and creating a new Ministry of Religious. The number of secr, educated intellectuals increased greatly, and the officers and military students were, to arge extent, people from the petty capitalist and lower ss officials in urban and rural areas. They trained numerous civil and military officials from their midst, and it bred a new generation of nationally democratic revolutionaries. The emerging secr elite challenged the traditional power structure of the Ulema and weakened the traditional religious forces. The secrization reforms from Tanzimat to the Young Turks are also only one step away from the ultimate goal of this process, the separation of religion and state and the establishment of a secr state. Ferdinand did not concern with Ottoman reform, an empire from top to bottom was rotten to the roots, and blind reform was certainly a catalyst to elerate its demise! Obviously, the Ottoman Empire nowcks not only reform. The most critical is theck of ability to implement! If the government implementation is not enough, the best policy fails to implement and may achieve the opposite result! The Ottoman Empire was no exception, and the educational reforms did not achieve what the Sultan wanted but instead gave rise to the ''Young Turks'' or the ''Union and Progress Party. It was founded in Istanbul in 1894. In May 1889, four medical school students in the capital founded an anti-dictatorship group called the Committee of Ottoman Union,ter renamed the Committee of Union and Progress, known in Europe as the Young Turks. Soon, many young students, military officers, intellectuals, and exiles from abroad joined the party. It represented the interests of the capitalist and liberalndowners, advocated the preservation of the territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire, opposed autocracy, and demanded the restoration of the 1876 Constitution. At the beginning of 1897, the Young Turks plotted a military coup, which failed due to a leak. They destroyed the organization of the Young Turks in the capital. Many people were arrested, 13 were sentenced to death, and 68 were exiled. This incident was a setback to the strategy of relying on coups from above to achieve its political ideas. The emergence of the Young Turks certainly shook the foundations of the Sultan''s rule, and a national anti-government group was established with a clear political tform! Ferdinand was slightly surprised by the emergence of the Young Turks and then rxed again. The Young Turks were still just a handful of hooligans, unable to dominate the huge Ottoman empire! Ferdinand is still happy to see the Sultan''s government joke as long as it does not affect Bulgaria''s next strategy! As for the reforms of the Sultan''s government that got catalyzed, whether they would seed or not, Ferdinand was not optimistic about them. Once any reform touches the ruling ss''s interests, it besplicated! Even if the Sultan is able to turn it on, there is nothing it can do! First of all, the military reform has been resisted by the military, and the Sultan''s government does not have the strong ability to implement it. ''There are policies at the top, but there are countermeasures at the bottom!''1) At the very moment when the Sultan''s government was making reforms, another historical event urred - another uprising of the Greeks in Crete! This uprising was different from the previous one, which erupted in Crete in February 1897 with the financial support of the Greek government. And once the uprising was sessful, the insurgents dered their secession from the Ottoman Empire and joined Greece! Well, any fool knows this is a Greek government scheme, an ''uprising army''? If you investigate carefully, you will find out: howe so many retired Greek soldiers are involved? Well, no! They are all in active service, mainly because, even undercover, the Greek government is toozy to bother! As soon as the insurgents announced their secession from the Ottoman Empire and joined Greece, the Greek government instantly weed them. From then on, Crete was part of the invible Greek territory! After the Greek government had sworn sovereignty over Crete, the navynded directly on Crete and two regiments of Greeknd forces to purge Ottoman remnants from the ind! Trantor: 1) It is a widespread phenomenon in the process of policy implementation at the present stage in every nation. Its root cause is the conflict of interests between the central government and local governments, and its implementation condition is the limited decision-making system of integrated democracy. It happens in a specific social context. At this stage, nows or policies can foresee all kinds of problems encountered after implementing the policies orws. Therefore, in some specific and unique situations, the policies orws cannot provide an excellent solution to the situation. Chapter 182: 42) Spark Chapter 182: 42) Spark The historical outbreak of the uprising in Crete urred in the context of the Armenian issue that had subsided. The fragile bnce formed again between the Great Powers in the Near East, who wanted the region to remain stable. The move of the Greek government, which did not have the support of the Great Powers. But everything is different in this time and space, the Armenian issue is still raging, and the great uprising in Constantinople is not so easy to suppress! Many newspapers, to attract attention, have handily pot for the Sultan''s government. The tragedy in Constantinople is turned into the Ottoman army after the quelling of the rebellion revenge! Of course, it''s notpletely shady. The Sultan government does have to take the brunt of the me! The Ottoman Empire was disadvantaged in public opinion, and they also used the Sultan''s government to being groped by the Western media. They do not even bother to defend. After all, both sides have been hostile for hundreds of years, and no one believes in the exnation too! And politically, the Russian move created a strategic misunderstanding for the Sultan''s government that the Russians were manipting the Balkan countries against them and released no goodwill to the Russian Empire. Rtions between the two countries remained at a freezing point! Naturally, the Russian Empire did not mind giving its enemies a hard time, and its attitude clearly favored the Greeks. How could Austria-Hungary, which intended to take advantage of the fire and annex the region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, not support the Greeks now and side with the Ottoman Empire instead? Of course, the central issue was that Austria-Hungary had reached apromise with the Russian government! Both sides tacitly agreed to each other''s next move, namely the annexation of the Bosnia-Herzegovina region by Austria-Hungary and the integration of the Turkish Straits, including the Bosphorus, by the Russians into their sphere of influence! The Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire have the same attitude, which basically represents the attitude of the Great Powers in the Balkans. The other Great Powers have limited power in this region, and their attitude is not that important! The British, who originally had a history of wanting to maintain the status quo, have now changed their attitude, and the Ottoman Empire wants their support. It must recognize the status quo in Egypt! When ites to Crete, a country that was thest to have a say, Italy was ignored this time. It can''t be helped who told him that he didn''t even win Ethiopia, and now everyone doesn''t recognize it as one of the Great Powers! As for the strength, sorry, Italy is really not enough,pared with other Great Powers, the gap is still huge! Historically, without the support of the Great Powers, the Greek government alone dared to fight the Ottoman Empire, and now with the support of the Great Powers, it is self-evident how they will do! Can the Ottoman Empirepromise? Obviously - no! If the Sultan''s government had to give in to a mere Greek, wouldn''t the other Great Powers have swarmed over it and divided it up? Since neither side is going topromise, war is not far away! After knowing the other side''s choice, both sides started a new round of diplomatic maneuvers to gain victory. Obviously, the Ottomans lost in this round of diplomatic efforts, the Greeks had the Balkan League to back them up, but the Ottomans could not find any allies! ... After the outbreak of the great uprising in Crete, Ferdinand knew that war hade, and as of now, the Bulgarian staff had nned a stockpile of supplies that was overwhelminglyplete. But the most critical weapons and ammunition reserves have not beenpleted. Bulgaria, after all, onlypleted the initial industrialization with limited industrial capacity! Weapons production is okay; it took two years, but the arsenal has onlypleted the production of 500,000 rifles. The machine gun production task is expected to bepleted next month, and artillery production can alsoplete the task at the end of this month. However, the production of ammunition is in trouble. Bulgaria still only has a reserve of 700 million rounds of ammunition and more than 2.4 million rounds of various artillery shells, including the previous reserves! Even so, the arsenal has been operating at its capacity limit since 1896. They run three shifts, except for essential mechanical maintenance, and run at high speed at other times! During this period, the arsenal also increased the production line several times, and even so, it still could notplete the set goal! Military production is, after all, technical work, and due to theck of sufficient engineers, and skilled workers, production capacity still can not rise! Of course, this was expected by Ferdinand. In fact, the Bulgarian arsenal''s capacity has been incredible in terms of capacity alone. In the same period, it exceeded any arsenal in the world! Of course, this is based on the premise that the arsenal of the Great Powers did not have a full power expansion! Even so, the Bulgarian arsenal was one of thergest in the world at the end of the 19th century! In terms of army military strength alone, Bulgaria is already among the top ten in the world, with production capacity also surpassing Italy and squeezing into the ranks of the Great Powers. The price is tens of millions of pounds to be consumed by this gold-devouring beast! In terms of ammunition, there was still enough for the Ottoman War and more than enough for the historical consumption of the Russo-Japanese War. It is just that Ferdinand has always shadowed the history of the Second Balkan War, where Bulgaria was besieged by the Balkan countries and lost many of the gains of the First Balkan War due to theck of sufficient weapons and ammunition. It is why he purposely signaled the staff to spend arge amount of ammunition! But havinge this far, Ferdinand knew that the Second Balkan War, even if it was going to happen, was not the same as in history! Serbia, the main force, has been eliminated from the game; the Ottoman Empire is much weaker than during the Balkan Wars, from the financial point of view alone, they can not afford; the Greeks are not much better after this war. They do not exist in thend army remain to be said? As for the navy, the existence of the Bulgarian fleet can still scare people! History has changed so much that if Bulgaria is still the same as in history, Ferdinand also does not need to y. He simply dies with a block of tofu to avoid humiliation! After counting aside, Ferdinand was surprised to find that in this Balkan war, Bulgaria was fine even if it had eaten alone! Neither Greece nor Montenegro has the strength to retaliate, Romania seems to be singled out, and there is no pressure! Ferdinand, who had figured it out, became rxed. Compared to Ferdinand''s rxed ease, King Gergios I of Greece was anxious. After the outbreak of events in Crete, although Bulgaria and Montenegro are in solidarity with Greece, but the actual action is to do nothing! Now the Greek government has been forced into a corner, and by its own people, the nationalists in the country, one by one, are eager to dere war on the Ottoman Empire, as if the Ottoman Empire is a paper one, once stabbed it breaks! But Gergios I did not dare to underestimate the Ottoman Empire, and both of its allies were still watching the show? If Greece fought and died in front, the two allies behind finally jumped out to pick the best. It would not be wonderful! Obviously, both Ferdinand and Nik I of Montenegro intended to do so. There is a bargain not to take advantage of the son of a bitch! In front of the national interest, we all know what to choose! Chapter 183: 43) Overview Chapter 183: 43) Overview Gergios I is now in a bad mood, the same thing in the Ottoman Empire, but Bulgaria did a lot of things that did not go wrong; it is not the same when ites to Greece. A Cretan uprising will be the Greek trap, so he is riding a tiger! Gergios I asked wistfully, "Minister of Foreign Affairs, contact Bulgaria and Montenegro and ask them to fulfill the pact, I want a clear answer from Bulgaria, is there a problem?" Weak countries don''t have human rights, and Montenegro is only in the interim. Who told them to have fewer soldiers? The Minister of Foreign Affairs said seriously, "No!" Gergios I nodded with satisfaction. Bulgaria will not join the war. This problem does not even have to be considered. It is only a matter of time or how much benefit is wanted! Gergios I asked again, "Prime Minister, how are the internal readiness? If we were the only ones, could weunch a war against the Ottoman Empire now?" With a slightly pale face, the Prime Minister said cautiously: "I''m afraid there are still problems with this. We are not ready for war! When the Balkan League was established before, the Bulgarians asked to put the war after 1900, and the war reserves we made were made ording to this n. Not only us, but even Montenegro and Bulgaria have drawn up a set of ns for war against the Ottomans in 1900, and it is estimated that their war readiness is not much better than ours! Bulgaria''s reserve training, which goes a little faster, started in full swingst year, so if war breaks out now, they should have no problem mobilizing!" Gergios I face paled. It is the biggest bad news: not only is Greece not ready for war, but the two allies are not the same! After thinking about it, Gergios I said: "We are not the only ones who are not ready, right? The Ottoman Empire is estimated to be no better. In thest two or three years, the Ottoman Empire is also full of domestic uprisings. I do not believe that they are now ready for war! We at least have a n, don''t we? How much time do we need to start the national mobilization now to be able to finish it? At the limit, how many troops can we mobilize? How long can strategic material reserves support? And how long can government finances support a war?" The Prime Minister thought about it and said: "In theory, with national mobilization, we can mobilize 250,000 troops, but due to theck of specialized training, in the short term, only the current 110,000nd forces have the ability to fight! The naval situation is better because of the presence of that Bulgarian fleet, the main force of the Ottoman navy is dragged into the Bosphorus, and we are not under great pressure! For strategic supplies, this is a bit of a problem. With 250,000nd troops in a high-intensitybat situation, our current reserves can only support two months at most! Of course, this problem is not too big. We can still buy from the British, the French, the Italians, we can still solve it! The trouble is money. The government''s revenue has been bad, especially in the years after the outbreak of the economic crisis. The fiscal has been in deficit!" Gergios I nodded, theck of strategic reserves is simple. With the geographical location of Greece, one can go to buy it! Even if the embargo on countries in times of war, as long as there is money, the capitalists will always think of a way! Running out of money is a headache. Greece has a long history of financial problems, it''s normal to run out of money, but it''s hard to solve financial problems! And he is now more worried about the attitude of Bulgaria instead. If the Bulgarians are not ready to join the war soon, then there is no Bulgaria to hold back the main forces of the Ottoman Empire, then the pressure on the Greek Army would be too big! Gergios I sighed and said, "Let''s wait for Bulgaria to decide before we decide whether to dere war on the Ottoman Empire! First, conduct a national mobilization, and the Ministry of Finance has to find a way to raise a war fund! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will first approach the Great Powers to buy strategic materials. Whether we end up fighting or not, we have to be ready for war!" ... In fact, just look at Gergios I''s preparations. You know that the war is set, the Greek domestic forces have dominated the war, even if not this time, they will still create other excuses to dere war! The Greeks'' readiness allowed Ferdinand''s suspended heart to ease. Whether Gergios I wanted it or not, Greece had to be the one to start this time! The Greeks demanded that Bulgaria fulfill its obligations as an ally, and Ferdinand instantly said there was no problem. He reassured them that Bulgaria would do absolutely what the pact required! The Greek ambassador to Bulgaria was in trouble. An early outbreak of war and Bulgaria''s entry into the war within three months? If that were to happen, Greece would be a big loser! How would he be able to exin such a result to his country? Then there was a war of words, and the Bulgarian government agreed to makepromises. And Ferdinand said that Bulgaria could dere war at the same time if the Greek government could dy the deration until next year! Gergios I was furious. Is this a joke? Is this something the Greek government can decide? Even if the Greeks were willing to wait, the Ottoman Empire had to agree to it! With such a round of bargaining down, the Ottoman Empire also began to make war preparations. The Greek government knew it could not be dyed any longer. Otherwise, it is estimated that the conflict broke out, and the two sides still can not talk about a result! The Greek government dropped its demand for Bulgaria to enter the war instantly, but of course, Bulgaria could not really wait three months before entering the war. Finally, the two sides reached apromise. Once the war broke out, Bulgaria had to mobilize the whole country, hold the Ottoman army in check, dere war, and attack the Ottoman Empire within fifteen days of the start! At the same time, Ottoman envoys arrived in Sofia, asking Bulgaria to remain neutral in the war, and in return, the Ottoman Empire agreed to cut tariffs on Bulgaria! Well, the gap between the two sides of the offer was too big. Ferdinand went directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to deal with it. The Ottoman Empire is also unlikely to talk about the false sense of security results, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is morepetent! In order to get the Ottoman Empire and Greece to enter the trap a little early, Ferdinand also added some fuel to both sides. It was a simple operation. It was a public opinion campaign! Nowadays, it''s still safe to specte on public opinion like this without any fear of being found out! "Patriotic intellect!" They preached the Greek threat theory in the Ottoman Empire. Describing Greece as a pawn of the Great Powers, a pawn of the Great Powers to divide the great Ottoman Empire! The Ottoman government was required to destroy the evil Greek government in order to deter the preying Great Powers! If wepromise with Greece, it will trigger the partitioning trend of the Great Powers, and the Ottoman Empire will be finished! In short, Greece is evil and must be eliminated. Whoever dares to participate in peace is a traitor to the country, and the slogan ''Ah punishes traitors to the country'' has been shouted! As soon as they put these theories forward, they were widely shared by all walks of life in the Ottoman Empire, and these contents were already there, just not as serious as the newspapers made them out to be! Since it exists, it''s easy to find evidence, and the Bulgarian intelligence officers who guided a wave of public opinion have, in one leap, also be patriotic intellects of the Ottoman Empire! The propaganda in Greece was simr, only in a different version. The uprising in Crete, nned by the Greek government, was described as a national liberation movement in Greece. And it advocates that ''the liberation of all Greeks under Ottoman envement is the greatest sacred mission of modern Greek youth!'' Well, this slogan is very good in appealing to the fervent youth of Greece and in line with the interests of the main war faction, so politicians quickly used it, and the people in power have taken it as a campaign slogan! Ferdinand let the 19th-century people understand ''how to drive civil opinion''! Of course, no one really sees this era, even if you know the government is not good, but they all think it is the cry of the patriotic youth from the heart! Chapter 184: 44) The War Started Chapter 184: 44) The War Started They could not halt a war between the Ottoman Empire and Greece now. The conflict of interests, the ethnic conflicts, the public opinion leading, this series of factors pushed the two countries into the abyss of war! Ferdinand could have sworn in the name of God that this war was definitely not his fault! Wasn''t the Ottoman Empire and Greece still fighting at this time in history? The creation of the Balkan League was certainly another point of strength for the Greeks. Historically it was still Prince Gergios himself who brought an army of 1,500 men to support the Cretan revolt! In the face of the collective opposition of the Great Powers, the under-prepared Greek government was still bent onunching a war against the Ottoman Empire, and it knew the power of the pro-war faction in Greece! Compared to the international environment at that time, it was a much better situation for the Greeks now! The attitude of the Great Powers now varies, but diplomatically there is still support from the Russians, the British, and Austria-Hungary; at the same time, there are still two allies in the Balkans, Bulgaria, and Montenegro, so the chances of winning are much better any way you look at it! Historically, as both sides were unprepared for war, they fought a war that was worse than lousy, but the Greeks still sucked a little more, making it a joke of Greece in the history of modern warfare. The Greeks took the lead in provoking the war and ended up losing because the army was too inefficient, and from the deration of war to the signing of the peace treaty, it took only thirty or so days to get it done! What''s even funnier is that these 30 days are less time to spend on fighting, and a good part of that time is spent on negotiating! It is the hrious ''Thirty Days'' War''! The Greeks have shown the world what it means to be a fool! This time is no better. On April 15, the Greek government gave an ultimatum to the Ottoman Empire, demanding that they recognize Greece''s union with Crete and pay an apology to the Greek people for its former colonial rule andpensate for economic losses of thirty million pounds! At this moment, everyone knew that war wasing! The Greeks had no sincerity in negotiating, and their previous moves were nothing more than stalling for time! Early in the morning of April 17, the Greek government formally handed over a deration of war to the Ottoman Empire; the Sultan''s government, in a rare disy of efficiency, also handed over a deration of war to the Greek government at noon! The Greek-Turkish War officially broke out! Slightly different from history, the Greeks in this realm were a bit more prepared. Before the outbreak of war, the Greek government had alreadypleted the national mobilization, mobilizing up to 240,000 troops! On the same day, the Greek army began to attack the Macedonian region, opening the door to the Balkan Wars! After receiving this news, Ferdinand''s suspended heart was finallypletely relieved. History has turned at this point, where the future will go. Everything has be a puzzle! Ferdinand has nothing to do but is busy making a baby in the pce. They have been married for more than three years. There is no child, and he can not help but worry about this. We know Knyaginya Xenia in history, is the mother of seven children, in this regard is no problem! The historical Ferdinand also has several children, and he did not prevent conception. No reason for more than three years without a child, huh? While Ferdinand was thinking about it, Gergios I of Greece was not feeling well on the other side. At the beginning of the war, the performance of the Greek army can not be said to be outstanding. It can be considered moderate! The Ottoman strategy in the Balkans was focused on the defense against Bulgaria and Serbia. Geographically, the Serbs threaten the Kosovo and Albanian regions, and the Bulgarians threaten the Macedonian and Istanbul! Everything has changed, and Bulgaria''s military power is still the strongest among the Balkan countries. But after the end of the Bulgarian-Serbian war, the Serbian threat no longer exists! Therefore, the main enemy of the Ottoman Empire is now Bulgaria, and the main forces are also focused on the borders of this Bulgariannd! Montenegro was too small to be in the eyes of the Ottoman Empire, and with Greece devoting much of its resources to the navy, the Ottoman Empire ignored the threat of a Greeknd army. At the beginning of the war, the Ottoman Empire was unprepared for it, and they ced not many troops on the Greek front. On the border of 700 to 800 kilometers, the Ottomans only had a garrison of more than 30,000 men! There is no doubt that if the 30,000 defenders are concentrated, there is still somebat power distributed on the 700 to 800 kilometers of the border, then everywhere is a loophole! In fact, with the level of corruption in the Ottoman Empire, you can imagine that the only thing good about these nominal 30,000 defenders is that they can secure half the full strength! The result speaks for itself: the Ottoman army on the Greek front had fallen, and they broke the defenses of the Thessaly region at the first shot when the Greek army was supposed to be ''marching forward''! However, it exposed the poor logistical system of the Greek army, and due to the logistical burden, the Greek army did not seize the city of Trik in the first ce! Of course, the time wasted wasn''t too long. At most, it was only a day! It''s a pity that the battlefield is often a race against time, and one day is already enough to change the whole situation! From the outbreak of war until now, the Sultan''s government has reacted, and reinforcements from the Macedonian region are on their way! The city of Trik, where the Ottoman Empire had ced two regiments, plus the routed troops retreating from the front, had, in theory, a division''s strength. Of course, the actual strength had to be at least partially reduced. The city of Trik, located on the eastern side of the Pindus Mountains, can be reached via the Metsovitikos valley to the west side of the mountains to Arta. Due to its unique location, the Ottoman Empire could not continue its retreat and decided to hold on. This decision changed the course of the Greek-Turkish War! The first nail in the coffin of the highly motivated Greek army was here! On the evening of April 18, 1897, the 88,000 Greek troops under Prince Konstantnos arrived at the city of Trik. Having won along the way, the Greek army, already blinded by victory, immediatelyunched an all-out attack upon reaching the city of Trik! Of course, it was right, for strategically speaking, to attack right away! But due to the tenacity of the Ottoman garrison, the Greek army in charge of the attack paid more than 1,500 casualties in just over five hours, and Prince Konstantnos halted the attack in order to cut his losses! Only after the artillery arrived on the battlefield on April, 20 did the Greek armyunch another attack, but it was toote! One day is enough to change a lot of things! Under the leadership ofmander Orhun Pasha, the Ottoman army inside the city had alreadypleted its internal regrouping, and the routed soldiers that hade together were integrated. If the only enemy to be faced on April 19 was the original garrison of just over 2,000 men, the integrated Ottoman garrison exceeded 5,000 men! It was almost impossible for more than two thousand men to hold the city of Trik, even if it was dyed for a day or two! The defenders suffered more than three hundred and eighty casualties from just one full-scale Greek attack. It doesn''t take much. Two or three more attacks like that and the city of Trik will be overrun because of theck of troops! It''s a pity that there is no if. Prince Konstantnos was not aware of the situation in the city and ordered a halt to the attack in order to reduce losses! Of course, it does not exclude that there is pride and arrogance. Not putting the Ottoman army in the eyes of the situation creates a chance for the city''s defenders! On April 20, the Greek army attacked again, and the gruesome siege began again, with casualtiesing down thanks to the use of artillery! In one day, the Greek army paid more than three thousand casualties, and the defenders paid more than one thousand seven hundred casualties. The battle damage exchange ratio went from the initial four to one to the current one point eight to one! The Ottoman defense line at Trik was already shaken, losing a third of its troops in one day, enough to break an army! If the Sultan''s government hadn''t given strict orders that it had to be defended to the death and that reinforcements from the Macedonian region were already on their way, the city''s defenders would have mostly copsed by now! (Note: Casualties are not the same as deaths, for example, the number of casualties in some countries in the World War exceeded the number of soldiers involved in the war! (The main thing is that the lightly wounded can be put back into the war after recovering!) On April 21, the brutal offensive and defensive battles continued. By evening, the Ottoman defenders had lost almost all of their outer defenses and, under themand of Orhun Pasha, withdrew in an orderly manner to fight an even bloodier street battle in the city! When the war broke out on the third day, reinforcements from the Macedonian region also entered the region of Thessaly. On the evening of April 21, 100,000 Ottoman reinforcements, led by Ethem Pasha, were less than fifteen kilometers from the city of Trik! The Greeks, who did not yet know that reinforcements had arrived,unched another siege, no, a street battle, on April 22! Seeing that the Ottoman garrison was about to be finished, the scouts had brought Prince Konstantnos bad news - Ottoman reinforcements were about to arrive on the battlefield! By the time Prince Konstantnos received this news, the Ottoman reinforcements were already less than five kilometers away from him! Upon receiving this news, Prince Konstantnos suppressed his anger and ordered him to abandon the attack while actively deploying to defend against a possible attack by Ottoman reinforcements! At this point, the contrast in strength between the two sides had fundamentally changed. The Greek chance to fight had disappeared, and the failure to capture the city of Trik meant that in the future war, Greece would be at a strategic disadvantage! The Greek army paid painful casualties for three consecutive days of siege, greatly reducing morale. The spirit of patriotism has lost out to the cruelty of the battlefield! Ethem Pasha came faster than the Greeks expected. After arriving at the front line, the Ottoman army did not make any preparations andunched an all-out attack directly on the Greek army''s positions! The Greeks were blindsided, knowing that the army had been marching for a long time and the stamina had dropped very strong. If there is not enough time to recuperate, the power of ten can y five or six points is not bad! Prince Konstantnos intended to take advantage of the Ottoman army''s initial arrival tounch a surprise attack and defeat the Ottoman reinforcements in one fell swoop! Both armies were preparing for a surprise attack, then met by surprise in the middle of the road and engaged in a fight to the death! With superiority in strength, the Turkish army crushed the enemy in front of them, and they halted the Greek offensive! And because of a strategic mistake of the Greeks, in order to defend the country from the enemy, they did not concentrate their superior forces to attack in one direction! The Greek army in the region of Thessaly was forced to turn to defense in ce after the attack on the city of Trik was foiled while waiting for reinforcements! It is a pity that Prince Konstantnos''s decision did not consider the actual situation of the Greek army, which would have beenpletely correct if it had been a regr army! With the corruption of the Ottoman Empire, 100,000 troops were definitely not less than the number of poorly trained, and the Greek army had the power to fight! From the time of the Greek government''s national mobilization, the Greek Army began to undergo a dramatic expansion, and this army under themand of Prince Konstantnos was no exception. Due to the blind expansion of the Greek government, they added arge number of poorly trained soldiers to the army, reducing the fighting strength of the Greek Army instead of rising! If the war is good, new recruits be veterans after a few more fights, and the army''sbat power will naturally improve! But before bing a veteran, something will happen when the war takes a twist! This time is no exception. Prince Konstantnos was screwed. The Ottoman army did not put up a fight before. The attack was smooth sailing, but a fierce siege and defense broke out in the city of Trik, and the Greek soldiers could not afford it! As soon as the Ottoman army reinforcements arrived, the morale of the Greek army dropped to a low point! As soon as Ethem Pasha attacked, the Greek army could no longer withstand the pressure and copsed! Since the Ottoman army also arrived in a hurry, they could not make preparations before going into the war. Their physical strength was not very good, and after defeating the Greeks, they could not pursue them. It gave Prince Konstantnos the false impression that the Ottoman army was no better than they were and that theirbat power was not much higher than theirs! His judgment is well-founded. The Greek and Ottoman armies'' fighting abilities are indeed the same! However, it was the Greek army before the expansion. After expansion, the Greek army''sbat power is far worse! Prince Konstantnos''s decision to defend on the spot could not be considered a strategic mistake! Since the Greek army had just lost the battle, the losses were not too great. Now he still has 70,000 troops in his hands, and the actual number of Ottoman forces on the opposite side of the army is only more than 100,000 troops. The difference in strength between the two sides is not too great. Being on the defensive side is not too disadvantageous! After all, in thete 19th century, the power of wire fences and trenches was still a great deal! Even if the Greek armycked wire fences in their hands, there was no shortage of trenches! It also starts with the Greek strategy, where another Greek army, led by Lord Krillos, had now fought its way to Ioannina. Suppose the city of Trik is abandoned, and they continue withdrawing to the rear. In that case, the Greek army that attacked Epirus was likely to be cut off by the Ottoman army, a consequence that the Greeks could not afford in any case! Chapter 185: 45) Headache for Greek Government Chapter 185: 45) Headache for Greek Government The fate of the Greek army was sealed when Prince Konstantnos decided to defend the area! The Ottoman army did not immediatelyunch an attack, Ethem Pasha, after all, the army''s long-standing general, with regard to military literacy, aristocratic origin, from childhood, he received a systematic military education, the ability is still good! He knew what exactly the Greeks intended to do. In order to cover the rear of the army led by Lord Krillosl, who was attacking the Epirus region, Prince Konstantnos had to defend the city of Trik to the death! In the same way, if the Ottoman Empire wants to win this war, Ethem Pasha can simply take care of this army in front of him, and then he can push on, and Greece can''t get a decent army at home now! The two sides were pitted against each other around the city of Trik, with no major battles but constant small battles! Even so, there are thousands of casualties on both sides every day! The Ottoman army was a regr army with the advantage of strength, so it could still afford such a small loss! But the Greeks could not stand it, they were already at a disadvantage in terms of strength, and now with such small-scale attrition, Prince Konstantnos was surprised to find that the exchange ratio between the enemy and us was as high. As 1 to 1.5! That''s not good enough. They are already at a disadvantage. Now, if they continue, the first to copse will definitely be the Greeks! It''s a pity that now he has the will, not the power. They can not improve the army''s fighting ability in a day or two! Although the Ottoman army alsocks training, but they have fought in the war! Even if only to suppress a few rebellions, at least it is also seen as blood, as opposed to new recruits on the side of the Greeks, better than too! Prince Konstantnos has repeatedly asked for help at home, although he also knows that Greece can not get reinforcements at home, and even the logistical supply lines now worry him! In order to hold the defensive line, Prince Konstantnos proposed to withdraw the troops attacking the Epirus region and unite them against the Ottoman army in front of them! Of course, these are false hopes. He knows that now the country is namely can not get reinforcements, nor is it possible to withdraw the troops from the Epirus region! Ottoman reinforcements havee. His side is under great pressure, and the Greek army in Epirus is also not well. Would he like to withdraw the same Ottomans to do it? If not, when you are retreating, others chase after you, and if you are not careful, the retreat bes a rout. It will be a disaster! If the Greek army was the same before the expansion, there was a possibility of an orderly retreat back. Now? Don''t dream about it! Unless the Greek government is willing to break its back and leave two or three divisions to fend for themselves! But is this possible? Leaving two or three divisions to hold back is the same as directly abandoning these tens of thousands of troops, and until the critical moment, the Greek government will never do so! Anyway, Prince Konstantnos, through several encounters, he has now roughly figured out the fighting strength of both sides! The Ottoman army was slightly stronger than the Greek army before the expansion. Now? The two sides are far from the same! When they added that, the Greek strength advantage was now gone, so Prince Konstantnos had no hope of Greece defeating the Ottoman Empire on its own! His real aim is to pressure the country and drag two allies down with him as soon as possible! The Balkan League is not a secret at all to a high level like him! ording to his thinking, Bulgaria and Montenegro must now be dragged into battle, no matter what the cost! Even so, Prince Konstantnos doesn''t think this war can end soon, and it would be nice to be able to fight a decent oue of a truce with thebined efforts of the three countries! The Ottoman Empire, after all, has been building up its prestige for a long time, which was not good before. When the battlefield is at a disadvantage, everyone can''t help but remember the glorious history of the Ottomans! Pessimism began to spread among the Greek army, which was slightly better than in history, and despite the danger, they could still barely hold on! Of course, without the presence of League, defeat would have been a matter of time! Historically, the Greeks were miserable at this time, and after a week of the war, they were driven back by the Ottoman army, which then marched across thend of Greece! Receiving the news from the front, the Greek government was already in a mess. The Greek Army, which counted on high hopes, told them in action that the Ottoman Empire, though corrupt, was not something Greece could challenge! After receiving the battle report from the Greek-Turkish battlefield, Ferdinand knew that the Greeks would be unlucky! Originally, the Greek army''s fighting ability was not as good as the Ottomans. If the battlefield is ced in the homnd to defend the country, it will inspire the army to fight back. It could also be worth a fight! Now, the Greeks took the initiative to attack, stretched the battle line, and spread out the troops. It will be in vain if the Ottomans still can not win! The Greeks had the advantage in total strength, but it was the Ottoman army that had the strength advantage on the local battlefield! If it were an ordinary area, it would be a big deal to give up, but it was the city of Trik, which the Greeks could not afford to lose, even if they had lost a lot of money! If Ferdinand reced it, he would have concentrated his troops in the border areas and held against the Ottomans, waiting for the League to enter the war beforeunching an attack, which is the correct choice! But now it''s toote for the Greeks! The region of Epirus, now basically captured by the Greeks, would be hard for them to give up, and they do not know how to divide and upy! As a result, once the Ottoman reinforcements arrived, it would be difficult for the Greek army to attack Epirus, which could not concentrate its forces on a battle with the Ottomans and could not retreat because of the divided forces! In order to control the ce, the Greek army had now spread out less than 30,000, with the main force of only 70,000 people, and 40,000 Ottoman armies were scorched together and temporarily at a disadvantage! It''s not that the Greek army didn''t work hard or that the Ottomans were too good, but me their logistics! Of course, their logistics sector is also quite wronged, the battle line moved forward a few hundred kilometers, and no roads and railroads could be used. All rely on human and animal transport and can barely guarantee the supply of ammunition to the front line. It has done a very good job! In this case, the Greek army is difficult to amass, and the Ottoman remnants all over the ce are not cleaned up at once! There was no shortage of things to do, digging roads and blowing bridges! After the dispersal of the Greek army, in addition to maintaining lines ofmunication but also collected food in the area in order to solve the problem of feeding the army. If they are now together, themanders have a headache for the next meal what to eat! As expected, the Greeks dide to the door, and Ferdinand, of course, would not step in and left it directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to deal with the matter. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Metev immediately figured out what the boss meant and not only rejected the Greek government''s request and provided the Greeks with a lot of evidence that the Greek government was out of line! Well, it''s just nonsense! The Greek army''s fighting ability was already lousy, and it was good enough to fight at this level! It is a pity that the Greeks themselves blew their cover before, and now they are directly brought out by the Bulgarian military! Can the Greeks now deny and then say they are weak? If that were to happen, not only would the Greeks now lose their position in the alliance. The rtionship between the two sides would also change. A status of a coalition bes a one-sided rescue of Greece by Bulgaria! The political impact is just too big! ... From the beginning of the war to now, Gergios I''s mood has experienced a lot of ups and downs, and it has not calmed down until now! Gergios I asked in a depressed voice, "What did the Bulgarians say?" To be honest, if he was not forced, he did not want to bow to Ferdinand, do not forget that the two had signed a bet secret treaty! A bow to Bulgaria now means Greece will lose the right to speak in the post-war share of benefits! The premise is that the Balkan League can win the war! The Minister of Foreign Affairs said with a bitter smile: "The Bulgarians have made it clear that they are not ready now and that they are incapable ofunching an attack on the Ottoman Empire until they havepleted their mobilization! They believe that now that the main forces of the Ottoman Empire have not yet been put into battle, with our strength, we should be able to defeat the enemy in front of us in a short period!" Gergios I was furious: "Ferdinand is trying to destroy all of us! Doesn''t he know that if we lose the war in Greece, it won''t be easy for Bulgaria either? Is he willing to be forever oppressed by the Ottoman Empire? Or is he scared to death of the Ottomans? ..." When Gergios I had vented enough, the Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke with trepidation: "The Bulgarians were not unprepared, they had good enough reasons to reject our demands, and they also provided us with a series of important information! The Ottoman Empire has begun to mobilize, and now throughout the Balkans, the Ottoman army has reached 430,000 men! One hundred fifty thousand in Istanbul; 80,000 in Macedonia, not counting those who have reinforced the front; 30,000 in Albania; 140,000 Turkish troops fighting with us on the front; and 60,000 in other areas! From the information they provided, the current Ottoman army, with about 270,000 people spread around Bulgaria, they have held back the main Ottoman force! Up to now, Bulgaria haspleted the mobilization of 310,000 troops. Still, they also had to defend themselves against the Romanians, so they could now put less than 200,000 troops on the battlefield! The Bulgarian government has followed the long-term n and will not enter the war early! We were warned not to think of working without effort, and if we can''t even hold out against a mere 100,000 Ottoman troops, then the post-war dividend will have to be re-approved based on our contribution!" Gergios I was so angry that he would be spitting out blood. In theory, 250,000 Greek troops against 140,000 Ottoman troops had an absolute strength advantage! It is a pity that now on the battle line, it has already moved into the Ottomans'' territory. After this split, the advantage has be a disadvantage instead! Of course, if the Greek army is really as powerful as they boast, it''s not a problem, as less is more! In fact, the Minister of Foreign Affairs still has not described it. If not, perhaps Gergios I will really vomit blood! The Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Metev is not a pushover. First, he bragged about the Greek army''s bravery; ording to him, it was easy to defeat the Ottoman army! He also used a direct example from the Bulgarian-Serbian war, where a Bulgarian regiment could chase a Serbian division. He advised the Greek army to carry forward the spirit of not being afraid of hardship, fatigue, and sacrifice, to attack the Ottomans bravely, and wished the Greeks an early victory! Well, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will never say it! At present, he believes that the fighting ability of the Greek army is clear. It is a formality. It is not practical! Toe to this conclusion is very simple: the Ottoman Empire''s peasant rebels were able to fight back against one another with the Ottoman army. It is known how useless the Ottoman army was! From there, he concluded that the Ottoman army''sbat power was slightly greater than that of the mob. The Greek army was even worse, not being able to beat the Ottoman army and performing worse on the battlefield than the Armenian insurgents, and then concluded that thebat power of the Greek army was the level of a mob! Do not feel surprised that civilian officials who do not know the militarye to this conclusion. It''s pretty normal! In terms of battlefield disy alone, that is not a problem at all, but ignore the essence! At least the Greek army led by Prince Konstantnos qualified their performance. At least in the face of the superior strength of the Ottoman army, they could still defend it. In contrast, the superior power of the Epirus region, the Greek army led by Lord Krillos, the performance is terrible! There is an objective factor - logistics! The Ottoman army is doing battle in their homnd, there are more or fewer reserves everywhere, together with the rear supply, there will be no shortage of supplies in the short term, the Greeks are tragic, was not well-prepared, and now it is even worse! At the critical moment, the Prime Minister spoke up to save the day, saying, "It''s normal for the Bulgarians to have this attitude! Who told our army to perform so poorly? Not to mention them, I still can''t believe this is the great Greek Army, the strongest army in the Balkans. Is this the level? Of course, now is not the time for us to pursue the me. It is urgent to let Bulgaria know our actual situation, even if we have to give in the post-war benefits are at stake! Otherwise, they think we are not doing our best and dragging them into the war. I''m afraid the front line will change over time!" At the words of the Prime Minister, Gergios I was awakened. Now Greece was in danger, any failure in either direction, Greece would really have to fight for its life, and for this reason, the navy was ready to go ashore! Of course, if the navy was really used as an army, it is estimated that Greece was also finished at that time, how to do nothing useful! Gergios I asked again, "What did Nik I say? When can Montenegro enter the war?" The Minister of Foreign Affairs said with difficulty: "This ~, Montenegro''s strength is limited, they are willing to participate in the war, but until Bulgaria''s stance is engaged in the war, they are very worried that they will be targeted by the Ottomans after entering the war!" After all, Nik I was born in the army, fought in two Russian-Turkish wars, and also received the title of marshal of the Russian Empire. One was still very clear about the military power of Montenegro. Even if they pour out their country, they will only be able toe up with 20,000 to 30,000 troops, and Montenegro will be finished with one failure! This time there was little reaction from the crowd, no one expected to rely on Montenegro to break the game! Instead of counting on their 20,000 to 30,000 troops, it would have been more practical to suddenly expect the Greek army at the front to have a fighting boost! At this point, the Minister of War spoke up and said, "We are running out of strategic reserves of supplies, and the consumption of supplies after the start of the war is much higher than we had anticipated! In particr, the ammunition consumption has increased by half than we predicted, and at the current consumption rate, it can support at most another three weeks. If a decisive battle urs, I''m afraid the time we can support is even shorter!" Chapter 186: 46) Blessings Do Not Come In Pairs, Calamities Never Come Singly! Chapter 186: 46) Blessings Do Not Come In Pairs, Cmities Never Come Singly! "It''s not just strategic supplies that are in desperate need. Our fiscal deficit has not been solved, although the war has just started, and we must think about it! If there is a material reserve shortage, we can still import, but without money, I''m afraid we can do nothing! The Ministry of Finance has done everything it can to raise funds! European consortiums are not optimistic that we can win the war, and loans are simply not being negotiated! The bonds are also failing in the international market, and so far, the bonds we put up for sale have been entirely unsold, even though we have raised the interest rate to twenty percent! It can also only sell some in the country, which is less than 10 million Drachmas (about 400,000), which is certainly not enough for the huge expenses! In order to win the war, we ordered arge number of supplies from European countries, which in turn consumed arge amount of our foreign exchange reserves, and with thete final payment, we had to use part of the gold reserves to solve! From the current point of view, I am afraid that the war will not end in a short time, and if we cannot solve the financial problems, we will be bankrupt soon!" As soon as the Minister of War finished his words, the Minister of Finance poured a pot of cold water on Gergios I! The Minister of Finance was only mentioning the expenditure, not the revenue. It is clear to everyone that to raise funds, the Greek government has long since introduced a war tax, all other tax rates have increased significantly, and government revenues have actually increased! But the debts were too much. The international loans reached 700 million Drachmas (about 28 million pounds)! In addition, there are a bunch of bonds and other messy debts of at least 500 million Drachmas! All of the above are owed by the central government of Greece, and local authorities owe not a few! Yet how much is the Greek government''s revenue? An absolutely unbelievable figure - less than 110 million Drachmas! Even at a 5% interest rate, the annual interest will support more than half of the revenue! It is why the Greek government went bankrupt after losing the Greek-Turkish war! No matter how the war, the debt still has to be paid! In the 19th century, the Great Powers could not eat anything. Even if the Greeks dered bankruptcy, the debt should repay the debt can not be less! In any case, now Gergios I is terrified to y bankruptcy! If not, the Great Powers will take over the finances and simply abolish the army and navy. How will the war be fought then? Gergios I looked at the crowd with a bitter smile and said, "What else can we do? Tell us all! No matter how much it costs, let''s get through this hurdle in front of us first!" Tax increase? Not this one. The private sector can''t afford it now! A loan? Who is willing to lend now? The Greek government''s revenues are so bad that even if it wins the war, it can''t afford to pay off such a huge debt, and the bottom line is that it can''t take out a mortgage that would make people happy! Bonds? Are not selling it, twenty percent interest, no one wants! ... One thought came to mind and was dismissed! These are the trouble of the previous few terms, the ability to raise money to use all the tricks, tariffs, minerals, rights of way, all kinds of financial taxes, as long as you can mortgage, and nearly all mortgages out! It includes the government buildings now used by the government. All mortgaged to the capitalists. The Greek government can now be said to be really poor! Seeing the silence of the crowd, Gergios I''s face gloomy down. The Prime Minister knew that there was no way to hide. He takes the initiative toe forward. It is better than being pointed out! "s!" The Prime Minister sighed, then said: "From the current situation, we can only use the reserves of gold for emergencies in the short term! The other is to end the war as soon as possible. This aspect depends on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs! Our army is not as strong as we thought! The only way to win this war is to pin your hopes on your allies! What we have to do now is to push Bulgaria and Montenegro to join the war as soon as possible through diplomatic means. We can make concessions in terms of the splitting of the spoils!" Gergios I nodded and was about to say something when he suddenly realized that the Prime Minister had trapped him! On the surface, it seems to suggest something, but it essentially says nothing! There is no solution to the fiscal crisis! People have been concerned about the consequences of using reserve gold, which is already drying up. The big deal is the copse of the Drachma, which has be second in terms of danger after losing the war! End the war as soon as possible? Who wouldn''t want to? It''s obvious now that the Greek army can''t beat the Ottomans, and even if allies join in, the victory is uncertain! If possible, everyone would instead, the war did not happen! Diplomacy? Hell, didn''t it just fail? Concede on the spoils of war? To that extent? Gergios I, who had been a king for many years at least, looked dissatisfied for a moment and continued to ask: "Then, Prime Minister, what concessions do you think we can make? What is the bottom line?" The Prime Minister, who thought he had dodged a bullet, now has a bitter face as if everyone owes him money! He gulped and said, "This ~ ~, I think ~ ~ we have a wrong estimate of the strength of the Ottoman Empire this time. If we want to reach the target set, I''m afraid it will not work! Instead of that, why not promise Bulgaria what we can''t get our hands-on in exchange for them entering the war earlier and reducing our losses!" Gergios I''s worst fears still happened, even the Prime Minister has lost confidence in this war, others can imagine the thoughts in their minds! What about the soldiers and officers at the front? Do they still have hope for victory in this war? Then there is Bulgaria and Montenegro. If they also have no hope for the war, does that mean they will tear up the pact? So what was Greece to do in this war? How to end the war with dignity? Where should the future of Greece go? The crowd didn''t know what Gergios I was thinking, but they were interested in the Prime Minister''s proposal to drag the allies down first, no matter what! It is better for the three countries to face the Ottoman Empire together than for Greece to face it alone! Even if they lost the war, there would be someone to take the me, which is better than Greece''s bad luck! The Minister of War immediately echoed the words about the problems at the front. No one else is clear. Does he not know? Prince Konstantnos''s telegrams for help were called a dozen times a day; the Greek army in the region of Ioannina did not ask for reinforcements, but the situation was worse. Supplies were not avable! Although they can collect food locally, weapons and ammunition cannot be used and are totally dependent on the rear supply! If you don''t move, it is fine. Once you move, if you fight a big battle with the Ottomans, the guns in your hands may be sticks on the ground! Now the soldiers have only seventy rounds of ammunition per capita. It sounds good, but when you fight a battle, you will find that there is really not enough! However, the logistical supply line was not so secure because the time was too short, the Greek army had not had time to clean up the ce, and there were remote areas where the Ottoman government was still intact! If the Ottoman Empire hadn''t really been rotten, maybe the Greek army on the Ioannina front would have beenpletely cut off from logistical supply lines! Of course, it also has something to do with the poor logistics of the Greeks. Even if there is no obstruction, the same can not guarantee logistical supplies! Who told the Ottoman Empire not to pay attention to the ess to this area? So far, the war has been almost a week, and most front-line troops in the war can not receive a supply of enough! Now the Greek army on the Epirus front, with more than 100,000 people, was pressured by 40,000 to 50,000 Ottoman troops, not that they could not beat the enemy, it was too limited weapons in hand, and do not dare to fight it! Unless the enemy can be destroyed or crippled at once, the war continues, and the Greek army will have to take the bay stick! ... Just when the Greek government was worried about the war, there was a change on the front line! Epirus region is fine, no matter what, the Greek army had so many numbers to defend on the ground, the Ottoman army did not have enough troops, and did not dare to attack in full! The problem was in the Trik city defense line. The Ottoman garrison in the Rapsani region rushed to reinforce! Although only a few thousand men, but enough to change war by appearing in a specific ce! Ethem Pasha had enough troops in hand to directly order the two iing regiments to attack Karditsa and threaten the rear of Prince Konstantnos''s army! Themander of the reinforcements, Captain Gurbey Pasha, was a rare young and strong member of the Ottoman army, typically a newborn cow who was not afraid of the tiger! He knew that with just two regiments in his hands, it would be a fool''s errand to capture Karditsa, a key defense of the Greek army, under normal circumstances! And the fact that he was given orders by General Ethem Pasha just to attack and not to capture Karditsa speaks volumes! Captain Gurbey Pasha did something that caught the world''s attention. He went directly to the rear of Karditsa, alone, and sabotaged it! On April 25, 1897, at noon, a regiment under Captain Gurbey Pasha had an unlikely encounter with a logistics convoy of the Greek army outside Karditsa. There is no doubt that on the enemy''s side, of course, it was fucked! There was heavy fighting between the two sides, and when the garrison of Karditsa heard the news, they immediately organized infantry to rush to the battlefield to reinforce them. It is a pity that the logistic transport was the worst of the lot in the Greek army. An army of more than 300 men, together with a group of folk, made up a pair of thousands of men all the time. Even with their heroic performance, the battle against the more numerous Ottoman regrs ended in defeat after half an hour of fighting! When reinforcements arrived, only a trail of bodies was left behind, and the supplies they could carry away were taken away by the Ottomans, and the few bombs they could not carry away were gone! To cause trouble for the Greeks, Captain Gurbey Pasha also came up with the trick of giving each prisoner a bullet, don''t get me wrong, he didn''t ughter the prisoners! The bullets were in the legs. They just turned the captives into wounded and left them where they were! Of course, those who had resisted weren''t among them and were sent to God! It was just the beginning. The next time, with the Ottoman army doing what it did, in just two or three days, Prince Konstantnos reaped four or five thousand wounded, plus the logistical supply line copsed! In the 19th century, when medicine was scarce, being wounded by a bullet was not a simple matter! Even in the leg, many people would face a ruthless choice: whether to amputate the leg to save their lives; or choose to gamble their lives on whether the wound would be infected! Don''t expect the wound to be just a scratch. The Ottoman Empire and the Greeks have been feuding for more than a day or two! The bullets were undoubtedly hitting the bones, and they didn''te in time to receive treatment. In fact, Prince Konstantnos harvested a group of seriously wounded men who could have died at any time! Looking at the wailing wounded, Prince Konstantnos, even with his good restraint, could not help but curse angrily: "Fuck off! These beasts are worse than animals! How can they do this? God will not spare them, this group of damned shit will definitely go to hell! ..." Not only him, but all the Greeks present were on the same page. Captain Gurbey Pasha''s approach had broken through their bottom line andpletely enraged the Greeks. Anger is the greatest enemy of mankind. It affects his rational judgment! In order to take revenge and to open up supply lines, Prince Konstantnos gritted his teeth and pulled a division of reinforcements from the front line to surround the lone army of Captain Gurbey Pasha! There was arge forest over ten miles away from the city of Karditsa. The woods are the camp of the Ottoman army of Gurbey Pasha, and the reason for choosing this ce is that it is easy to defend and run away! The Greeks would be surprised if they didn''t retaliate after such a big deal. Of course, if the Greeks really pull troops from the front, with the intention of Gurbey Pasha, his task is to give the Greeks trouble! The Greek army was already at a disadvantage in terms of strength. Once again pulled, the defense line will inevitably be wed, which created a chance for the Ottoman army at the front! It does not matter if Prince Konstantnos can be calm and continue to do stop-and-go business. Anyway, as long as the logistical supply lines are cut, they will finish the Greek army on the front line sooner orter! As for whether the Greeks would take a detour, Gurbey Pasha was not worried at all! The Greekmanders on the front line will probably cry if they take a detour, which will no doubt lengthen the supply line and increase the distance by several hundred miles! Because they were running out of ammunition, Ethem Pasha did not fight them with superior strength but instead fought a war of attrition, grinding with the Greek army little by little to consume their ammunition! In just a few days, Prince Konstantnos''s hands of material reserves once again reduced under the current level of consumption. If they can not quickly open the supply line, half a monthter, he will face running out of ammunition! It was a foreign plot, and the Greeks were forced to follow the Ottomans'' n. From the moment Prince Konstantnos drew troops from the front, the fate of the Greek army was locked in ce! The change in the Greek lines could not be concealed from the Ottomans, and General Ethem Pasha knew that the long-awaited chance to fight had finallye when he determined that the Greeks were less than one division in strength! Chapter 187: 47) Bitter Fight Chapter 187: 47) Bitter Fight After days of bitter fighting, the number of casualties on both sides of the Greek-Turkish gap has exceeded five figures and is still growing! Prince Konstantnos''s only hope now was to stall for time and create a chance for the Greek army in the region of Ioannina, which was now gaining supplies and preparing to attack! As for the Trik region, the Ottomans had a clear advantage, and with the strength in his hands, it was impossible to achieve victory! At this time, there were seven Ottoman infantry divisions, two cavalry regiments, three artillery regiments, plus the generalmand''s direct troops, totaling more than 89,000 men! With a total of more than 350 artillery pieces of all kinds and 380 heavy machine guns! Compared to the Greek side of the army, it was much worse. Prince Konstantnos had only six infantry divisions in his hands, plus two artillery regiments, in which two more divisions were semi-crippled. Finally, there were one and a half cavalry battalions, totaling more than 67,000 men! With a total of more than two hundred and twenty artillery pieces of all kinds and more than four hundred heavy machine guns! Since the Battle of Zenta in thete 17th century, there has been a decline in the cavalry, and even the fact that the famous Cossack cavalry still exists in Russia does not change the fact that cavalry is in decline! By 1897, all European countries had reduced their cavalry, except for the Russian, who still had a fighting chance in the ins of Eastern Europe with the new-style cavalry! Of course, cavalry was already optional for a country like Greece and might have been abolished if not for the need for ceremonial processions! After the outbreak of the Greek-Turkish War, Gergios I sent all this cavalry to the front, and the cavalry was still very powerful on a given battlefield! Don''t be surprised that Ethem Pasha didn''t send cavalry to attack the Greek rear. It''s because the cavalry is too restricted by geography and the supply requirements are very high! Besides, he sent troops to attack Karditsa and break the stalemate on the battlefield so that he couldn''t attack the city with cavalry, right? The me lies with Captain Gurbey Pasha for being toopetent, for having fired a few random shots and finding out that the Greeks were prepared in Karditsa, and then going to attack the Greek logistic supply line? Despite the slyness, Captain Gurbey Pasha has done an excellent job and achieved the strategic objective! Originally Prince Konstantnos had 67,000 men in his hands, but after the withdrawal of his troops, only 53,000 men remained, and it once again widened the contrast in strength between the two sides! Of course, if you count the wounded, Prince Konstantnos''s men will now increase by more than 20,000, but they will not be of much help in this war! Finding chances in war is a must for every general on the battlefield. Ethem Pasha was no exception. The Greeks are undoubtedly at their weakest point now, and without the slightest hesitation, Ethem Pasha immediately made a pre-battle rally! ... After Ethem Pasha spoke, the lower group of officers were all shining. It is certainly not what loyalty and service to the country, but because building a sessful career represents more promotion and wealth! You should know that the Ottoman Empire''s ss has long been solidified, and the factor that decides what position you can climb to is no longer based on your ability, nor on how much you have contributed to the country, but on your origin!!! But this time, General Ethem Pasha promised that whoever makes the battle would be duly rewarded! On the contrary, if it messes up, it will be everybody''s burden in fighting! Even though thetter can not be justified in the future, but one thing is certain, a war effort will surely increase in rank and fortune! The Ottoman Empire was also a military state. If it is in the government sector, if the origin is not good, it may not matter how many achievements are made, it will not get even rise! But in the army, after theplete military reform, there is no way to do that in peacetime! In times of war, those who have made military achievements will definitely be promoted. Who called now the Ottoman Empire has been dying? Of course, the battle merit is not so good to get. It needs to have both luck and strength to do! First of all, there must be a war! Unlike the previous suppression of the Armenian rebellion, that is a minor role. It is suitable to win the fight. Losing 100% will be bad luck! The Greeks in front of them is a good choice!!! That is, not weak enough to ignore, nor strong enough to exceed everyone''s reach. It belongs to the kind of meat that can make the war effort and safely win the meat! Looking at the subordinates with a look of eagerness to try, Ethem Pasha smiled and nodded, then said seriously: "Now I order that at 4:37 on April 28, 1897, all artillery will open fire, targeting the positions of the Greek army on the opposite side, covering by fire for one and a half hours, at 6:07 the third division and two cavalry regiments, in charge of holding the left and right nks of the enemy, the other six infantry divisions all attack and crush the Greeks on the opposite side from the front!!! Understand?" "Understood!" The people said in unison. Ethem Pasha nodded with approval and said, "Now start calibrating the time based on the big clock on the wall! No one shall be dyed, and those who vite it shall be punished by militaryw!" ... Perhaps the rallying efforts of Ethem Pasha worked, or maybe the lure of promotion and wealth was too great, and the morale of the Ottoman army, both officers and soldiers, was at its peak at this moment! Time passed quickly, and on April 28, 1897, with the order from Ethem Pasha, the first to act were naturally the artillery units, who quickly moved their guns and loaded them in the newly formed artillery positions. Ethem Pasha looked at the time. 4:37 had arrived, his ears were filled with the rumble of artillery, and he knew the showdown had begun! On the other hand, the Greeks were used to it, and the Ottoman artillery attacked at irregr intervals during the years of the standoff. The Greeks soon responded, and the Greek artillery began to return fire, and once again, the two sides opened up a gun battle! Hundreds of artillery on both sides rang out at the same time, deafening and resounding through the sky! Shells were flying around randomly, and onended identally in a Greek regimentalmand, exploding instantly, killing three officers instantly and wounding five others! The explosion caused minor confusion but soon subsided again. The battlefield artillery fire blinds, being hit, can only be considered their own bad life! Soon the Greek artillery fell into the wrong side, which Prince Konstantnos had long been ustomed to it. After all, the opposite Ottomans had more artillery, as well as the quality of everyone was simr. It is normal not to win! Soon an hour or so passed, and he felt something was wrong. The Ottoman artillery fire seemed to have no intention of stopping. There is not much sense in knowing the two sides for such a long time to bombardment. After all, in this era artillery hit rate is extremely low! Even if they can find the other side''s artillery positions, it is not so easy to destroy the other side. And the other side''s artillery positions are exposed, and so is your own! Artillery is a precious soldier, brought to wear out in this way, under normal circumstances, themanders of both sides can not spare, and use this lose-lose method of fighting! Moreover, this is still both sides in the gambling luck, not that the Ottoman army had more artillery, it must be able to take advantage of the artillery less Greece, the same may also give them greater casualties, but the chances are smaller! Prince Konstantnos knew that the withdrawal of troops from the front had been exposed and that the Ottomans were obviously prepared! He immediately shouted, "Guards! Guards!!! Send orders to all troops immediately to guard against the Ottoman army''s attack!" Thanks to the end of the 19th century, there were already a telegraph and telephone, which were two means ofmunication. Otherwise, even if Prince Konstantnos found out, it would be toote to inform the troops! But it was toote. By the time the troops at the front got the news, the Ottomans had already started their attack under artillery cover! It was also fortunate that Prince Konstantnos had anticipated that the Ottomans mightunch an all-out attack in the gap of theirck of troops and made some targeted arrangements! But these preparations were not sufficient. Under the baptism of fire, the Greek army took great pains to build up the simple fortifications, and now it has been beaten to pieces, and now the defensive capacity has dropped a notch! And it''s early morning. The day has just dawned. Many Greek soldiers are still asleep, only to be awakened and not yet in shape! Probably already used to the artillery bombardment, after all, the Ottomans haveunched dozens of attacks in this short period of a few days, and people have seen the strange! Of course, this is only the soldiers'' thoughts. The actual Greek army hierarchy knows it. This attack is different from previous days, and it is the time when the defenders are at their lowest strength. The Ottomans willunch a decisive battle now as long as they are not stupid! With the advantage of artillery, the Ottoman army had the edge at the beginning of the attack! But the war could not be won simply by artillery! If this is the case, the Greeks do not even need to fight; they just run away! After the Ottoman army had breached the outer defenses, the Greek army also reacted, and thebination of trenches + machine guns + wooden fences caused a lot of casualties for the Ottoman army! Obviously, the heavy machine gun, which made a great show in the Bulgarian-Serbian War, had already entered the stage of history, and the Greeks had already mounted it. But because of the ammunition, the Greek army still could not be equipped on arge scale. It is not as much as it provided the Bulgarian army during the Bulgarian-Serbian War! The Greek army still had capable people who, in the absence of wire fences, could rece them with the most primitive wooden fences in the shortest possible time. Even if it was not as good as wire fences in terms of defensive capability, it was still a remarkable innovation! A brutal war began. One by one, the Ottoman soldiers rushed up to the Greek positions. The Greek army also did not show any weakness. They bravely met them andunched a fight to the death! Both the Ottoman General Ethem Pasha and the Greek Prince Konstantnos now have ugly faces. Obviously, this is not the result they wanted! Over time, the Greek army gradually could not stand, even if the defensive side had a geographical advantage, but also could not stand more Ottoman army! And the Ottoman army mainly was professional soldiers, and the Greek army was not the same as what was put together. The two sides are not on the same level ofbat power! On the left nk of the Greek army, a Turkic cavalry was watching this front, and themander, Orizel Pasha, was looking for a chance to fight, but he could only sigh with relief in the face of the Greek army cowering in the trenches! If there were no heavy machine guns, Captain Orizel Pasha might have dared to charge a wave with his cavalry, and as soon as he broke through a point, he could prate behind the Greek army ande in behind a double back attack! But now? Looking at Orizel Pasha''s eyes staring at the machine gun''s cold muzzle, speechless for a long time,mented from the heart: the glory of the cavalry has gone! Faced with a monster that can fire more than 600 rounds per minute, how many human lives will it take to fill the hole? Orizel Pasha asked coldly, "When will the artillery be in ce?" "Half an hour to go!" An officer replied decisively. Orizel Pasha said fiercely, "Then wait another half hour! Now let the feinting begin!" When the heavy machine gun just debuted, there were still very few weapons in the world that could deal with machine guns, and the most effective way was just two! One is to use snipers, directly take out the machine gunner, and then take advantage of the moment of the break-in fire to attack; the other is naturally the use of artillery. One shell down, everything is done! Apparently, there were still very few professional snipers in the Ottoman army in thete 19th century, and not many soldiers even had good marksmanship when the hesitant troopscked training! The sound of artillery fired and the Greek positions on the opposite side were instantly hit hard, one fire point after another, by a single shell glowing. Well, the artillery hit rate in this era is abysmal! A hundred and eighty shells passed, but it killed only three machine guns, plus nearly a hundred Greek soldiers! Then the Ottoman armyunched another round of attacks. Well, the attack had no part for the cavalry. That was the work of the two infantry regiments that crossed over at zero hours! The Ottomans couldn''t fill the trenches with cavalry! As a result, not surprisingly, Greek reinforcements were quickly added and blocked the line! Orizel Pasha looked at the infantry with heavy casualties. He was still thankful that the mission of the cavalry regiment was not to break through the defensive line but just to do a little to hold the enemy back. ... Even now, Ethem Pasha''s heart is not calm, the intensity of the Greek resistance more than he expected. The battle began only more than four hours and paid up to more than 8,000 casualties! On average, in an hour, the Ottoman army would have to lose a regiment of troops and a toon every minute! The introduction of heavy machine guns increased the intensity of the battle, which had already surpassed the Bulgarian-Serbian War of two years earlier. In terms ofbat power, the Ottoman army is slightly stronger, but the Greeks, as the defensive side, are considered to have drawn even, as a chess match! Time passed, the battlefield gradually changed, and the tragic battle, both sides emerging to varying degrees - deserters! In order to win the war, Ethem Pasha also defied the odds and sent out his supervisors to set up heavy machine guns directly behind the attacking troops! "Either you die on the way to the attack or you die at the hands of the supervisors!" ... The Ottoman army increased the intensity of the attack. Prince Konstantnos was anxious because he had not received any good news since the beginning of the war. The front line kept calling for support, appealing for the support! Now hismand, all but one regiment, was left. Reserves? The battle hase to this point, the Ottoman army has suffered heavy losses, and how can the Greek army suffer? It may be surprising to say that, as the defending side, the number of casualties so far is actually higher than the attacking Turkish army! He can''t help it. It''s all the fault of the new recruits! After all, it is just resisting on the gun, just a hasty training, was sent to the battlefield, a lot of life-saving measures on the battlefield are unknown, it is natural to die quickly! The casualty ratio between the two sides has remained at 1.3:1, and the Greeks have suffered a big loss in this regard! An officer hurriedly ran over and shouted, "Report! General, themander of the 18th Division, has just sent a telegram requesting support again!" ... (Note: The Battle of Zenta, which took ce in 1697, saw arge number of European infantry lined up in a line of fire, the Ottoman elite cavalry was overwhelmed by the artillery, and the Habsburg Empire won! (This battle marked the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the decline of cavalry!) Chapter 188: 48) The Crisis Chapter 188: 48) The Crisis After receiving the telegram for help, Prince Konstantnos tossed it aside without reading it. They said, after some thought, "Take a regiment from our newly formed militia division and go over to reinforce the 18th Division! Tell Major General Andreas that this is hisst group of reinforcements and that he must hold the line. If he can''t, he doesn''t have toe back!" After saying that, Prince Konstantnos got up directly and went to the field hospital, knowing that it would be tough to hold the defense line with the current strength in hand! In order to increase the number of soldiers, he had even ordered to catch strong men in the area. The militia reserve that has just been formedprises militiamen captured in the Thessaly region! Theoretically, he gained another division of troops; in reality, this newly formed militia division does not even have a gun in hand, and itsbat power is better than nothing, right? When they get to the front lines, they''ll have guns anyway! The war goes on, people always die, and they''ll have guns when others die! In thete stages of World War I, the Russian army did just that! Now it has been done by the Greeks, in advance! Now Prince Konstantnos yed the idea of the field hospital again. From the beginning of the attack on the city of Trik until now, the wounded in the field hospital has exceeded 20,000 people! Leaving out the severely wounded who havepletely lost their fighting ability, at least 7,000 to 8,000 lightly wounded can still barely fight on the battlefield! Even if thebat power has to be reduced, this group of ''veterans'' is better than the newly formed militia division! Prince Konstantnos has long ordered, but it is a pity that few people are still willing to go to war again! When he approached the field hospital, a stench overwhelmed Prince Konstantnos, who had never suffered this pain but was still forced to resist nausea and continue to move forward! Not far away appears a row of a load of the stretcher. It still puts the wounded on top. These are just from the front line! From time to time came a burst of wailing from the wounded. It''s creepy! Few medical staff holding a first aid kit are busy working. That is, to carry out some first aid work, take the bandage to re-dress the wound! Medicine? I''m sorry, but in the 19th century, this was a very luxurious product! Except for a few officers, ordinary soldiers were not entitled to it! And many of the seriously injured, even if one can rescue them, are also crippled, making it even less worthwhile for the Greek government to spend the big bucks! Even with medicine, the chances of the seriously wounded surviving are meager! There are no antibiotics in this era, and the inventor of penicillin is still a kid! It''s all a gamble on whether the wound will be infected or not! Once a wound bes infected, if it is on an extremity, it has to be amputated! If it is other parts, expect God to help! The chances of a miracle will not be more than one percent! Obviously, the field hospitals of the Greek army were not capable of receiving so many wounded! Even for simple medical treatment, they could not do it! Seeing this scene, Prince Konstantnos had some understanding as to why those lightly wounded refused to go into battle again! After experiencing such an environment, it is estimated that many of their minds would copse! Prince Konstantnos was thinking about how he could send these men to the front again. Coercive means are useless, and many of the wounded who have been healed have already broken their bones again to resist being recruited! ... On the front line of the 18th Division Command, Major General Andreas looked at this batch of reinforcements sent to him by Prince Konstantnos and was about to go crazy! From twelve or thirteen-year-olds to seventy or eighty-year-olds! Not to mentionbat power, Andreas doubts that many of them, in the end, will still be able to afford to withstand the gun! At this moment, he even wondered if he had offended Prince Konstantnos somewhere and was now putting on little shoes! Soon, he dismissed this idea! At this time, everybody is in the same line of shackles. If something happens, no one can get away! Anyway, it''s better to have reinforcements than not. No matter how outrageous, as long as you can pull the trigger, it''s always somewhat useful! The premise is that he first has to teach this mob to use weapons! After a moment of frustration, Major General Andreas yelled, "Guards, tell all regiments toe to division headquarters to collect their men and tell them that reinforcements have arrived!!!" Well! Soon he will not be the only one depressed. It will be even more difficult for those below! And there is no choice. There are only so many reinforcements. Take it or leave it! Anyway, now all the troops are short of men! Since Prince Konstantnos drew a division at the front, everyone''s defensive line has be longer, and ordingly, the troops have been divided thinly! ... Since the Ottomansunched a full-scale counter-offensive, Prince Konstantnos telegraphed the Greek government with a sternly worded plea for help! The content is very short, with just one meaning: if there are no more reinforcements, everyone will receive the news of his defeat in less than three days! At this moment, Gergios I could not sit still! Unlike the previous letters for help, this time is dangerous. Nomander will send such a telegram for help until the moment of life and death! "How many troops are left in the country?" Gergios I asked eagerly. The Minister of War said with a bitter smile, "Not more than 40,000 men, and mostly old, sick and disabled! But all the troops with fighting ability are now deployed to the front!" Gergios I thought about it and said, "It''s no big deal! Send out my Royal Guard as well, form a reinforcement force of 30,000 men, and set out at once to reinforce Prince Konstantnos!" The Minister of War said with a deathly grimace: "But Your Majesty, there''s simply not enough time! All these just formed the army. They are still only a peasant with hoes, or just from the factory workers, not to say that there is nobat power! Right now, they''re still spread out all over the country, and I''m afraid it will be toote when they arrive! Now the army that can reinforce Prince Konstantnos within three days is less than 10,000 men!" Gergios I look more gloomy and dreadful, this moment he suddenly found the situation, the crisis has reached such a point! The government has been holding back from sending additional reinforcements to the front, not that they don''t want to, but the country simply can''t get a decent army all the time! In other words, from the moment they sat down at the gambling table, the Greek government had already bargained! If they hadn''t done their best, the Greek army wouldn''t have been able to pierce the Ottomans'' defenses earlier easily! It is also themon problem of all small countries - they can not afford to lose! One defeat and you lose all the chips in your hand! Gergios I coldly swept the Minister of War and said, "I don''t care how many reasons you have, but within three days, reinforcements must arrive at the front! We have to hold the Trik line, and don''t tell me that your Ministry doesn''t even have a n for reinforcements! Even if the reinforcements can''t all arrive, we must make it to as many as possible! I only ask that the defense line be held, and at what cost, we must hold it!" "Yes!" The Minister of War replied with a bitter smile. After a few moments of silence, seeing Gergios I''s anger slightly subsided, the Prime Minister suddenly sighed and said: "Now is not the time to me. The most urgent task is to make Bulgaria and Montenegro join this war soon! Otherwise, it''s no longer possible to win this war on our own, even with a decent armistice oue!" Gergios I is also considered the Greek hero of all generations, but it is a pity that some were born at the wrong time. Now the bottom of Greece is really too thin! At the Prime Minister''s prompting, Gergios I at once understood and opened his mouth to ask: "Tell us all! What price do we have to pay in exchange for the Bulgarians to send troops immediately?" The faces of the people changed greatly, from the beginning of the war to now. In not even ten days Ottomans will defeat Greece! The n to rebuild Greater Greece has just taken its first step and failed! Now Greece can notpare with thetter. Not only is the territory less than half of thetter, but the poption is also only two million! Once defeated, in the future, the Greek army will not be able to restore their strength for a long time! The Minister of Finance spoke up first and said, "Isn''t it too early for you to talk about the post-war gains! The current situation on the battlefield is very unfavorable for us, and I suggest urging Bulgaria and Montenegro to enter the war as soon as possible! From the situation on the battlefield, the strength of the Ottoman army is still there, and it is tough to end the war in the short term! Without the intervention of the Great Powers, it is a big question mark whether the League could have won the final victory?" When the covers were blown off, the Balkan League had to be quick to win the war! Once the Ottoman Empire reacted, the war became a protracted war, and the other countries were still uncertain, but Greece is definitely did notst two months! The Minister of the Interior said with a bitter smile, "This is indeed a problem! But we started this war. We have to get something out of it, right? Without enough revenue, what will we tell the people at home! If we promise too many benefits now in order to pull Bulgaria into the war, in case the Russians interver and the League wins the war, we''ll lose big!" Everyone looked at each other with a look of helplessness! Everyone has now lost confidence in the Balkan League and pinned their hopes on the support of the Russians! The Minister of Foreign Affairs disapproved: "At this point in time, why do you still think so much! We must think so much, but won''t others think about it? Do you think the Bulgarian and Montenegro governments can''t think of this? Why should people take millet from the fire for us without enough interest?" Gergios I was stunned, wasn''t he? They would have joined without the Greeks'' promises if it was a sure-win war! But now it is obvious that the chances of winning are not good. Do you expect a paper treaty to bind everything? Ferdinand did not even have to tear up the pact. The war was started in advance by the Greeks. ording to the pact''s terms, Bulgaria joined the war within three months, which is not considered a breach of contract! As for the Bulgarian government''s promises, don''t even bother. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made verbal promises. As long as the Bulgarian governmentes to a stalemate, Greece can''t even make allegations in public opinion! If Greece can hold out for three months, Bulgaria will definitely enter the war! It means the Ottoman Empire had limited strength, and there was no pressure to crush weak people! If Greece could not hold out for three months, they lost the war. Bulgaria can pretend that nothing happened. Anyway, they have not yet dered war on the Ottoman Empire. With the presence of the Russian-Bulgarian Alliance, the Ottoman Empire did not dare to do anything to them! At this moment, Gergios I knew Ferdinand had screwed him! Moreover, he was also screwed. There is no concretepromise. Bulgaria will probably continue to watch the show! But he also did not believe that the Bulgarians would not be worried at all. It really is not easy to watch the defeat of Greece, nor will it be easy for Bulgaria! Well, he had overestimated Ferdinand''s morality! In Bulgaria, Ferdinand is looking at the war report, drinking tea, and enjoying himself! Sometimes they also review a few points ande off as a crowd eater, not worried about the Greeks at all! The Greeks were able to fight until now, and Ferdinand was satisfied! At most, ording to the initial estimate of the staff, Greece could withstand the attack of 150,000 Ottoman troops with all its strength; if theyunched an active attack, they would defeat them in no more than ten days! It was simr to the historical Greek Army performance, which got defeated a week after the start of the war! Now the performance of the Greek army has been very good, and fighting with more than 100,000 Ottoman troops for so long, and has taken out at least 30,000 to 40,000 Ottoman troops, has been very surprised by Ferdinand! As for sending troops to help? No problem! Just wait a little bit. After the defeat of the main Greek force, that''s when Bulgaria sent troops! In both lives, countless lessons from history have taught Ferdinand that the allocation of benefits is never based on merit. That strength is the core factor in determining the distribution of benefits! Isn''t Bulgaria the biggest contributor to the Balkan wars in parallel time and space? He thought he could get the biggest share of the cake, but the result? Not enough strength, in front of the interests of former allies into enemies, was beaten up a half! Now Ferdinand intends to pit one against the other, and anyway, Bulgaria is acting ording to the n that was agreed upon in advance. The Greeks themselves are the ones to me for starting the war early, and if they can''t hold out for half a month, who has the nerve to me Bulgaria! Of course, even if itsted half a month, it would be useless! Even if they entered the war, Bulgaria was also first to deal with Istanbul, followed by the Macedonian region. For a while still could not help the Greeks! ... Ferdinand put down the cup of tea in his hand and asked, "Prime Minister, how are the preparations for Montenegro? Is there a chance that they will enter the war early?" Prime Minister Konstantin smiled and said, "Montenegro is now terrified! They have their eyes on us right now, and it looks like they won''t enter the war as long as we don''te to the field!" Ferdinand''s face turned pale. Something is wrong! Nik I was a man who had fought in two wars against the Turks and knew absolutely everything about the military power of the Ottoman Empire! Even if the Greeks are defeated, it is not so much to scare him! "Do not underestimate them. Nik I is also a famous general of his generation! The strength the Ottomans disy now will not scare him! We were able to fool the Greeks, but not him! It looks like through the Bulgarian War, Nik I has gained a basic idea of our strength, or else by now Montenegro would have simply withdrawn from the League and would not be watching!" The people''s faces changed greatly and then returned to the time. It hase to this point, even if their strength is exposed and what can be? Could the Greeks not make peace with the Ottoman Empire? At the most, it was only two divisions in size. What could it do to threaten Bulgaria? The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!