Start 1861: I just inherited the Dutch throne

Chapter 30 Three parties bully each other
After half a month of campaigning in the Netherlands and France, Prussian Prime Minister Bismarck officially announced his public dissatisfaction with Belgium on 1862th 14.
“We don’t understand why Belgium is becoming more and more self-righteous and making many wrong political decisions.

Belgium was not a country until 1839, but after that, with the consent of the Netherlands, it became the Belgium we know today.

This is an extremely young country, but even if it is young, it should learn the governance capabilities of harmonious peripheral relations and domestic relations that ancient countries should have, rather than the strategy of distant relations and close attacks. In other words, does Belgium have this ability?
no?
As a close neighbor of Belgium, Prussia does not want to see such mistakes in their domestic development. Therefore, especially in the cities of Verviers, Malmedy and St. Vitus in the Liège Province in eastern Belgium, because there, most of them All are of Prussian descent.

Still speaking Prussian, for them, due to the recent unrest in Belgium, we will send more than 5000 great Prussian soldiers on the borders of the two countries to maintain a certain degree of power to intimidate those who intend to deal with the Prussians in these three places. Life. "

In just one day, the world's eyes turned to Belgium with pity and ridicule.

What a pity!

One wave after another, France attacked in the south, the Netherlands took the opportunity to win over the local government of Belgium in the north, and now Prussia, an emerging power, intervened in the east.

The three countries all used the same excuse, that is, Belgium was in charge of their people and former territories, but was unable to protect them and make their economy prosperous and their lives better. Therefore, they could only do it themselves, regardless of the Belgian government.

On the same day, France also announced that in order to prevent unrest in Belgium, it would also deploy 5000 troops to the city of Valenciennes on the northern border with Belgium's Hainaut Province, and 5000 troops to be deployed in Salavel- on the border with Belgium's Namur Province. In the city of Mézières, a total of 10000 soldiers were stationed at the east and west ends, ready to protect the French at any time.

On the same day, the Netherlands also deployed 20000 troops, 1 each in the city of Eindhoven in the southwest of Labant Province in the north and Breda in the east, also in the name of protecting Dutch people abroad.

"Once there is any restlessness in Belgium, especially if it is an adverse situation for the Dutch people, we are ready to attack at any time to protect our compatriots and brothers."

This sentence comes from the tough statement of Mark Rudd, Chief of General Staff of the Netherlands.

The next day, February 1862, 2, the British Empire, which had been silent for a long time, finally stood up. However, what was unexpected was that the person who directly opened the press conference this time and the person sitting on the podium was not the person in charge of the British Empire. John Russell, the Foreign Secretary of the Imperial Foreign Office, was not Prime Minister Henry John Tapper, the most famous Viscount Palmerston in Britain, nor was he the most powerful Queen Victoria.

He is a young face, but the media is not very unfamiliar with him, because the tidbits about this 21-year-old young man have occupied the top of the list of gossip topics that people on the streets of London have been talking about in the past few years. s position.

Unexpectedly, he was actually present today, and he still occupied the main seat. It seems that it is true that the royal family of the British Empire will hand over diplomatic power to him, which was circulated a few days ago.

"We will not watch our European allies being trapped in the hegemonic practices of various countries and ignore them. The battleships of the British Empire are always very fair in the history of diplomacy. We stand on the side of justice and hope that countries will give up unrealistic practices. Fantasy, give Belgium a peaceful environment, and allow all countries to continue to prosper and develop."

"His Royal Highness Crown Prince Edward, it is said that the total number of armies of the three countries this time exceeds 35000. This is a huge army number. Many people will not think that the three countries will retreat easily. In this regard, is there any method that the British Empire can use to facilitate the retreat of all parties? Really? I'm a reporter from Financial Times."

"The Financial Times" has always been pro-Tory, and Edward has recently become closer to the Tory party, so he nodded to this person in a friendly manner, and then said: "In order to let the three countries clearly know what our attitude is. Resolutely, my mother, Her Majesty Queen Victoria, has prepared to appoint Viscount Palmerston, our old Prime Minister of the British Empire, to visit Amsterdam in the Netherlands."

The reporter also seemed to know the Crown Prince's favorable opinion of his newspaper, so he asked: "But the Netherlands is said to be the coalition of three countries that put pressure on Belgium this time. Can the British Empire convince them?"

Crown Prince Edward smiled, and then glanced sideways at John Russell, who was waiting for a while. The latter was still taking notes intently, as if he didn't notice the look he was looking at. He was a little bored, and then he said: "Is it possible? Don’t you believe in the ability of Viscount Palmerston, who has been in charge of the diplomatic community of our British Empire for 30 years?”

John Russell thought to himself: This is digging a hole for Tapper. Crown Prince, why are you bothering to exert such pressure? Don’t you know that the most taboo thing in diplomacy is to set public goals before they are carried out? Such a thing?Before taking action, he was already at a disadvantage in the negotiations. This was to relieve the pressure on the Netherlands!

However, when thinking of his old friend who was both a teacher and a friend, Russell was also curious. After all, at the European Royal Marriage and Dating Conference held in Amsterdam on February 1862, 2, whether Palmerston could defeat the Netherlands and make these three countries Is United missing a corner?

This is a good expectation. I believe that even other czars and others should also have a lot of expectations!

As the British Empire stepped forward, Crown Prince Edward spoke out forcefully about the British Empire's first defense of Belgium, and gave a firm warning to other countries. A tug-of-war between several large countries in Western Europe around a small country began. prelude.

And on the Isle of Wight, far away from Buckingham Palace, in a large castle that stands majestically between the seaside and the mountainside, in a magnificent room, there are now three stunning women with blond hair and blue eyes like Snow White living there.

Although it is February here, it is surrounded by green mountains, green mountains, towering ancient trees, swaying green bamboos, gurgling streams, strange stories in the canyons, strange caves, deep valleys, strange stories, ancient lakes, historical sites and scenic spots, and inherent mystery. The green water is beautiful and charming, or the waterfalls fly into the sky, and the mountains are layered and colorful.The trees are lush and lush, welcoming wind, snow, rain and frost all year round, and are full of vitality.

The pine forest surrounding the castle is green, and when the wind blows from above, it whistles, as light as the gurgling water, as fierce as the roar of the waves, and has endless charm.

Climb up the mountain and look around. The mountains are green, the forest is rippling, and the snow is dancing misty like a fairyland. The scenery is natural and fascinating.

The coastline here is varied and the beaches are beautiful and charming.

This castle is actually Osborne House, the British Empire's holiday home for Queen Victoria on the Cowes side of the Isle of Wight.

In Osborne Palace, except for Queen Victoria and Prince Edward at Buckingham Palace, the remaining members of the royal family are here to mourn the death of Prince Albert.

He is the father of these princes and princesses here now.

A stunning woman with immature behavior was in Queen Victoria's office room here. She was wearing a long dress with red flowers and white leaves. She was slim and light, which made her look more like her muscles and bones were smooth, and she looked luxurious and graceful. temperament.

She was originally a great beauty, but under the embellishment of this light pink makeup, she added a bit of elegance, making her so beautiful that no one dared to look at her.

She is Princess Alice!
Her full name is Alice Maud Mary. She was born in 1842. She is the third child of Queen Victoria of the British Empire and Prince Albert who just passed away last year. In addition to Princess Victoria who was married to Crown Prince Frederick of the Kingdom of Prussia, ’s second daughter.

Alice's childhood was spent in the company of her parents and siblings, and her education was under the care of Prince Albert's close friend and adviser, Baron Stockmar. In December 1861, Albert died one cold night. , London was looking for the romantic eldest son Edward, and he contracted typhoid fever. When he was terminally ill, it was Alice who took care of him until his death.

After the prince's death, Queen Victoria was heartbroken, so Alice served as her mother's unofficial secretary for 2 months. From then on, Queen Victoria began to train each daughter to observe politics and teach them how to manage the British Empire and world politics. .

And Alice was the first experiment.

It is here that Alice watches and writes about the recent evolution of relations between the UK and the world, a habit she has developed over the past two months.

"Alice, I'm here," a clear and melodious voice shouted happily, and opened the door.

"Why, my mother has been away recently, so you have been here more often than before. But having said that, Louise, you are indeed the most beautiful among our sisters, even though you are still young."

Princess Alice smiled sweetly and pinched Princess Louise's fair and lovely cheeks.

"Helena is the beauty, and Alice and Victoria are the beauties, hehe."

Princess Louise is wearing a beige dress, a clear dress with a simple design, which wraps the precocious and slim body of a European girl, making her graceful feminine lines faintly visible and her long, slightly moist hair hanging sideways. Up to the chest, the neck is delicate and as white as ivory.

The girl's pretty face is simply painted with makeup, her crystal skin is as flushed as begonia pollen, her rosy lips are coated with a layer of bright lip gloss, and the way her lips open and close when she speaks makes people feel like a kiss. impulse.

Princess Louise was born at Buckingham Palace in 1847, the sixth child and fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

As the daughter of the king, Louise received the title of Princess Louise. She was born before the GE disaster that swept across Europe in 1848, so she was called a special child by the queen.

However, she is different from other princesses. She is not very liked by the queen because
(End of this chapter)