She changed Europe

Page 79

What is she doing here at this time? Logically speaking, the elderly Empress Dowager is not interested in her granddaughter, let alone a birthday ball she is hosting for herself.

Considering that she was the one who once tried to kill her, Gisela would naturally assume the worst about such a woman, which was also a precaution.

If that time really comes, she might have to confront this old woman head-on, but before that, she still wants to play the role of an innocent granddaughter.

"Greetings, Grandmother!" Gisela lifted her skirt and bowed to the other woman's back. Seeing Gisela's gesture, Jeanne followed suit.

Seemingly having heard Gisela's words, the Queen Mother suddenly stopped and then spoke in her aged voice, "Happy Birthday!"

Her voice was low and emotionless, as if it were a routine matter, more like a polite response. There was no obvious sign of disgust, after all, this woman had controlled the palace for so many years, she had to have some acting skills.

Only after the woman's figure disappeared from her sight did Gisela turn around, putting on an innocent expression, and ask Jeanne, "So where are you taking me?"

"Just follow along, don't talk so much nonsense!" Jeanne tossed her silver hair, a smile playing on her lips, and spoke to Gisela in a tone like a big sister. Although Jeanne was a bit crazy when dealing with Su Beiming, she was actually quite normal now. This woman wasn't really frank and was even a bit arrogant, so Gisela thought it would be quite interesting to play along with her.

"Oh!" Gisela nodded, obediently following behind Jeanne.

Schönbrunn Palace at night is always peaceful and serene, just like its name suggests, carrying the beauty of a girl's dream and a fairy tale. What you feel when you are there is not the glory and power of the Habsburg dynasty for hundreds of years, but an extension of the dream of its owner, like Neuschwanstein Castle.

The young girl inherited the palace from her father, and from that moment on, her carefree girlhood was a thing of the past. "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown," and Theresa proved herself with her actions. Facing threats from Frederick, the Prussian monarch and Europe's greatest military genius, she remained calm and skillfully maneuvered among the great powers, buying her weakened empire a much-needed respite.

She implemented political reforms and gradually transitioned the Habsburg monarchy into a more advanced and modern state. She was also a monarch with considerable strategic vision; while pursuing reforms within her own country, she also worked to promote reforms among the German princes, attempting to unite all the princes within the Holy Roman Empire.

Even such a brilliant empress still harbored dreams of being a little girl. The royal gardens bursting with flowers, the labyrinthine green walls that resembled works of art, the retro-style artificial ruins in the style of Greece and Rome, and the magical Neptune Fountain—all these reflect the empress's personal tastes. Schönbrunn Palace may well be the embodiment of these dreams.

“Fox! Compared to your solemn and majestic Hofburg Palace, I prefer the tranquility and elegance of Schönbrunn Palace. Of course, none of these compare to our Versailles!” Jeanne walked ahead, heading towards the Royal Gardens. The long silence made her decide to find something to talk about to ease the somewhat awkward atmosphere. However, she also wanted to subtly criticize Austria for having a style reminiscent of Jeanne d'Arc (Black Jeanne).

“Indeed, I also think your Versailles is the most beautiful palace in Europe.” Gisela didn’t confront Jeanne today, but instead began to go along with her words. This made Jeanne feel uneasy for a moment, so she suddenly stopped and said with some suspicion:

"Are you sure Versailles is the best palace?"

"Yes, the best in Europe!" Gisela's favorite place was the Forbidden City, though she didn't tell Jeanne these words.

"By the way, Fox, what do you think of your fiancé Leopold? He likes you so much, loves you so much?" Seeing that there were no outsiders present, Jeanne suddenly remembered her important business and asked.

"He is loyal and reliable, capable and thoughtful. He is an excellent gentleman, but I just can't like him because I like women." This was a secret that Jeanne Gisela didn't mind revealing, or one that Gisela would find out sooner or later even if she didn't say it.

“You…” Jeanne was momentarily speechless in the face of Gisela’s words, but anyone could criticize Gisela except Jeanne. Jeanne also had a woman in her heart, but not the scumbag in front of her…

"What, you like Leopold now? You need my opinion?" Gisela crossed her arms and looked at Jeanne with a slight smile. Her words were clearly meant to retaliate against Jeanne's earlier little trick.

"Huh? So what? So what if I like him? He's just your fiancé." Gisela's teasing once again stirred up Jeanne's rebellious spirit.

"So, in this way, Miss Richelieu will be mine, and Leopold will be yours. Wouldn't that count as an exchange...?"

"Fox! If you want to die, just say so! I'll take you down with me today!" Jeanne frowned, her so-called aloofness visibly shattered.

"Don't worry, that's not my style. If it's really my intention, what's wrong with having it all?" Gisela raised an eyebrow and turned to search for something along the edge of the tree wall.

"Have you really started digging in the dirt like a fox?" Jeanne's sharp tongue was on full display as usual.

“I used to secretly hide a lot of alcohol here behind Rita’s back.” Gisela rubbed the tip of her nose and pointed to a hollowed-out clump of trees at the edge of the green wall in front of her.

"How old are you to be hiding wine?" Jeanne looked at Gisela, who was bending down to look for something. From her angle, she could see Gisela's beautiful fox tail, so she raised her hand to grab it.

PS1: In the original story, the fox and Rudolf went drinking, but this has been changed quite a bit 0v0

Chapter 294 The Fall of Saint Stephen's Crown: Capter 10 Gisela and Jeanne (Vote Requested)

Gisela usually hid her golden tail under her skirt, so Jeanne could never see it clearly. As for grabbing it, that was out of the question, since there's a saying: "Don't touch a fox's tail!"

However, Jeanne thought the fox's tail was indeed very beautiful, just like its owner. Jeanne wanted to reach out and feel the texture, but was deterred by a single look from the other party.

"Don't touch it!" Gisela frowned slightly, warning the black Jeanne in front of her with great displeasure.

"Fine, I won't touch it. Who cares about a limp tail that sheds fur all year round?" Jeanne sneered, turning her head to the side.

"Say that again!" Gisela said, hands on her hips, not minding giving this rebellious village girl another lesson.

"You think you can just tell me to talk and I'll talk? Who do you think you are?" Jeanne knew she couldn't beat the fox, but that wasn't anything shameful. After all, you could find someone in all of Europe who could defeat Su Beiming in a one-on-one fight.

Jeanne, in a way that's defiant yet says the most cowardly things, is truly living up to her name, even in that old game she's arguably the easiest woman to handle.

"Go quickly and get the box out for me." Gisela wasn't the type to hold a grudge, and changing the subject appropriately at this point was a tactful approach.

"Yes, yes, you decide." Jeanne looked impatient, but still carried the box to Gisela.

“Let’s go over there first.” Gisela looked up at the artificial ruins featuring figures from Greek mythology. To avoid being discovered by Rita and Miss Aponia, Gisela had already thoroughly explored these locations; after all, there wouldn’t be any guards stopping her in her own palace.

“Jason chooses you.” Gisela quickly arrived at a row of statues, then randomly chose one of the heroes' statues and sat down against it. Why did Gisela recognize Jason at a glance? Well, everyone knows the ball of yarn in his left hand—it's the famous Golden Fleece.

“There’s vodka from Warsaw and Krakow, red wine from Bordeaux, Scotch whisky, and oh yes, and this too,” Jeanne explained to Gisela as she searched through the bottles.

"Your Highness, how do you know so many kinds of wine..." Heaven knows how a 15-year-old princess could come into contact with so many kinds of wine. You know, I've only ever drunk red wine and brandy.

As for whiskey and vodka, Jeanne could certainly drink them if she wanted, but she simply disliked them from birth.

“I used to drink a lot of those red, white, and colored drinks with my classmates,” Gisela complained in Chinese. Jeanne, who didn’t understand Chinese, was completely confused, but of course, none of that mattered.

"This is it, absinte, made in Switzerland." Absinte originated in Switzerland, but it was banned by the Swiss government after 1910, and its production was moved to underground workshops. However, it is only 1871 now, so it is only natural that a large amount of absinte is still circulating in the market.

"Why is it green?" Gisela held the bottle up to her face and examined it carefully.

"This flavor is quite interesting. At first, there is a very obvious wormwood flavor, followed by a sweet anise flavor. After these two flavors reach a perfect balance, a subtle and refreshing mint flavor will emerge." Gisela spoke so professionally and academically not because she drank a lot of it, but mainly because it was one of the many pieces of knowledge she had memorized during her university years in order to better pick up girls.

In short, it's all about showing off...

"Where did you get all this knowledge about alcohol? Shirley told me that when drinking, you should avoid alcohol with strange colors. He told me that most of these types of alcohol have strong hallucinogenic effects, causing confusion and even mental derangement if consumed excessively." Jeanne's expression was serious; she believed Richelieu's words completely.

"Don't worry, don't worry, it's not fake wine. We'll just have a little to taste it, nothing will happen. Besides, you're not scared, are you?" Gisela assured her confidently as she took out two wine glasses.

This simple provocation tactic might not work on others, but it certainly doesn't apply to Jeanne; Jeanne falls for it.

“Who’s afraid of who! Whoever loses has to bark like a dog!” Jeanne said, raising her head.

"One glass each, no more." Gisela poured wine for Jeanne while subtly releasing some magical perception to confirm that her maids were not nearby before picking up her glass. To be honest, the sense of transgression of secretly "doing something bad" was strangely enjoyable.

"It's a bit astringent, but still acceptable." In terms of bitterness, Gisela, who had experienced trials with traditional Chinese medicine since childhood, clearly had a better tolerance for bitterness than Jeanne.

"Glug glug." Gisela quickly downed the wine in her glass, and seeing that Gisela had finished, Jeanne also quickly finished her wine in one gulp.

"It tastes so good, why is it banned? Hiccup..." As Gisela hiccuped, her fox ears twitched excitedly.

“One more glass would be nice, just one last one…” Gisela muttered to herself as she refilled Jeanne’s glass, and the two of them drank one glass after another.

I don’t know how long has passed——

"Your Highness, why do you look so pathetic leaning against Medea's statue!"

"So you mean you're so brave just because you're relying on Jason, you stinky fox?" Jeanne asked, her mind still a little hazy.

"Just kidding, I'm super brave." To match her words, Gisela wobbled to her feet, put her hands on her hips, and raised her thumb above her head. But soon after, with a "thud," the silly fox landed on her feet.

At the same time that Gisela and Jeanne were completely drunk, the ball in the hall suddenly fell into a freezing state because of the appearance of a woman.

"Welcome, my beloved mother." Emperor Joseph greeted the elderly woman before him politely, and Empress Elizabeth beside him also bowed to the distinguished woman along with her husband.

Sophie Frederick Dorothe Wilhelmine was the daughter of King Maximilian I of Bavaria and Caroline, daughter of the Duke of Baden. Her husband was Archduke Franz Karl, the younger brother of the former Emperor Ferdinand I. While Emperor Joseph was not legally entitled to the throne, this woman, through her exceptional political acumen and ruthless methods, secured the crown for her son…

PS1: I forgot to update Chapter 2 yesterday.

Chapter 295 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter 11 The Queen and the Empress Dowager (Seeking Votes)

In 1848, the March Revolution broke out in the Austrian Empire. People of all nationalities took to the streets in Vienna, Budapest, Prague and other places, demanding more power. For a time, the imperial government led by Metternich was in turmoil. The impact of the revolution also seriously affected the Habsburg family's rule in Central and Eastern Europe. It can be said that the 600-year-old dynasty has ushered in the greatest crisis since the Napoleonic Wars.

At the heart of this event, Metternich, disguised as a man, escaped through a small window of the Chancellor's residence on the second day after the Vienna Revolution and fled to London via Bavaria.

The empire's linchpin had fled, and King Ferdinand I, who suffered from severe intellectual disabilities, was unable to resolve the deteriorating situation. To unite the family, a woman bravely stepped forward: Princess Sophie, Joseph's mother.

She first used her intelligence and her power as a magic user to persuade her husband and the nobles to demand that Ferdinand I abdicate the throne. However, because Ferdinand I had no children due to health reasons, and in order to avoid criticism, she did not ask her husband to become emperor, but instead asked Ferdinand I to abdicate in favor of their child, the emperor's nephew Joseph.

After Josephus ascended to the throne, he instructed his son to compromise with the citizens of Vienna. On the one hand, he dismissed Metternich from his post and agreed to the citizens' demands for reform. On the other hand, he amassed an army and allied with the Russian Empire to severely suppress the uprisings in Hungary and Bohemia. Only then did the empire finally escape danger in this crisis.

She was undoubtedly a great mother and a true Empress Dowager. Back then, perhaps all she wanted was to protect her family and safeguard her country. But people change. As Joseph grew older, the Empress Dowager was alarmed to find that her son was gradually slipping out of her control. He was no longer the shy, introverted little boy who always stayed by her side; he had become a monarch, an emperor, and another woman, far more important to her son, had entered her life.

Power and jealousy ultimately transformed her into the very person she once despised. Now, she was a guardian of the old empire, a protector of the corrupt nobility. To seize more benefits and gain the support of the Hungarian nobility, she even joined Count Andrássy in pressuring Joseph in 1867, ultimately leading to the birth of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. She was ruthless enough to kill her own granddaughter, Emus, to counter the challenge from the new nobility led by Empress Elisabeth. Yes, she was ill; like the Austro-Hungarian Empire, however outwardly glamorous, its inner workings were already decaying—she was terminally ill.

"Today is Gisela's birthday, why isn't she here?" The Empress Dowager's tone was icy, as if she were calling a stranger's name. You should know that the owner of this name has the same blood flowing through her veins. Unfortunately, we can't see any kinship in the woman's words. She clearly saw Gisela just now, but now she pretends to know nothing.

"She went out with the Duke of Orléans..." Queen Elizabeth looked up and answered the woman.

"I'm asking about my son, not you." The Queen Mother glanced at Elizabeth with a disdainful look before fixing her gaze on Joseph.

“Mother, Sissi is right. Little Gisela and Miss Jeanne have just left the venue.” Joseph straightened up, looking somewhat restrained. Although he was much more mature as an emperor, he dared not show any emotion in front of his mother…

"What a lack of manners! Today is supposed to be a birthday celebration for her, but instead, she's abandoned so many guests and gone off to have fun! I really don't know who raised her like this." The Empress Dowager scanned the hall expressionlessly, her sarcasm and dissatisfaction with someone were all too obvious.

“Mother, this is not Sisi’s fault. It is my fault for not teaching little Gisela well.” Joseph stood in front of Sisi, protecting his wife behind him. He clearly expressed his intention to protect his wife to his mother.

"Hmph! My Majesty, how could you possibly err? You are the Emperor of the Empire, the Caesar sung by the people and protected by God..." the Empress Dowager said with a sneer. For Joseph himself, if the person before him were not his mother, but someone else, he might have already erupted in fury. Unfortunately, there are no "ifs." The person before him was indeed his mother, the woman who gave birth to him, who personally placed the crown upon his head.

But not losing her temper doesn't mean she won't get angry; clearly, her mother's current behavior has, to some extent, offended her dignity as the emperor of the empire.

Emperor Joseph closed his eyes, trying to ignore his mother's nagging and sarcasm, then opened them again, his gaze equally cold as he stared at the woman before him.

"Mother, you didn't come here today just to chat with me about these trivial matters that have no value whatsoever, did you?"

"Hahaha! How could that be? Today is my lovely granddaughter's birthday. Can't a grandmother come here to see my little darling?" In the blink of an eye, the heavy atmosphere and tense atmosphere disappeared because of the Empress Dowager's loud laughter, as if the previous words were just a joke.

"Of course, I've also come to see you, my dear Your Majesty." The Empress Dowager approached Joseph with gentle eyes, tiptoed, and lightly stroked her son's handsome face with her right hand. Joseph was now in his prime, an age when a man is at his most charming.

As for this Empress Dowager, even though she is a demon wielder, she cannot stop aging. The reason for this is related to the injuries she suffered when she was young.

As the relationship between the emperor and his mother seemed to ease, the music started again, and the guests pretended nothing had happened and went about their business as usual.

This is a joke. It's the emperor's own family matter. What can they do besides watch the show? Are they going to interfere?

Queen Elizabeth, seeing her husband and mother standing together, felt a strange, inexplicable feeling. Joseph, unaware of this, was witnessing a power struggle between the two most important women to him, a struggle that would determine the future of the empire.

"Your Majesty, have you considered how to reward our little princess?" The Queen Mother's seemingly casual remark was interpreted by Elizabeth as a declaration of the true beginning of their rivalry. This woman seemed genuinely concerned about Gisela's upbringing...

PS1: Ra!

Chapter 296 The Fall of Saint Stephen's Crown: Capter 12 Court Politics (Seeking Votes)

Although the war in Italy had ended nearly half a year ago, and all the generals and soldiers who participated had received rewards of varying degrees, there was one person whose reward had not yet been issued: her daughter Gisela.

Aubila's breakout, the night battle on the Ticino River, the Battle of Magenta, the Battle of Milan—each victory was significant, and what's even more admirable is that she played a crucial role in almost every battle.

If it were someone else, Emperor Joseph wouldn't have needed to be so conflicted; a triple reward of promotions, titles, money, and social standing would have been fine, but that was only for others.

But his own daughter was a completely different story. Titles and rewards meant absolutely nothing to his little darling. Gisela was born with the title of Grand Duchess upon baptism, and as for money, it was hardly a reward. The only problem now was what position to give her, but Joseph didn't know what position to give her.

If the position were given too high, Rudolf, who was already somewhat unknown, would be even less able to compete with his sisters. Although Joseph did not care too much about who would eventually inherit the throne, deep down he still hoped that his youngest son Rudolf would be more outstanding.

Of course, the most troublesome issue was his mother, the Empress Dowager, who was a very "traditional" person. In her mind, there was only one heir to the throne: Rudolf. In order to avoid future conflicts between the siblings and the power struggles behind them, Joseph had to find a balance in this matter, which ultimately led to Gisela not receiving any reward for a long time.

"I'm sorry, Mother, I need to carefully consider the matter of little Gisela." Joseph's expression was calm, and he didn't want to reveal too much to his mother at this time.

“My Majesty, I understand you are worried about Rudolf and his sister, isn’t that it?” This wasn’t just a concern for Joseph; it was a concern shared by all members of the royal family. Ferdinand I’s abdication had a negative consequence: monarchs might be forced to abdicate due to pressure from nobles or the people, and the previously strict laws of succession might be a thing of the past.

"..." It's not hard to guess. Joseph was also worried about this situation, but he couldn't admit it.

"The children are not yet at the point where they can access core power." In the end, Joseph could only utter such ambiguous words.

It is worth mentioning that several years ago, when Gisela was only 12 years old, she told him Richelieu's famous quote: "Once I have made up my mind, I will go straight to my goal, reverse everything, cut everything, and cover everything with my red robe."

Knowing how ruthless Richelieu's methods were, he didn't want his daughter to take that step for power; that would be too tragic.

"Then Your Majesty, would you like to hear my advice?" The Empress Dowager was naturally not satisfied with Joseph's words, so she took the opportunity to give Joseph her advice directly.

"Please instruct me, Your Majesty..."

"She's so outstanding, let her follow in the footsteps of Her Majesty Theresa and let her govern Hungary! Let her govern Translettania." The so-called governance is only nominal; in reality, all operations are carried out by the imperial bureaucracy. This move is actually a way of returning all of Gisela's power in Bohemia to Rudolf.

It's worth noting that while Gisela seemed to have been given greater administrative authority, unlike the wealthy Bohemia region, the vast area of ​​Translettania had nominally belonged to the Kingdom and Parliament of Hungary since the establishment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the imperial government did not directly govern that region. Therefore, sending Gisela to Hungary served two purposes: firstly, it strengthened the relationship between Hungary and the Empire; secondly, it prevented Gisela from gaining excessive power and threatening Crown Prince Rudolf's position—a truly win-win situation.

"Your Majesty! Hungary is not friendly to our Habsburg family!" Seeing that the Empress Dowager was targeting her favorite, Gisela, Queen Elizabeth clearly disagreed with the Empress Dowager's idea.

“No! Sisi, I’ve actually thought about it, and the best solution would be to send little Gisela to Budapest. She will go as the Governor of Outer Letania, not just as an Imperial Princess.” Joseph raised his hand, signaling his wife to stop talking, because his mind was made up.

As for the reasons, although the Hungarians were troublesome, they were not uncooperative. Moreover, Joseph actually had some expectations for Gisela's governance of Translettania. In addition, Sisi had a good personal relationship with Count Andrássy, and the Hungarian Prime Minister could take care of Gisela to some extent. Of course, these things could not be said openly.

While the three were talking, they didn't notice that the true nun Aponia, with her long gray hair and purple eyes, had secretly recorded their entire conversation and was reporting back to Gisela at any time.

However, let me briefly shift my focus away from Vienna and the Empire, and refocus on Italy, but this time not on northern Italy, which has just been ravaged by war, but on a place further south.

That divine kingdom that has been established for 1,117 years, and its capital, Rome, a city with a long history of 2,624 years, one of the cradles of European civilization.

At this moment, in the brightly lit Sistine Chapel in Rome, a silver-haired girl was standing on tiptoe, craning her neck, observing the solemn and magnificent ceiling fresco on the chapel's dome.

"The Creation of Adam" is a religious fresco created by the Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo between May 1508 and October 1512. Originally intended as a gift to the citizens of Rome, the fresco was ultimately commissioned to be painted on the dome of the Sistine Chapel due to the Pope's eccentric behavior. It's important to note that the Sistine Chapel differs from St. Peter's Basilica; it was a private chapel for the Pope, and ordinary citizens were not allowed to enter without his permission. Therefore, the true owner of this masterpiece was the successive Popes.

"Will the Lord really forgive the sins of us lambs?" The girl observed the paintings on the dome, her mind filled with many thoughts.

“Yes, Lady Theresa, you are the Lord’s representative on earth, and your will is the Lord’s will,” a beautiful nun beside the silver-haired girl replied softly, kneeling beside her.

“Yes, sir, how can you, as the Lord’s representative, question the Lord’s authority and your own?” said another nun standing next to the girl.