German Red Prince

Page 51

"Someone's here?" Thorne was puzzled at first, then immediately realized, could it be that Elena was here again today? What if she pulled out a gun!

"Wait, don't get excited, don't get excited." Thorne quickly told the agent to take his hand out; this wasn't the place to draw a gun.

"Elena? Is that you in there?" This time Thorne was smarter and didn't rush over like a fool like last time. He knew to call out first.

“Mr. Carl?” Elena came out from inside. “You’re back? I’m still cooking, it’ll be ready in a bit.”

"Who is this? A friend? Would you like me to make another one?" Elena asked, looking at the tall man standing there.

“No need, miss, I’ll be leaving soon,” the Stasi agent said to Elena with a smile, taking his hand out of his pocket.

"Elena, are you busy? Let me help you." Holman quickly went over and sent Elena away; she couldn't bear to hear these secrets.

"Go on!" Thorne continued.

"Yes," the man nodded, then told Thorne everything he knew.

"Your Highness, we have been secretly monitoring the situation of some nobles and officials in Darmstadt recently."

"Not long ago, Minister Thomas sent word that they had uncovered some intelligence about the upper echelons of Darmstadt. They extracted some crucial clues from a minor nobleman, and we have also found some related leads."

"Oh?" Thorne raised an eyebrow. "Any clues?"

"Your Highness, we have discovered some problems with the Rheinmetall factory in Darmstadt. The financial statements here have been tampered with."

The Stasi agent pulled out a report and handed it to Thorne. "Although it's very well done, we've still found some problems. There's always a sum of money that goes missing every month."

"Furthermore, Minister Thomas also sent me a message that he had interrogated a minor nobleman in a raid. The nobleman confessed that the mayor of Darmstadt would hold a banquet at regular intervals, during which a large number of high-ranking people would participate. The mayor would take the opportunity to amass a large amount of wealth, which is estimated to be several million marks."

"Several million marks!" Thorne was shocked when he heard this; this guy had embezzled so much!

"So much money? That means his banquet must be going to last a long time."

"Your Highness, it should be around five times. Each time you attend, you need to pay 50,000 marks. This mayor has already amassed more than four million marks through these banquets."

"Four million marks?" Thorne felt dizzy. He could earn four million marks just by throwing a banquet. Could they even earn four hundred marks by working themselves to the bone?

"These rotten apples!" Thorne clenched his fists, determined to teach these cockroaches who only knew how to hide in the shadows a lesson.

"Your Highness, there is more news. Captain Fred investigated and found that the mayor is in contact with the Unity German Party. They have had secret talks and said that a batch of goods will be sent from the Rheinmetall factory at regular intervals. They are also planning to have Your Highness come to Damstadt."

"Sending something from the machine factory? Calling me here?" Thorne pondered as he listened to the Stasi's report.

Things are delivered from the machine factory every so often? This gradually made Thorne realize that, just as Emmanron guessed, these inexplicable losses might be the things that were sent out.

This is an armory, so the items they send out are dangerous. These people are actually trying to get Thorne to go there. Are they trying to get him to have some wild ideas? He's not a boy who likes to laugh.

"This is interesting. Go tell Thomas to send someone to investigate this immediately. As for their wanting me to come, I'll play along and play along."

"Yes, understood." The Stasi agent saluted Thorne.

"Also, during this period, you should pay close attention and see if there are any other developments."

"Your Highness, rest assured, we will proceed with the next step of the plan."

"Very good. Go and arrange the manpower now. We need to gather more intelligence," Thorne instructed.

"Yes, Your Highness. I'll go prepare."

"Hmm." Thorne nodded, and the Stasi agent then left.

"Dad, what were you doing in Frankfurt?" Elena suddenly asked.

"Hmm? Why are you asking about this?" Holman asked Elena.

“I always feel a little uneasy. Dad, did you encounter any bad people in Frankfurt? I always feel that the people who came back with you don’t seem to be your ordinary friends.”

"You're overthinking it, Elena. I'm fine, and they're not bad people. Just focus on taking care of your sister and don't worry too much."

"Okay, fine." Hearing Holman's words, Elena nodded and stopped thinking about it.

Holman looked at Elena, unsure of what to say. He decided to keep his experiences in Frankfurt to himself.

The next day, Thorne and the others arrived at the factory and found that things were different from the previous days. The workers were not working; they were all gathered together listening to the foreman speak.

"What are you doing?" Thorne asked the person next to him.

"Who knows what they're doing? They're delaying our work," the worker muttered.

"In a few days, we will invite the prince of the Kingdom of Rhine to Darmstadt for an inspection to prepare for the next phase of the Kingdom of Rhine's civilized city. The kingdom may send people to inspect first. Just read the information I sent you and don't say anything wrong. This is for the honor of our entire city. I hope you can cooperate. You should know that we will also have people accompanying these investigators."

The foreman was addressing the workers from above, while Thorne looked at the documents he had been given out, sweat dripping from his bean-covered skin.

What is the cityscape of Darmstadt?

Beautiful and clean.

Life in Darmstadt?

Harmony, happiness.

Work in Darmstadt?

Relaxed and enjoyable.

"This is too fake, who would believe it?" Thorne was speechless. What about the city's honor? It's probably just to get the benefits of being a civilized city.

It's a tradition for the Kingdom of Rhine to send investigators to various places to inspect and collect problems, reporting them upwards so the kingdom can correct mistakes promptly. But this time? Judging from this answer, the kingdom seems to have no problem.

The foreman's words were clearly a threat. There are people with the investigators, so don't talk nonsense. The investigators will leave after they're done, but you're going to be staying here. If you talk nonsense, you'll be in big trouble once the investigators are gone!

"What kind of formalism is this? Does anyone actually believe this nonsense?" Thorne didn't know what to say. What was the point of all this? It was always perfect anyway, so what was the point of investigating? Just going through the motions?

"Damn it, they need to invite a prince? They're just asking for trouble." A worker muttered under his breath.

"Why do you say that?" Thorne asked, leaning closer.

"You don't know, these so-called investigators are fine. Anyway, they've been telling this nonsense for years, and the investigators believe it. The mayor will entertain them, give them a meal and some snacks, and they'll leave without investigating. But if a big shot comes, that's a real problem."

The worker's tone was clearly displeased. "A big shot is coming. The factory environment needs to be kept clean, so those officials won't be unhappy. Security also needs to be improved; they'll definitely be coming to inspect it several times."

"When they come over, they have to put on a fake greeting, saying they're doing very well and it's all thanks to them, that they've worked so hard, and how much time they've wasted each day. Then they just pack up and leave, how much money have we lost each day?"

“If a prince comes now, it will definitely be more troublesome and more complicated. I really hope that prince is a good person. This is a factory. If he is so noble, he shouldn’t come. Please have some consideration for us. He may not have to worry about food or clothing, but we still have to make a living.”

Thorne felt a little embarrassed by the worker's words. Could you be a little more tactful? The prince is right next to you.

These measures were well-intentioned—to understand public sentiment, assess the situation, and make timely adjustments. However, they have now become a burden on the people and are utterly meaningless.

All they hear are compliments, which prevents any effective changes. The measures have become tools for officials to gain personal benefits, and their original purpose has been completely lost. They are no longer actually necessary.

"Damn it, how did the kingdom become like this! Didn't you want me to come? Fine! Here I come! Let me teach you bastards a lesson!"

Thorne looked at the bloated foreman and said, "Just wait, you won't last much longer!"

Chapter Seventy: We hope that the old King Charlemagne will return.

“Party leader, we’ve received another message from Berlin. They want us to think things through before we act. If we continue, they won’t offer any help,” Fauhaus said to the man sitting above.

"Think about it?" The man sneered. "They have to think about it every single day, about everything they do. They're a bunch of cowards, using us as tools, pawns to complete their missions!"

"These people are only after money, power, and personal gain. They don't consider the consequences when they do things that benefit them. They will stop at nothing. If one method fails, they will use another. And they are always doing these dirty things."

"These respectable people who always wear white gloves don't care about these dirty tricks; they only think about their own interests. But these so-called 'upright' and 'honest' gentlemen can't do these shady things themselves. Their noble hands can't be stained with blood, and they order us around to do things for them. I've had enough! Once I overthrow the Kingdom of the Rhine, I'll send those Berlin bastards to hell!"

The man sitting there grew increasingly angry as he spoke, and suddenly stood up to look at Flüss. "Flüss, I believe you. We don't need to listen to those people in Berlin pointing fingers at us. This is the party I founded. Even if it is ultimately destroyed, it will be destroyed with me!"

"I unconditionally obey all orders of the party leader, long live the Unity of Germany!" Führhaus shouted, raising his right arm in salute to the man.

"Very well, prepare to move out. I want to see them sent to hell with my own eyes, to see these people hanged!"

"Yes! Long live victory!"

Faucus went outside to prepare for the next move: the corrupt old dynasty would be overthrown, and a new order would be established on the Rhineland.

"A bright future, a unified, prosperous, harmonious, and equal Germany," Fauhaus murmured to himself.

"If you insist on doing things your own way, the people of Berlin won't tolerate it!"

"Aren't you just those lords' dogs? Do you really think I'm afraid of you!" The party leader pulled out a gun and pointed it at the man who was speaking.

"The Unity of Germany Party is my life's work, I founded it myself, for the entire German people, for the future of Germany! It is not a tool of those old masters, nor can it be dictated by those corrupt old nobles!"

"Hmph, what you're saying now is so righteous! You're cursing those big shots here, but without them, would you be where you are today?" The man sneered. "You don't want the people of Berlin to tell you what to do, but the people of Berlin don't want to bother with you!" After saying that, the man smiled and left.

"He's not listening to us?" The people in Berlin also received the news at this time.

"Let him be. He really thinks he's something. Anyway, we've already found someone else."

He waved his hand, and a young man walked out from the side.

"Since Röhm is not listening to us, Hess, the Unified German Party is now in your hands. You'd better do a good job."

"Yes!" Hess saluted and replied, "What should we do with Rom? Should we send someone to...?"

"No need. Isn't he planning to overthrow the kingdom in the Rhine? Let him go. Isn't it more interesting for us to watch from here?"

"Hess, now you need to integrate the remaining members of the Unified German Party. Let Röhm and his die-hards go. They've been abandoned. Let them have one last celebration. These brutes have nothing to do with us now. You need to sever ties with them, form a new party, and you don't need to worry about the rest. I will support you in entering the Reichstag."

"Yes!" Hess saluted the old man and left.

How could he leave the center of power in the empire so easily? He was determined to take back everything he had lost.

For the first time ever, the Rhine Machinery Factory took a day off to prepare for the arrival of the Kingdom's investigators. The factory needed to be thoroughly cleaned, and this task was naturally assigned to Thorne and his team. Free labor was free, so they decided to use it and finish the job before going home.

Thorne was struggling to carry a large box, which was so heavy that he had to use all his strength to move it out.

"I'm exhausted. This job is inhuman." Thorne was exhausted, wiping the sweat from his brow and panting heavily. He was annoyed by the foreman who was still gesturing and pointing in the distance. With your physique, you have time to point fingers and point fingers over there. Why don't you come and help? All you do is gossip.

Thorne was exhausted after finally finishing his work. The factory would then send someone to check for safety and other issues to prevent any accidents from happening.

Walking down the street, you can see a group of people cleaning the streets, constantly washing the road surface with water guns, shoveling all the garbage onto trucks, and the rat that died tragically under the truck tires has been dried into rat slices and washed into the sewer by the water guns.

They only think about cleaning up the city now, and you only find out they've cleaned up when someone comes to inspect.

As the temperature gradually rose, the smell of the garbage fermenting together with water was so disgusting that Thorne almost vomited.

"Where are the homeless people? I can't see them anymore," Thorne asked, looking at the clean and spacious streets.

"Them? Those people were affecting the city's appearance, so they were chased away. They're not allowed to sleep on the streets, otherwise the inspectors who come to check will be unhappy, and the civilized city will be gone." Holman was already used to this.

"They're not allowed to sleep on the streets? Then where will they live?"

“Where to stay? Who knows? Let’s just find somewhere not too conspicuous and come back after those inspectors leave.” Holman sighed. “You know what? These people hate the most not the mayor, not the inspectors, but the reporters and the newspapers.”

"Last time, I don't know which reporter saw it, but they reported the incident in the newspaper, and were indignant about Darmstadt's inaction, allowing homeless people to sleep on the streets. As a result, the mayor immediately sent people to watch the streets, and anyone who dared to sleep on the streets was chased away. As a result, these homeless people had to hide and had nowhere to live. Now, the problem is solved, and there are indeed no homeless people sleeping on the streets. I guess that reporter is still feeling smug about it now."

"Uh..." Thorne was speechless, not knowing what to say. If they had put even a little bit of their crooked ideas into the right path, the situation here wouldn't be so bad.

As they walked, they discovered an old man huddled in a corner, looking as if he was about to die.

"Hey, hey, sir, sir, are you alright?" Thorne quickly ran forward to ask.

"Cough cough cough, who is it? Is it...is it here to take me on my journey?"

The old man looked up at Thorne with difficulty. His hair was completely white, his face was covered with wrinkles, his eyes were sunken, his lips were chapped, and his clothes had turned dark black, making it impossible to tell what color they were. He looked utterly dejected.

"Your Majesty Charlemagne, is that you? Have you come to take me away?" The old man's consciousness was already blurred, but his eyes suddenly lit up when he saw Thorne. "Your Majesty Charlemagne, is that you?"

"I'll take you to the hospital, are you alright?" Thorne shouted to the already delirious old man.

"So that's not it after all," the old man chuckled to himself. His Majesty Charlemagne had been dead for a very, very long time.

“No need, I’m fine.” He smiled, waved his hand, and sat up. “I won’t live past today, child. I can feel my old brother calling me, His Majesty Charlemagne calling me.”

"Take this, child." The old man weakly took out a medal from his pocket. The medal was still shining and looked very well preserved.

“Child, I was mistaken earlier. You really look like the old King Charlemagne.” He placed the medal in Thorne’s hand. “I’m dying soon. Our meeting today must be fate. Keep this medal safe. I don’t need it. I sold that uniform, but I kept this medal. I can’t sell it. If I do, I’ll have no face to face my former brothers. Please keep it safe for me. Don’t let it keep me company. It shouldn’t have to wander with me anymore.”

After saying these words, the old man laughed as if relieved, and slowly began to sing a song, the classic song "We Hope for the Return of Old King Charlemagne".

“We wish for the return of the old King Charlemagne, the one with the beard, the one with the long beard. Long ago, in the days of the Old Kingdom, those were truly wonderful times, wandering the forests singing hunting songs and blowing trumpets. We wish for the return of the old King Charlemagne, we wish for the return of the old King Charlemagne.”

As the old man sang, he seemed to see his companions waving to him from ahead.

"Hey, Leon, stop dawdling, hurry up, King Charlemagne is coming."

King Charlemagne? Wasn't King Charlemagne dead a long time ago? Leon suddenly felt a sense of relief. He looked at his clean and tidy military uniform and heard the cheers outside.

"Hey! What are you standing there for!" His comrade suddenly came over and grabbed his arm. "Hurry up, King Charlemagne is here! If you're any slower, you'll miss him!"

Leon was pulled forward by his comrades. He was still confused about the situation. He looked back and vaguely saw an old man leaning against the wall, sleeping peacefully, with several people around him scrambling around him.

"So, so I'm dead?" But Leon didn't feel fear at this moment. Instead, he felt relieved. He followed his comrades and quickly walked out of the house. Looking at King Charlemagne surrounded by people in front of him, he couldn't help but shed tears.

"Long live the King!" Leon and his comrades cheered loudly.