January 14, 1864.
Lately, Ernst has started to become more reserved because Prince Constantine is coming to Berlin.
Prince Constantine is coming to Berlin on business from Heixinggen. Constantine seldom leaves the countryside, and whenever he does, it usually means something major is about to happen.
Ernst is busy every day with the great endeavor of industrial expansion, commuting between the factories and schools. What was initially promised as a study tour turned into a permanent residency in Berlin, leaving him feeling somewhat guilty and lacking confidence.
Of course, Ernst knows that these "small matters" of his are not worth Prince Constantine coming to Berlin in person; it must be something significant related to military affairs.
In Prussia, Prince Constantine holds a status equivalent to that of the vassal states, though the Duchy of Heixinggen was incorporated into Prussia, their status was retained.
The Heixinggen lineage is basically a traditional army with the rank of field marshal; Constantine also holds an honorary position as a marshal, attached to the general staff.
This time, his visit to Berlin is likely to discuss major events and prepare for war.
Ernst's grandfather participated in the wars against Napoleon. At that time, Heixinggen fought as one of the many German states, and before that, Heixinggen was a puppet regime supported by Napoleon as part of the Confederation of the Rhine.
Upon seeing the rising might of the Anti-French Coalition, the old Marquis Frederick of Heixinggen timely changed sides and joined the victors.
Later, after the war ended, Marquis Frederick turned to focus on education until his death.
Later, Constantine, along with Prince Karl of Sigmaringen, decided to join Prussia, being members of the Hohenzollern family. Responding to Prussia's call for the unification of Germany, they naturally had no objections.
If successful, they would be counted as heroes of the empire; if they failed, at the worst, they would merely maintain their status as a vassal state.
Being members of the Hohenzollern family, in this continental region where bloodline is emphasized, the inherent interests drive the two branches to lean towards the increasingly powerful main Prussian lineage.
The new Hohenzollern Province, where Heixinggen is located, lies in the southwest of Germany. Here, vassal states are abundant, with Bavaria, a significant German state, to the east and France nearby to the west, surrounded by Baden and Württemberg, making its strategic position prominent.
As the birthplace of the Hohenzollern family, it itself is a significant military fortress, wedged in Southern Germany where Prussian influence is weaker. Prussia places considerable importance on the Hohenzollern Province.
For Ernst himself, the future war between Prussia and Austria is of little consequence to his family, as Heixinggen is surrounded on three sides by Württemberg and the other by the Duchy of Baden. The main battlefield would be Bohemia, where Prussia and Austria meet. Even if Austria and Prussia were to resort to surprise attacks, Württemberg and Baden would be the first to suffer.
The future Franco-Prussian War, barring any unforeseen events, would mainly occur within French borders, so their family would essentially escape the series of German unification wars without much loss.
Before Ernst embarked on his ventures, the Heixinggen lineage was a traditional military-landlord combination, with primary industries being agricultural rent collection and real estate income from various locations, along with Prince Constantine's salary from the military. Even should war occur, it wouldn't threaten any significant industries.
Additionally, all of Ernst's factories are in Berlin, and as long as it's not a world war, Berlin would never fall.
Regarding the future, as long as he transfers the industries to a safe location before the outbreak of World War I, they wouldn't be affected, and even then, the drastic changes in the world wouldn't impact the wealth and prosperity of Heixinggen in the Hohenzollern family.
As for grandiose concepts like saving Germany, Ernst admits he cannot partake in such endeavors. Europe is so competitive with no shortage of talented individuals.
Attempting to make a significant impact in Europe requires top-tier resources and intelligence, something small places like Heixinggen cannot afford. Only small nations with significant influence and stature in Europe, like Bavaria and Belgium, even get a ticket to the game.
Heixinggen can only rely on Prussia to reap great benefits and accumulate capital in the future.
Ernst pondered historical events, realizing that the Prussian-Danish War was likely approaching (the Second Schleswig War), and he needed to accelerate the construction of his tobacco and lighter factories.
The military is a major consumer of tobacco, and lighters, as "sacred tools of war," are even more indispensable. Considering the prevalent matches, Ernst believes kerosene lighters still have a considerable market.
He needed to ensure mass production of these two items before the war began, and leverage the war as a natural platform to fast-track civilian market acceptance.
These soldiers from all over the country would become natural promoters when they returned home.
While Ernst was still making plans, Constantine had already returned from the palace.
The place where Ernst stayed in Berlin was actually ancestral property of the family, and ever since the Hohenzollern family rose in Brandenburg, the Heixinggen lineage had purchased an estate in Berlin as a liaison office. It already had a history of a hundred years.
Each time Constantine came to Berlin, he would stay here. Constantine's carriage was parked in the yard, and the butler, Kino, urged the coachman to move it away.
"Ernst!" Constantine greeted Ernst warmly by name.
"Father, why did you come to Berlin? Is there a major event happening?" Although Ernst was aware his father was likely in Berlin for matters concerning the war with Denmark, he still feigned ignorance.
"Well, there are some matters to attend to with the royal family in Berlin, and of course, I also wanted to see my son's achievements along the way," Constantine replied pleasantly.
Ernst felt a bit guilty for being so busy with business in Berlin without going back to see his father. Although they regularly communicated through letters, he had only gone back once last Christmas after nearly a year.
"Father, in the future, I'll spend more time with you. I've been too caught up in business to the point of losing perspective," Ernst said to Constantine.
"Alright, at my age, what do I need someone around me for? I'm here in Berlin for an important event; you needn't overthink," Constantine said, patting Ernst's head. "But you truly surprised me; who knew our family had a talent for business? I was prepared for the investment to go down the drain, hahaha..." Constantine joked.
"Father, is the kingdom preparing for war?" Ernst changed the topic.
"Yes, but where did you hear that from?" Constantine asked seriously.
This kind of thing is confidential before the war begins, and carelessness is unacceptable. Ernst was still a child, and the royal family would not proactively tell him, so Constantine asked cautiously.
"Father, you know the army is one of my key clients. Lately, they've begun to place large orders for new supplies, and several factories around Berlin have started overtime production, clearly preparing for the army."
Seeing Constantine frown, Ernst increased his persuasiveness.
"Of course, some entrepreneurs with whom we have business dealings can glean a bit of inside information. Moreover, the kingdom's new Prime Minister is clearly no ordinary figure, boldly declaring upon assuming office to solve contemporary major issues with iron and blood. It's evident now that they intend to resolve the kingdom's troubles with force."
Ernst succinctly presented his "guesses."
Constantine looked at his son with satisfaction and said, "Well said. It seems another outstanding talent has emerged from the Hohenzollern family, hahaha..."
After the laughter.
"The kingdom is coordinating with Austria, preparing to use force to pressure the Danish government to relinquish the German states of Holstein and Schleswig. The German Confederation has already dispatched troops to Holstein, and Prussia plans to push for the independence of the Duchy of Schleswig," Constantine continued.
"Currently, other countries on the continent are observing. The only nations truly capable of intervention are Britain, France, and Austria. The Russians are still licking their wounds from the Crimean War, and the French dare not act recklessly to avoid triggering a repeat of the Anti-French Coalition and sparking a continental war. The British navy has the power to intervene, but the British are more inclined to drag Russia into the fray. As for Austria, this time, we will jointly participate with the Austrian Empire to maintain the interests of the German region."
Constantine spoke eloquently. This was essentially a gamble as William I and Bismarck used the intricate rivalry among the great powers to achieve a delicate international balance. The new Danish constitutional draft aroused the anger of the Germans, providing a pretext for this war.
National sentiment, when wielded appropriately, can achieve Bismarck's long-emphasized solution of using iron and blood to resolve major contemporary international issues.
Bismarck could unite the many German states and Free Cities of the German region by upholding their interests, linking the German forces with righteousness.
At least in Northern Germany, Bismarck could realize Prussian influence penetration, preparing for the future unification of the German region.