"His Royal Highness, Prince Oscar, and Marshal Earl Tirpitz have left His Majesty's office," a waiter informed Crown Prince William.
"Hmph!" Crown Prince William snorted coldly, swiftly leaving his office.
In the imperial palace garden, Qin Tian and Marshal Count Tirpitz strolled along the path, preparing to return to Berlin.
"Your Highness, our 'Nassau-class' battleships, 'Helgoland-class' battleships, and 'Blücher-class' battlecruisers are all superior to British vessels, significantly narrowing the gap in dreadnoughts," Marshal Earl Tirpitz expressed confidence in the navy's future.
"Yes, Your Excellency the Marshal. However, we mustn't become overconfident. Despite our capital ships' superior performance, we can't ignore Britain's strengths in shipbuilding and warship design, particularly their financial resources and numerous large shipyards. Once they perceive a threat to their maritime supremacy, they will spare no effort in ship construction. We might witness a flood of British capital ships launching, and our high seas fleet may face a multitude of British vessels," Qin Tian cautioned, recognizing Britain's formidable naval capabilities.
The smile vanished from Marshal Earl Tirpitz's face as he acknowledged the validity of Qin Tian's concerns. Britain's shipbuilding prowess and accumulated wealth were considerable advantages. Once fully mobilized, the Royal Navy's capital ships would flood the waters, exerting immense pressure on the German Navy.
"Your Highness, while the road ahead is arduous, retreat is not an option. We must press on until we either defeat the British or face our own destruction," Marshal Earl Tirpitz declared with determination.
Qin Tian nodded in agreement, stating, "That's true, Your Excellency Marshal. Our adversaries are formidable, and victory is no easy feat. However, we'll give our utmost effort. Even if we fail, we can take pride in knowing we did everything in our power, with no regrets."
Marshal Earl Tirpitz nodded approvingly, privately considering Qin Tian's talents and character to surpass Crown Prince William's. Despite these thoughts, the line of succession was fixed, and Crown Prince William retained the throne, a fact Marshal Earl Tirpitz could only lament internally.
"Your Excellency the Marshal, all our battleships now use oil-fired boilers and steam turbines. However, Germany's oil resources are scarce. We rely on overseas oil imports, which, in peacetime, is manageable. However, if war breaks out and the British block our sea trade lines, we might find ourselves without the oil needed to operate our warships," Qin Tian reminded, highlighting a vulnerability in Germany's strategic resources.
"Your Highness, it's a valid concern. Yet, oil-fired boilers offer substantial advantages over coal-fired ones – increased power and enhanced endurance. Regarding fuel, our only option is to stockpile as much oil as possible before hostilities arise," Marshal Earl Tirpitz sighed, acknowledging Germany's resource limitations.
"Agreed. Let's hope our navy can prevail on the battlefield, rendering us immune to the British cutting off our maritime trade lines," Qin Tian concurred, planning to initiate oil storage for future conflicts.
As they discussed, an angry voice interrupted their conversation.
"Oscar!"
Both Qin Tian and Marshal Earl Tirpitz turned to see Crown Prince William approaching with visible anger.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" They greeted him respectfully.
"Hmph! Oscar, do you still acknowledge me as the Crown Prince?" Crown Prince William's tone was stern, and his ferocious demeanor suggested a deep-seated animosity toward Qin Tian.
"Your Royal Highness, what do you mean?" Qin Tian frowned, perplexed by the sudden hostility. He couldn't recall any recent offense against Crown Prince William.
Marshal Earl Tirpitz also expressed confusion, stating, "Your Royal Highness, is there some misunderstanding?"
"Hmph! Your Excellency Marshal, what are you pretending not to understand? Are you signaling naval support for Oscar now? Don't forget, I am the Crown Prince of the German Empire! I am the future Emperor!" Crown Prince William erupted in anger, interpreting the marshal's recent remarks as a shift in naval allegiance toward Qin Tian.
"Your Highness, what nonsense is this? The navy has never expressed such sentiments!" Marshal Earl Tirpitz retorted, visibly perturbed. Interfering in royal succession was a red line never crossed by the army, and this baseless accusation tarnished the navy's reputation.
"His Royal Highness, I don't understand why you're saying this. When did the navy show any inclination to stand against you?" Qin Tian questioned, genuinely perplexed by Crown Prince William's outburst.
Crown Prince William, however, seemed insistent on venting his frustration and anger.