In the Potsdam Palace, Kaiser Wilhelm II rubbed his aching eyes. Despite it being nearly eleven o'clock at night, his administrative duties remained unfinished.
The court meeting had just concluded, and the ministers had only recently departed. The British and French had signed an agreement in which France pledged not to interfere with British operations in Egypt, while Britain recognized Morocco as within France's sphere of influence. This arrangement undoubtedly encroached upon Germany's colonial interests in Morocco.
Wilhelm II and his ministers had been deliberating on possible solutions. As the British and French drew closer, and with France and Russia already allied, a tightening noose around Germany began to take shape. This situation was undeniably perilous for the German Empire.
"Father, we absolutely cannot compromise or retreat regarding the issue in Morocco; otherwise, it will inflict severe damage to the interests of the German Empire," Crown Prince Wilhelm declared, his face flushed with indignation.
"Hmm, I understand. I need to reflect on this matter further," responded Wilhelm II.
While he was indeed furious about the actions of Britain and France undermining Germany's interests, he also recognized that, despite Germany's strength, engaging in war with Britain, France, and Russia at this juncture would be ill-advised, as Germany was hardly prepared for such a confrontation. Thus, enduring for the time being was essential.
However, Wilhelm II worried that this situation would deal a significant blow to the nationalistic fervor of the populace.
The Crown Prince wished to say more, but upon noticing Wilhelm II's disinterest in pursuing the topic further, he refrained.
At that moment, the royal steward, Essen von Jonalett, entered the room.
"Essen, is there something else?"
"Your Majesty, Prince Oscar has requested that I deliver this to you," Essen said, handing a check to Wilhelm II.
Upon examining the check, Wilhelm II noted its value of two million marks. For someone of Wilhelm II's stature, this amount was negligible.
"What is this?" he furrowed his brow. Why was Oscar sending him a check?
"Your Majesty, Prince Oscar and my son Karl have partnered to operate a lottery sales company. His Highness has decided to contribute twenty percent of the profits to the royal family without any expectation of return. Additionally, they will allocate another twenty percent for social welfare initiatives," Essen von Jonalett explained, a look of approval on his face. After all, Karl held shares in the German Welfare Lottery Company and was entitled to ten percent of the profits. It appeared that this investment was incredibly lucrative.
"Twenty percent of the profits?" Wilhelm II had not kept up with Oscar during this time. He had become disillusioned with him, even contemplating the idea of disowning him. Although the double-color ball lottery had taken Germany by storm, Wilhelm II regarded it as trivial and had paid it little attention.
"Yes, Your Majesty. The company is yielding impressive returns. This two million marks represents less than half a month's profits. In the future, we can expect monthly earnings of four to five million marks," Essen continued.
"What? Such an amount?" Both Wilhelm II and Crown Prince Wilhelm were taken aback.
While two million marks might not have concerned them, the prospect of earning four or five million marks each month was indeed a considerable fortune. Over a year, this could accumulate to a staggering forty to fifty million marks—roughly the cost of a battleship.
"Mr. Jonalett, you cannot be serious. Is it possible that Oscar's lottery is generating profits of this magnitude?" Crown Prince Wilhelm exclaimed in disbelief. At that moment, jealousy surged within him towards Qin Tian. Though he was the Crown Prince, he possessed limited wealth and assets. To learn that Qin Tian had amassed such considerable holdings in a remarkably short time caused a deep sense of discontent in him.
In a capitalist society, money undeniably holds immense power. With sufficient wealth, many problems could be resolved. If he could claim this fortune for himself, it would significantly solidify his position as Crown Prince.
"Even if we assume a monthly profit of four million marks, that amounts to nearly fifty million marks in a year. And that is merely twenty percent. Thus, Oscar's personal share of the profits would be close to one hundred to two hundred million marks! What an extraordinary sum!" Wilhelm II marveled.
Although for Wilhelm II, one hundred million marks was not an insurmountable figure, it represented a substantial amount for the finances of Germany, which currently generated an annual revenue of just over nine hundred million marks.
"It is no wonder that he had the audacity to propose donating a battleship to Dean Ludwig Burkenhagen in exchange for four additional years. With such profits, a battleship would be a trivial matter," Wilhelm II suddenly grasped.
Previously, he had believed that Qin Tian was merely daydreaming to evade attending university. However, it now seemed that Qin Tian possessed genuine confidence. With such substantial profits, gifting a battleship to the German Navy was entirely feasible and would provide immense benefits to both the Navy and the nation.
"Your Majesty, I must concede that I misjudged the situation. I never anticipated that Prince Oscar would be a business prodigy! At merely sixteen years of age, he has already managed to accumulate such wealth. Given more time to develop, he could potentially become one of the most successful businessmen in Germany, if not the entire world," Essen von Jonalett exclaimed in admiration.
Wilhelm II nodded. Although he held reservations about Qin Tian engaging in business as a prince, if he truly could amass a significant fortune, it would not matter. After all, this was a capitalist society where wealth equated to social status and power.
"Father, why does Oscar only contribute twenty percent of the profits to the royal family while keeping sixty percent for himself? If he sees himself as part of the royal family, he ought to allocate the majority of the profits to us and retain only a small portion for himself. Given our current financial pressures, we require ample funds to bolster our military in response to the threats from Britain, France, and Russia," Crown Prince Wilhelm interjected, his tone resolute, as if condemning Qin Tian for a grievous crime.