The gaze of Prince William toward Qin Tian was almost fiery. Initially, he intended to trouble Qin Tian, but he never expected that Qin Tian would effortlessly defuse the situation, even changing the Queen's perception of him. It was a classic case of "losing the chicken while trying to catch it."
The other princes also regarded Qin Tian with unkind eyes. Compared to them, Qin Tian, who held a golden opportunity, had already left them far behind in terms of wealth.
"Hmph! Some people become arrogant upon acquiring wealth, frivolously squandering it without any sense of propriety," Prince William scoffed.
Though Qin Tian's expression darkened, he refrained from retorting. After all, the Queen wished to avoid conflict among the brothers. He did not want to undo the progress he had made in changing her opinion of him.
Yet, Prince William's growing ire intensified when Qin Tian ignored him, prompting him to escalate his remarks further.
"The German Empire is currently facing a grave crisis. Our traditional adversaries, such as England and France, are pressing us relentlessly. Expanding our military, particularly developing our navy, demands substantial funding. Yet, some princes, enjoying the privileges bestowed upon them by the royal family, think only of wasting their fortunes instead of serving the Empire. It is utterly disgraceful!" Prince William proclaimed, adopting a tone of righteous indignation as he continued to cast aspersions upon Qin Tian.
"Your Highness, is there a fault in using my own earnings to buy Christmas gifts for my mother? It is my money, and how I choose to spend it is solely my decision. No one, not even you, has the right to dictate that, not even when you ascend to the throne. Besides, you are merely the Crown Prince, not the Emperor yet. As for serving the state, rest assured I will not forget my commitments. Soon, I shall fulfill my promise and donate a battleship to the navy. As a prince of the German Empire, I am well aware of my responsibilities and obligations, so there is no need for you to remind me. You should focus on your own conduct, for before casting stones at others, it is prudent to consider your own contributions to the Empire."
Qin Tian left no room for Prince William to save face, delivering his words with such sharpness that William found himself rendered speechless.
"You… you…" Prince William's face flushed with rage, contorted into a frightening expression. He had never anticipated that Qin Tian, whom he had always looked down upon, would dare to speak to him in such a manner. When did this usually taciturn brother become so eloquent?
It was ultimately the Queen who intervened once more, halting their quarrel.
Nevertheless, the atmosphere of the gathering had already been significantly affected; returning to a harmonious ambiance seemed nearly impossible. This perhaps illustrated the sorrow of the royal family. As the princes grew older, the inevitable scheming for power and profit became unavoidable. Even though Prince William's claim to the throne was relatively secure, he spared no effort in suppressing his brothers to ensure they posed no threat to his position.
The gathering soon concluded, and due to his busy schedule, Kaiser Wilhelm II did not attend. Qin Tian was unable to meet him and instead entrusted the carefully prepared gift for Wilhelm II to Karl's father.
At six-thirty in the evening, the banquet commenced in the palace's grand hall. Countless dignitaries gathered for the event.
Accompanied by the Queen and various princes, Qin Tian entered the hall, immediately drawing the attention of the attendees. In the past, he was often overlooked, but following the success of his lottery company, he garnered considerable interest. After all, in a country like Germany, the influence of wealth was profoundly significant.
Soon after, Kaiser Wilhelm II made his entrance in the banquet hall.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you are the elites of the German Empire, the pillars of our nation. Your hard work over the past year has not gone unnoticed. It is because of your efforts that the German Empire has maintained its rapid development. However, we cannot ignore the fact that, despite our growing strength, our voices are often disregarded by other nations. Our rightful claims to interests are not fully understood. Our external environment remains perilously dangerous. Thus, the German Empire must continue to strengthen itself, ensuring that no other nation dares to ignore us!" Wilhelm II spoke with fervent passion, addressing the audience.
The imperial elites were filled with fervor. Indeed, Germany had grown powerful and continued to strengthen, but they also understood that in order to gain greater benefits in a fiercely competitive world, they needed to possess even more formidable strength.
Conversely, the expressions of diplomats from England, France, and Russia in the hall were rather grim. Germany's ascent undoubtedly placed immense pressure upon them. As the drums of war drew closer, they sensed a profound crisis looming.
Qin Tian quietly observed it all, aware that war was now inevitable. Unless Germany renounced its expansionist ambitions, the established powers of England and France would not passively tolerate its rise. Ultimately, only war would resolve these tensions.
As Wilhelm II concluded his speech, the banquet resumed. Music filled the air as couples began to dance in the ballroom, while others formed small groups to converse. The banquet, after all, served as an excellent venue for expanding social networks and striking deals.
For many of the noblewomen, it presented a rare opportunity to mingle with men without arousing suspicion.
"Your Highness, greetings." While Qin Tian was lost in thought, a voice called out from behind him.
He turned to see two elderly gentlemen standing behind him, wine glasses in hand, beaming at him.
Both of these men were familiar to Qin Tian: one was Director Ludwig Berkenhagen of the Kiel Naval Academy, and the other was a more prominent figure, Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz, the head of the German Navy.
"Your Excellencies, it's a pleasure to see you!" Qin Tian greeted respectfully. Both men were pivotal figures in the navy, especially Count Tirpitz, who was highly favored by Wilhelm II.
"Prince, thank you for your support of the Imperial Navy; we will not forget it," Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz said with a smile.