"Carter, send this telegram to Berlin immediately and have your father deliver it to His Majesty," Qin Tian instructed his chief of guards, Carter von Jonalait. After becoming the crown prince, Qin Tian had assembled his own guard, with Carter, who had previously served under Crown Prince Wilhelm, taking the lead.
Since Wilhelm's unfortunate fate left him incapacitated, he had effectively been rendered powerless. As Carter von Jonalait's prospects diminished, his father, Essen von Jonalait, the butler to Wilhelm II, had been quite favorable toward Qin Tian. Moreover, Carter's brother, Karl von Jonalait, had been instrumental in managing Qin Tian's vast commercial empire. Given these circumstances, Qin Tian naturally viewed Carter with a measure of esteem.
As for loyalty, Qin Tian had no reservations. The Jonalait family had always served the Hohenzollern dynasty. Now that he was the crown prince and the future emperor, their allegiance to him was assured. Particularly after facing near ruin, Carter von Jonalait undoubtedly cherished this opportunity even more. If Qin Tian were to meet an unfortunate fate or lose his claim to the throne, Carter's prospects would similarly diminish.
"Yes, Your Highness," Carter responded promptly and proceeded to send the telegram.
"Pritwitz, I truly regret this, but you have inadvertently found yourself in my crosshairs. Your head will have to suffice as an example," Qin Tian thought to himself.
To establish authority, nothing serves better than making an example of someone. With Pritwitz stepping forward to play the part of the sacrificial chicken, Qin Tian would certainly not let the opportunity slip by. While he might not be able to demand Pritwitz's head, transferring this favored courtier away from the 8th Army Corps would be a significant blow to his pride, serving as a considerable deterrent to other generals. Such a move would undoubtedly facilitate Qin Tian's efforts to establish his authority within the corps.
Of course, Qin Tian felt uncertain about whether Wilhelm II would support him. He could only hope that the emperor might act out of paternal sentiment and lend his assistance. Otherwise, with Moltke's opposition, any attempt to reassign Pritwitz would be utterly futile. Qin Tian also instructed that von Falkenhayn be notified to support him on this issue.
In Berlin, within Wilhelm II's office, the hour was late, yet he continued to attend to state affairs. Governing such a vast empire was no simple task. Even with his self-proclaimed exceptional abilities, Wilhelm found himself spending considerable time on administrative matters.
"Your Majesty, your coffee is ready," Essen von Jonalait announced as he entered with a cup.
"Just place it on the table," Wilhelm replied without looking up.
However, he soon noticed that Essen did not leave after setting down the coffee.
"Is there something else?" Wilhelm inquired, raising his gaze. With this childhood companion, he bore no pretense of imperial authority.
"Your Majesty, it seems Crown Prince Oscar is in a predicament. Here is a telegram he sent you," Essen said, handing Wilhelm the message.
As Wilhelm read the telegram, his expression darkened considerably.
"Damn it, who gave that Pritwitz the audacity to provoke the empire's crown prince?" Wilhelm seethed. Despite Pritwitz being his favored courtier, his displeasure was palpable.
"However, Oscar may be overstepping. Pritwitz merely missed the welcome ceremony and dinner, and he is to be reassigned?" Wilhelm clearly believed Qin Tian was being overly demanding.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is still young, merely twenty years of age. It is natural for youth to be a bit impetuous. However, Pritwitz has indeed acted inappropriately, taking advantage of your trust to disregard the Crown Prince," Essen countered. Given the Jonalait family's close ties to Qin Tian, he certainly aimed to advocate for him.
Wilhelm frowned, appearing deep in thought about how to proceed.
"Are you suggesting I should comply with Oscar's request?"
"Your Majesty, it is crucial that the Crown Prince receives your support as he takes command of a corps for the first time. Pritwitz's actions have undoubtedly undermined his authority. Reassigning Pritwitz is a necessity to uphold his standing. Without such action, earning respect within the 8th Army Corps will be quite difficult," Essen advised.
"Reassigning Pritwitz would indeed be humiliating for him," Wilhelm remarked.
After all, Pritwitz was one of Wilhelm's favored ministers.
Essen chose to remain silent, realizing that he had said enough. Continuing would likely hinder rather than help Qin Tian.
After a moment's contemplation, Wilhelm asked, "Is it true that Pritwitz returned to Berlin due to illness?"
"Your Majesty, to my knowledge, General Pritwitz was not ill at all. Upon returning to Berlin, he went directly to the chief of staff's residence, where they reportedly drank late into the night," Essen replied.
Wilhelm's expression soured even further. If Pritwitz had truly been sick, his absence from Qin Tian's welcome ceremony would have been understandable. However, it was clear that was not the case. Furthermore, his visit to Moltke's home for drinks raised suspicions that they had conspired together.
While Wilhelm had favored Moltke and Pritwitz, he would not tolerate their misdeeds, especially when it came to bullying his son, the crown prince. Regardless of his affection for his courtiers, they were still subordinates and had no right to usurp authority over him.
"Have Moltke come to see me at once. Also, summon the Minister of War," Wilhelm commanded.
With that, Wilhelm had made up his mind to assist Qin Tian. Since his son wished to utilize Pritwitz to establish his authority, as a father, he could not allow him to falter.