In the German Empire, Qin Tian had undoubtedly become a legend. Rising from an inconspicuous prince to the crown prince in a remarkably short span of time, he attracted the attention of many. What truly captivated people was undoubtedly his remarkable acumen in business.
From the establishment of the German Lottery Company to the current colossal German Industrial Group, Qin Tian's personal assets had surpassed five hundred million marks. While this fortune might not make him the wealthiest in Germany, the profitability of the German Industrial Group was enviable to all. From the seemingly lucrative German Lottery Company to the globally renowned Daimler Automobile Company, their annual profits were astronomical.
In a capitalist world, the significance of wealth is self-evident. Even the emperor of the empire must bow to the allure of money. With substantial funds at his disposal, Qin Tian naturally held an advantage in various matters.
For instance, when Moltke attempted to strangle Qin Tian with military funding, Qin Tian asserted that he could personally cover any additional military expenses, effectively pushing back with a single phrase. For Qin Tian, assuming the financial burden for the Eighth Army Corps was trivial.
Moltke and Privy Councillor Pritwitz stared wide-eyed, speechless.
"Damn it! That insufferable Oscar thinks he can act as he pleases just because he has some filthy lucre!" Moltke fumed internally.
"Your Highness, it's true that you possess wealth, but investing private funds into military expenses might not be prudent," Moltke remarked.
"Indeed! Private funds should never intermingle with military finances," Pritwitz chimed in.
"His Highness's enthusiastic support for military development is commendable," von Falkenhayn immediately asserted.
"Well then, since Oscar has the means to support military construction, let him do so!" Wilhelm II ultimately declared.
Though Moltke and Pritwitz were deeply reluctant, they realized further arguments were futile. Moreover, they were not foolish; they could sense Wilhelm II's inclination toward Qin Tian.
"Damn it, His Majesty is clearly siding with Oscar. At this rate, even if the investigation yields unfavorable results for him, it seems unlikely he'll be removed from the Eighth Army Corps," Pritwitz mused, apprehensively.
At that moment, Moltke shot him a glance. Pritwitz hesitated but steeled himself to speak.
"Your Majesty, while His Highness has the funds to support military development, the reforms he's implementing in the Eighth Army Corps cannot be deemed correct without confirmation. If any errors arise, the consequences could be dire. According to our battle plan, the army's main forces will be concentrated on the western front once war breaks out, while the Eighth Army Corps must solely sustain the eastern front. Should it falter, the entire eastern front would collapse, leading to a catastrophic strategic failure for the empire—potentially resulting in the loss of the war. Therefore, I believe we cannot afford such risks. At least until victory is assured, we should refrain from recklessness," Pritwitz concluded.
This statement was clearly orchestrated by Moltke, who had instructed Pritwitz to deliver it when necessary. Pritwitz was fully aware that his words would irreparably offend Qin Tian and might even evoke Wilhelm II's disdain. However, his animosity towards Qin Tian had dulled his concern.
"My reforms will not lead to the Eighth Army Corps's collapse; rather, they will enhance its combat effectiveness, enabling it to withstand Russian advances and secure more time for the western front," Qin Tian asserted confidently.
"Your Highness, while such assertions can be made, they remain unsubstantiated. How can you expect others to believe them? Ultimately, if defeat occurs, the repercussions would be too severe for anyone to bear," Moltke retorted ominously.
Suddenly, Qin Tian found himself cornered.
Despite his firm belief that his military reforms would empower the Eighth Army Corps, he realized he could not provide concrete proof without battlefield validation—something impossible before war erupted.
"Mr. Chief of Staff, you are being excessively unreasonable. How can you expect the crown prince to provide such proof?" von Falkenhayn exclaimed angrily.
In his view, Moltke and Privy Councillor Pritwitz were shamefully relentless in their pursuit of this issue.
"Proving it is rather simple. Once the reforms in the Eighth Army Corps are complete, we could conduct a military exercise," General Waldsee proposed.
"Exercises and actual combat are fundamentally different. The results of an exercise cannot be relied upon," Moltke replied, shaking his head.
Wilhelm II furrowed his brow tightly. Moltke's aggressive demeanor displeased him. On one side was his companion, while on the other stood his son—this placed him in a difficult position. Furthermore, there was a significant disparity between the powers of eastern and western emperors. While the western emperor appeared to wield vast power, much of it was constrained and could not be exercised arbitrarily.
Qin Tian's expression also soured. He had anticipated Moltke would create trouble, but he had not expected such relentless persistence.
After a moment of silence, Qin Tian smiled, "Very well, I guarantee that in the upcoming war, the Eighth Army Corps will withstand the Russian onslaught and secure time for the western front. According to the Schlieffen Plan, the Eighth Army Corps only needs to hold out for six to eight weeks. I believe that should be quite feasible."
"Your Highness, on what grounds do you make this guarantee?" Moltke narrowed his eyes.
"If I fail to deliver, I willingly renounce my claim to the throne. Does that satisfy you?" Qin Tian replied coldly, fixing his gaze on Moltke.
"What?"
Everyone was taken aback, including Wilhelm II. No one had anticipated that Qin Tian would risk his position as crown prince in such a manner. This was recklessly audacious, and making such a commitment in front of so many could lead to irrevocable consequences should he fail.
Even Moltke and Pritwitz were astonished by Qin Tian's declaration.