"Your Highness the Regent, please forgive my ignorance! I do not understand which side you and your kingdom are on!"

De Luyis gazed sternly at Regent King William, and his tone became increasingly confrontational.

"Bold!" The military attendant beside Regent King William I reprimanded De Luyis with a stern face: "Who allows you to speak to His Highness in such a tone!"

"Please forgive my rash actions just now!" De Luyis bowed to Regent King William I, seemingly apologizing for his earlier remarks.

However, from De Louis’s current defiant expression, it was clear that his so-called apology was utterly insincere.

Looking at the unabashed former French Minister of Foreign Affairs before him, Regent King William I’s expression also became unpredictable.

The current De Luyis gave him the feeling of facing someone he had previously dispatched to the Frankfurt Parliament.

The two of them were equally detestable! The Regent King couldn’t help but think to himself.

Despite Regent King William’s deep dislike for De Luyis’s aggressive attitude, he still had to return De Luyis’s smile with one of his own.

For behind De Luyis stood an Emperor of France!

The current Kingdom of Prussia, whether in terms of comprehensive national strength or military strength, was temporarily unable to compete with the French Empire.

"The Kingdom of Prussia stands, of course, on the side of fairness and justice!" William I did not directly address which side they were on, instead responding vaguely.

"Good!" De Luyis’s tone slightly softened compared to before but remained arrogant: "Since the Kingdom of Prussia considers itself to be on our side, then I wonder what beneficial actions the Kingdom of Prussia has taken for us since the start of the war!"

"We have helped France block Russia’s westward advance!" Regent King William said righteously.

"Your Highness!" De Luyis revealed a mocking expression, "If the Russian Empire really intended to advance westward, the Prussian Kingdom’s corps would have been stationed on the eastern border long ago! Currently, only two corps are stationed on Prussia’s eastern border, but you have deployed three corps in the Rhine Region! Are you preventing the Russian Empire from attacking the Kingdom of Belgium by sea and then advancing to the Rhine Region?"

Currently, the Prussian Kingdom’s army consists of nine corps, totaling 180,000 men. Apart from the Guard Army usually stationed in Berlin for its protection, five corps are distributed in the eastern provinces and the Rhine Land, while the remaining three corps are spread across the Kingdom of Prussia in regimental units.

Of course, the deployment of three corps in the Rhine Region by the Kingdom of Prussia is not intended to deter France.

Instead, it is to guard against potential unrest in the Rhine Region, making it a necessary maneuver.

After all, a few years ago, to avoid being attacked by the Austrian Empire and lose Berlin, the Kingdom of Prussia had to "disable its martial prowess" to appease the Russian Empire.

And as a result of dissolving the Prussian parliament and implementing monarch (Regent) autocracy, revolutions broke out in both Berlin and the Rhine Land, forcing the Kingdom of Prussia to arm the Junker nobility to brutally suppress and exile Berlin and the Rhine Land.

That suppression directly led German nationalists in the Rhine Land to view the Kingdom of Prussia and the Austrian Empire as one and the same.

In other words, in this timeline, due to Jerome Bonaparte’s butterfly effect, the Kingdom of Prussia is somewhat weaker in comprehensive national strength than its historical counterpart.

Of course, challenges bring opportunities. Kicking out Prussia’s bicameral system allowed the Kingdom of Prussia to truly make the army own the state.

Since that suppression, the army no longer had to worry about Prussian parliament choking its operations.

In terms of military strength, the current Kingdom of Prussia is slightly stronger than its historical counterpart at the same time. The second category of reserve soldiers, who originally couldn’t even get shoes and clothing, now receive at least half of them.

After years of persistent efforts, more followers within the Prussian army support Regent King William than his brother.

No soldier would dislike funding from his monarch!

Straying far from the topic, after listening to De Luyis’s words, William I immediately told De Luyis that the deployment of three corps in the Rhine Region by the Kingdom of Prussia aimed to prevent rebellion by the Rhine Land people, not to make a statement against France.

De Luyis quickly indicated that he understood Prussia’s difficulties but still hoped the Kingdom of Prussia would put pressure on the Russian Empire on the Eastern Front.

"Mr. Luyis, you are pushing the Kingdom of Prussia into a pit of fire!" William I responded to De Luyis with a furrowed brow.

"Your Highness, we are seeking peace for Europe!" De Luyis responded sincerely: "This Crimean War is, in essence, a counter-invasion war that the French Empire had no choice but to fight, to prevent Europe from falling into the hands of the Russian Empire.

Every European country should provide some help for this just war to the best of its ability!

If every country acted like Prussia, how could we protect Europe at ease!

My monarch told me before I departed that if the Kingdom of Prussia is unwilling to become our friend, then let it be an enemy! France will never allow an enemy to stand beside it!"

Upon hearing these words, everyone’s expressions changed drastically. They clearly understood that becoming an enemy of the French Empire meant the start of a war.

"Is the French Empire planning to declare war on the Kingdom of Prussia?" William I asked De Luyis, forcefully suppressing his inner anger.

"If Your Highness believes that the Kingdom of Prussia cannot be friends with the French Empire, then you can assume I am declaring war on the Kingdom of Prussia!" De Luyis nodded calmly and then threatened William I.

William I, with a sullen face, pondered for a moment, then smiled again and emphasized to De Luyis, "The Kingdom of Prussia will never become an enemy of the French Empire, never!"

"Then please, Your Highness, take some substantial actions!" De Louis arrogantly replied to William I.

"May I have some time to think about it!" William I’s face inadvertently showed a look of disgust; he increasingly disliked the man in front of him who did not know when to advance or retreat.

"Of course!" De Luyis bowed to Regent King William and kindly reminded, "I forgot to mention, soon the French Empire will conduct a military exercise in Metz codenamed ’Winter Thunder.’ I hope the Kingdom of Prussia can understand!"

After speaking, De Luyis bowed once more to William I and then left.

Watching De Luyis’s departing figure, Regent King William I gritted his teeth and said, "I wish I could tear him to pieces!"

"Your Highness, please don’t act impulsively!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Originally berating De Luyis, the military attendants now scrambled to urge William I not to act rashly, fearing that in a moment of impulse, the Regent King might make De Luyis disappear physically.

If that happened, the French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia would truly face a life-or-death outcome.

Should the French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia go to war alone, the German Confederation would become more of a hindrance than a help to the Kingdom of Prussia.

The enthusiasm of those small fry from Southern Germany and Central Germany, mainly Wurttemberg, Bavaria, and Saxony—is almost comparable to that during the reign of King Louis (Louis XIV) as they frequently run to Paris; also, the Austrian Empire, having received a considerable sum from the French Empire, now has questionable integrity.

Despite the German War Law stipulating that any German country invaded would be supported by other German kings, laws are dead while people are alive, and there are many ways to circumvent the war law.

Would the German principalities really be willing to engage in a bloody fight with the French Empire to protect the Kingdom of Prussia? That’s quite doubtful.

As for the Hanover Kingdom, it’s likely they would also be hard-pressed to help the Kingdom of Prussia. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Because backing the Hanover Kingdom is the Kingdom of Britain, and even though the Kingdom of Britain has always wanted to shake off Hanover, it doesn’t mean they won’t involve themselves in Hanover’s affairs.

Currently, Britain still needs France.

If the French Empire is determined to go to war, then around the Kingdom of Prussia are only turncoats or loafers.

How could Prussia possibly do well within Germany with this group of parasites?

"I’m not losing my mind yet!" William I gasped, catching his breath and calming down, then said to his surrounding military attendants, "Summon Prime Minister Mandolfe, Minister Ron, and Mao Qi as well!"

"Yes!" The military attendant who received the order promptly responded to William I and then turned to leave.

"Alas!" William I sighed to himself and glanced up at the portraits of the past kings hanging on the wall.

About half an hour later, the Kingdom of Prussia’s Prime Minister Mandolfe, Minister of War Ron, and Chief of Staff Mao Qi appeared in the hall.

"You’re here!" Seeing the pillars of the kingdom before him, William I’s face lit up with a joyful smile.

The three hurriedly knelt in greeting to William I, who first inquired about the current state of the Prussian army from Ron.

Ron informed William I that under Major General Mao Qi’s leadership, the Prussian army had completely cleared away its past disgrace and was gradually moving towards strength.

"Major General Mao Qi! If a war occurs between Prussia and France, how confident are you in securing a victory?" William I asked Old Maoqi eagerly.

"Your Majesty, I will do my utmost!" Old Maoqi responded firmly.

"I understand!" William I instantly grasped Old Maoqi’s underlying message: the current Kingdom of Prussia is simply no match for the French Empire.

"Your Majesty, what has happened?" Mandolfe asked William I in a flustered manner, not understanding why William I would want to confront the French Empire.

William I remained silent while the military attendants on the side recounted exactly what had transpired in the hall.

As goes the saying, if the lord is humiliated, so must the ministers die.

Upon hearing of their lord William I’s "insult" by De Luyis, the three men’s faces showed varying degrees of indignation.

Nevertheless, angry as they were, the three did not let their rage cloud their judgment and continued to calmly analyze the situation.