Chapter 8 William II

"Oh my god, Ludwig, why are you here? I thought we had an appointment tomorrow afternoon..."

After the door of Room 201 of a rather luxurious apartment near the Chinese Embassy near the Kurfürstendamm opened, Chloe, wearing a loose dress and holding a black cat in her arms, appeared in front of Hersman with a look of surprise.

This big house with three living rooms was left to him by her father. The late Colonel Baron Heinsberg was also an army elite who wandered back and forth between the General Staff and the front-line troops. Unlike Hersman, he was very rich, so he bought a very beautiful house in Berlin. Now Chloe lives here alone, and she was preparing to cook when Hersman came.

"Wow, you became a major! Oh my god, this is the Blue Max Medal! God, you got a Blue Max... You are only 25 years old, you are already a major and you have a Blue Max!"

Chloe was stunned at first, and then she screamed with surprise. He found that Hessman was wearing a brand new uniform, changed into the rank of major, and hung the highest honor of the German army on his collar - a blue Max medal!

This shows that Hessman's achievements in Petrograd have been recognized by the highest level of the army! He will have a brilliant future in the army...

"Ludwig, you must be here to celebrate with me, right?" Chloe has been overwhelmed by the heroic man in front of her, and looked at him affectionately.

"No." Hessman smiled apologetically, and when he saw the disappointed expression on Chloe's face, he laughed, "Chloe, today General Ludendorff gave me an invitation to Charlottenburg Palace. His Majesty the Emperor wants to invite me to dinner, and I can bring a female companion. I want you to be my female companion..."

"His Majesty the Emperor!" Chloe suddenly thought of something, and an attractive pink appeared on her creamy cheeks. "Ludwig, you want to take me to Charlottenburg Palace? You... want me to be your female companion?"

Hersmann said "female companion" instead of "temporary female companion", which obviously means something different to the Germans who are known for their precision.

"Are you willing?" Hersmann looked at Chloe with an expectant look.

"Yes, of course... of course!" Chloe's cheeks became even redder, like a ripe apple, and her heart was pounding.

"That's great." Hersmann suddenly kissed her on the cheek. Her face was very smooth and fragrant (probably the effect of perfume), like cream. After spending a few months with Chloe, Hersmann felt that he couldn't leave this beautiful and considerate woman.

In fact, Chloe's performance was the result of long-term aristocratic education. In the circle of the German Empire aristocracy where male chauvinism prevailed in the early 20th century, feminism basically did not exist, and women like Chloe were the most common.

In addition, Chloe's love for Hersman was also related to her education. A woman like her admired Hersman, a soldier who had made great contributions to Germany. A young major with a blue Max medal was definitely more attractive to her than a millionaire from the United States.

"Ludwig, please sit down for a while. I'll go change my clothes and come back later..." Chloe blushed and rushed into her bedroom. When she appeared again, she had changed into a tight blue satin dress, revealing her long neck and half of her snow-white and round shoulders. She also had a mink coat shining like satin on her arm.

"How is it?" Chloe asked, "Can I do this?"

"Of course, you look very beautiful."

Hersman looked at the woman in front of him. She was indeed a rare beauty. Whether it was her face, figure or temperament, she was first-class... It seemed that after God had teased him severely, he began to bring some good luck. I wonder what dinner with the emperor tonight will bring me?

Hersman and Chloe called a cab on William Street and headed for Charlottenburg Palace. On the way, they saw another worrying scene - hundreds of elderly men in shoddy clothes were walking in a line holding tattered anti-war placards, shouting in unison: "We want peace, war is a conspiracy of Jewish capitalists!" Several listless Berlin police scattered around the parade and moved with them, responsible for monitoring this relatively calm demonstration.

"Why are the Jews involved again?" Hersman was a little surprised. In his impression, the Jews have always been accused of being the culprits who brought down the Second Empire. How come they are supporters of the war now?

"Some people say that the Jewish capitalists are unwilling to cease fire because they haven't made enough profit yet." Chloe explained with a frown. She heard a lot of things that happened in Germany recently in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on William Street today, including accusations against the Jews - now they are against the ceasefire, and in a few years they will become the culprits of the ceasefire.

"Are you Mr. Hessman? This is..."

A tall court attendant in a fancy uniform greeted the visiting guests outside the gate of Charlottenburg Palace.

"Countess Chloe von Heinsberg, my female companion."

"Welcome, please follow me."

In the slightly chilly October breeze, Hersman and Chloe walked through the stone road in Charlottenburg Palace and into the spacious antechamber paved with dazzling marble. An older court attendant stood in the hall, claiming to be an attendant. "Major Hersman, Her Majesty the Queen and Her Royal Highness Princess Victoria Louise will also attend tonight's banquet. The princess will sit on the left, and you will sit next to her."

He glanced at Chloe again as he spoke, and the younger attendant whispered something in his ear. Then he nodded to Chloe and said, "Countess, the Queen will sit on the right of His Majesty the Emperor, and you will sit next to her."

It seems that tonight's dinner is very "private", with only the Emperor, the Queen, Princess Victoria Louise, Chloe and himself in attendance. After listening to the man's announcement of the seating order, Hersman thought, maybe the Emperor also has some questions that are not convenient to ask publicly?

Following the old attendant, Hersman entered a magnificent room with murals all over the curved ceiling, beautiful wood-grained floors, and Chinese blue-and-white porcelain inlaid everywhere on the walls painted in gold. This was not a restaurant, but a lounge, where there was no emperor, queen, or princess.

"Countess, please wait a moment," the attendant said, "Major, please follow me."

The emperor wanted to meet Hersman alone! In a magnificent office with naval battle paintings hanging on the wall, the German emperor, who had only been seen in photos and paintings in the past, sat behind his desk, frowning at a document.

"Your Majesty, Army Major Ludwig von Hersman reports to you!"

Hersman stood at attention, then saluted respectfully.

"Oh, here I am." The emperor raised his head, his face habitually tense, his complexion was good, and his face was radiant. His voice gave people a sense of majesty and energy. "I have read all the telegrams you sent from Petrograd. Obviously, you are a hero, a great hero. If our empire had more people like you, victory would not be so difficult to come by."

The emperor still hopes for victory! Hersmann thought that the situation on the Eastern Front looked better than it had been in history. Ludendorff's offensive might be launched earlier, but victory was probably still out of reach.

"Your Majesty is too kind. The change in the situation on the Eastern Front is all due to the hard work of the soldiers on the front line." Hersmann said a polite remark, but then changed the subject. "But such a change is not solid. Petrograd may have a third revolution at any time!"

The German emperor shook the document in his hand. This was just sent by the General Staff. It was the report written by Hersmann on his way back to Germany. Although he was only a major, he was considered by the General Staff as an "expert on Russian and Bolshevik issues." Now that Germany wants to make peace with the Bolsheviks who rule Russia, of course it cannot ignore the report written by Hersmann.

"Three revolutions?" William II shook his head. "If that's the case, what will we lose? A Russia that is completely in chaos is no threat to us. Isn't it?"

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