[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-rise-of-the-empire-spain":3,"chapter-rise-of-the-empire-spain-rise-of-the-empire-spain-chapter-51":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Rise of the Empire: Spain",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2364979,4632,"Chapter 51: Assassination","rise-of-the-empire-spain-chapter-51",51,"\u003Cp>The establishment of the German Empire was a good thing for Gao Da.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that the Franco-Prussian War had occurred a year earlier than expected had previously caused Gao Da concern; if the situation in Europe were to change due to Gao Da's arrival, it would likely affect his judgment of the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the timing was different now, the situation was still slowly moving along the wheels of history, which meant that Gao Da's natural advantage as a transmigrator still existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the unified German Empire had become one of the most powerful nations on the European continent, Gao Da did not intend to get close to the Germans at this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Germany had received a large amount of reparations from France, the Germans also needed a massive amount of capital to develop their own country, and they might not be able to provide the funding to support Spain that would satisfy Gao Da.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, Spain's extremely important geographical position dictated that it could not easily take sides, or it would inevitably arouse the suspicion and hostility of other great powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Spain were to clearly and unequivocally become an ally of the German Empire, it would truly become a common enemy of Britain and France.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>France did not want to see itself caught in a pincer movement by German forces from the north and south, and Britain did not want to see the western gateway to the Mediterranean influenced or even controlled by other countries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Spain had truly grown strong enough to decide its own destiny, the best approach was to blur its stance and sway between the various great powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as Spain did not clarify its position, there was no need to worry about any great power invading Spain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because no matter which country had designs on Spanish territory, the other great powers would not allow that power to occupy Spanish land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If France wanted to invade Spain, the Germans would stir up trouble. If Britain wanted to invade Spain, both France and Germany would stir up trouble. As for the Germans, there was no need to mention them; being so far away, they would have no designs on Spanish territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only by temporarily swaying back and forth could Spain ensure its safety in the early stages and achieve relatively stable economic and industrial development.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were to truly take a clear side, it might soon face sanctions from other great powers, such as increased tariffs, restrictions on imports and exports, and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the tragedy of small countries; sometimes they truly could not master their own destiny. It looked like swaying between two powerful nations, but in reality, it was just to avoid offending either, merely seeking survival in the cracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the strategy of swaying back and forth was not applicable at all times. If the great powers had reached a point of life-and-death struggle, the strategy of swaying would instead make one more conspicuous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No country liked a lackey with an unfirm stance. If one swayed before a decisive battle without the strength to be taken seriously, one would likely be targeted by both sides and become the one to die the fastest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Da's expectation for Spain was that it would successfully complete its initial reforms within the next ten years and possess the strength of a great power, roughly equivalent to Italy at present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the next 20 years, it would be able to rank among the middle-tier powers and gain the right to control its own destiny, at which point it would no longer need to seek survival in the cracks between powerful nations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the First World War that broke out over 40 years later in history, by that time Spain's reforms would perhaps be completely successful, and Spain would be able to leap from a pawn on the chessboard to a player, or act as a bystander, sitting back and watching the development of the European situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, regardless of the choice, there had to be a prerequisite: Spain itself must possess a certain level of strength that would make those great powers take it seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Gao Da's plan for Spain, military reform and economic and industrial reform were equally important; neither could be dispensed with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Economic and industrial reform could allow Spain's comprehensive national strength to increase significantly and return to the throne of the great powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And military reform was the only means to ensure that one's wallet did not suffer losses. Without sufficient military strength, a massive economy and industry would instead become a piece of meat in the mouths of the great powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only because the United States was separated from Europe by the Atlantic Ocean; if the United States were on the European continent, its development would likely not have been so smooth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only good news now was that it was still early. 1870, more than 40 years away from the First World War, was enough time for Spain to carry out long and stable reforms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reform could not be rushed; it had to be steady. Reforms that were too fast would arouse the indignation of the large number of opposition forces within the country, which was not a good thing for Spain, having just quelled a rebellion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>May 1870, Madrid, Spain, inside a certain luxurious manor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was one of the manors of the Duke of Osuna, a famous Spanish nobleman. As a top-tier Spanish aristocrat on par with the Duke of Alba, the Duke of Osuna's family owned dozens of castles and manors throughout Spain, as well as a massive amount of property, including land that was simply too numerous to count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, one of the reasons the Duke of Osuna was famous was the renowned painting \"The Family of the Duke of Osuna\" by the famous Spanish painter Goya in 1788.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As one of the top aristocrats in Spain, the Duke of Osuna should have been wantonly enjoying his luxurious life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at this moment, there was no relaxed smile on the Duke's face; instead, it was overcast, and his mood did not look good at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knock, knock, knock!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sound of leather boots stepping across the floor followed, and then a middle-aged man dressed in butler's attire walked in, saying to the Duke of Osuna with a respectful expression: \"Everything is ready, Your Grace, we can begin the operation at any time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wine glass in the Duke of Osuna's hand swayed gently, the deep red wine surging in the glass before gradually calming down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can you ensure the smooth progress of the plan? You know, I don't want any accidents to occur. This plan must succeed; it cannot fail.\" The Duke of Osuna looked at his butler and set down the wine glass in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It will proceed smoothly, Your Grace. This plan has been meticulously prepared. The two assassins participating in the plan will be silenced after the success to ensure that no more people will know about our plan.\" The butler nodded with a confident expression, quite sure of his deployment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hope so.\" A smile appeared on the Duke of Osuna's face, though it did not look so pure. His gaze swept over his butler as if by chance, then quickly moved away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go and act. I hope you can bring me good news. May God bless you.\" The Duke of Osuna waved his hand, and the butler bowed and withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About half an hour later, a sturdy man dressed in a black robe walked in and saluted the Duke of Osuna respectfully: \"Your Grace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shadow, I leave the cleanup to you.\" Only then did a smile truly appear on the Duke of Osuna's face as he said this abruptly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As you command, Your Majesty.\" The man known as Shadow never revealed his true face, only nodded respectfully before leaving without making a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Shadow walked out of his room, the Duke of Osuna picked up his wine glass again, glanced at the valuable paintings hanging in his room, chuckled, and muttered to himself: \"King? Prime Minister? Heh, by what right does an Italian become the King of Spain? He doesn't even understand simple rules; by what right does he deserve the support of the nobility?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, Madrid Royal Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Primo walked out of the palace with a weary expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just moments ago, he had met with Gao Da to report on the government's recent work and had submitted a plan for Spain's military reform to Gao Da.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Da had indicated that he would confer the title of Duke upon Primo in the near future and hold a celebratory banquet to mark the end of the civil unrest in Spain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because it was under the guise of celebrating the end of the civil unrest, Primo could not easily refuse and could only repeatedly request that the scale of the banquet be reduced as much as possible, so that more money could be used for the government's reforms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This back-and-forth took several hours of discussion, and by the time the meeting ended, it was already past 11:00 PM.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Prime Minister, Primo was accustomed to working until the early hours of the morning every day. He got into his carriage and instructed his subordinates to head to his residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The journey back was drowsy, and the swaying of the carriage made Primo feel sleepy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden gunshot was exceptionally distinct, and Primo was startled awake; the carriage also slowed down at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it, what's the situation? Why is there gunfire in Madrid?\" Primo asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm afraid it's aimed at us. Protect the Prime Minister!\" The subordinate driving the carriage was actually a guard that Primo had only agreed to after Gao Da's repeated requests; they were all soldiers carefully selected from the Spanish army and would also carry weapons with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although it appeared that there was only one person driving the carriage outside, Primo's travels were always followed by hidden guards for protection, and there were at least ten guards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Primo's carriage was not as unique as the royal carriage, it also had iron plating for protection on the outside, and steel plates could be lowered over the windows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that the gunfire might be aimed at him, Primo pulled down the steel plates on the windows and picked up the weapon already prepared in the carriage, his eyes showing not a trace of panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a general who had personally led troops into battle, would Primo be afraid of a small assassination? He would not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, there were guard forces by his side; unless the enemy was a hundred-man, well-trained army, or the opponent was a very accurate marksman who could finish Primo off with a few shots, the assassination would likely not succeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such obvious gunfire and combat would quickly attract the Madrid police and the army; this place was not very far from the Royal Palace, and the Imperial Guard could also arrive in a short time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang! Bang, bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several sounds of bullets colliding with steel plates shocked the assassins and completely alerted the guards protecting Primo in the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assassins had no other choice but to try aiming at other parts of the carriage, praying that the bullets could pierce through the carriage and hit Primo inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for whether they could kill Primo, it could no longer be guaranteed. Who could have imagined that a carriage that looked very ordinary would have something like steel plates?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, bullets could easily pass through a wooden carriage and hit the person inside, but if the entire carriage was protected by steel plates or iron sheets, the lethality would definitely be greatly reduced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it, a bunch of trash!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The butler hiding in the shadows cursed at the two assassins, but the most urgent matter now was to cut the weeds and eliminate the roots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three thousand words added, seeking support!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2010,"2026-06-25T09:27:12.995Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","10ab18bda85a73406ea309e816a4dbbbb28ba4b05de85acae6f50aaadc45fb8d","rise-of-the-empire-spain-chapter-52","rise-of-the-empire-spain-chapter-50",493,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frise-of-the-empire-spain-cover.jpg"]