Chapter 1314: The Vanishing Fleet

"Move the capital."

Upon hearing these two words, Osilev murmured them twice in disbelief, then watched as this twelve-year-old Tsar of Tsarist Russia, Peter II, drew the precious sword at his waist and held it against his shoulder.

Osilev met his firm gaze, lowered his high-held head, and knelt on one knee; at this moment, he was truly convinced by the little Tsar's temperament—firm and decisive.

Moscow meant the Conservative Faction, and it meant danger to the current imperial family.

"Lord Osilev, I grant you the position of Commander of the Sixth Legion. From today on, the relocation of the capital is handed to you to handle."

"As you command!"

"Go, fulfill your mission."

Osilev retreated, weeping with joy; how long had he waited? He had finally waited for an enlightened Tsar, and now there was hope for toppling Menshikov.

It was just a pity that he was too young; even with this courage, he could not govern in person, and supreme power still remained in the hands of Menshikov.

"This matter of moving the capital must be acted upon as quickly as possible, lest Menshikov detect something."

Thinking of this, Osilev quickened his pace...

The situation in Europe was in chaos, but in the distant East, the Dragon Flame Nation was still enjoying peace and prosperity.

A month had passed, but the biggest topic of conversation for the people of Dragon Flame before and after tea was the wedding of Liu Zheng and Xie Chan.

How grand the wedding had been.

How imposing the scene had been.

Even the Chief Councilor of the Li Dynasty and the Empress Dowager of the Western Regions had come in person to offer their congratulations...

But Liu Zheng's father and mother, Liu Dahao and Feng Sanniang, the couple who had been looking forward day and night to their son settling down, could not be happy.

Ever since their son's wedding began, they had not found the two people they talked about all day long.

Had they busied themselves for nothing?

Hosting guests every day, yet the people themselves were not there?

"This child, he didn't even show up on his wedding day, insisting on some 'travel wedding'!"

"And going to Europe—is Europe a place for people to go right now?" Feng Sanniang held Liu Cong, complaining to Liu Dahao all day long.

"When you grow up, don't learn from your brother and go off on some 'travel wedding,' and to a place where there's a war, no less."

Liu Cong danced and gestured there, babbling: "Go with brother..."

The second son also missed his brother, leaving Liu Dahao and Feng Sanniang between laughter and tears; fortunately, Liu Zheng had left them a letter, fearing they would worry.

Liu Dahao and Feng Sanniang learned from the letter that the two were going to Europe; at first, they weren't too worried, but later, they received news in Liangzhou that there was a war in Europe.

The old couple panicked all at once.

The old couple even wrote a letter to Ling Chen, who was far away at the East India Company, asking him to see if there was any chance of running into Liu Zheng and telling him to come back quickly to put the matter of continuing the family line on the agenda.

The old couple's thoughts were quite simple...

Their son was already the most powerful person in Dragon Flame, so what was he tossing and turning about outside every day?

After receiving the letter, even the decisive and murderous Great General Ling Chen was at a loss.

Although he was close to Europe at the East India Company, it was basically impossible to find Liu Zheng's fleet on the vast, boundless sea.

The two were getting a bit anxious, but just at this time, Liu Zheng, who had been away for a month, finally sent word.

Europe, Prussia.

Frederick II was overjoyed to learn that Liu Zheng had brought supplies to support him, a Protestant.

Then

"What did you say? You say Liu Zheng's advance supply ships chased down and fought that bunch of self-proclaimed invincible ships of the Franco-Austrian Alliance, and even sank several of them?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. The Franco-Austrian Alliance is crazy now. The French navy was severely damaged shortly after its establishment, and morale has been greatly affected. Although Austria does not have a navy, these warships were funded by them."

Frederick II curled his lips upward, looking at his Upper House for a moment, and murmured:

"Good..."

Although Prussia was strong and well-equipped, this bit of military strength was clearly not enough against the coalition of the Franco-Austrian and other Catholic forces.

They had been in a passive, defensive position, but as soon as the Dragon Flame supplies arrived, the war situation would immediately become different.

But looking at the map, the location of Liu Zheng's fleet—the Mediterranean Sea—could lead directly into the belly of the war, but there was not a single port there that was easy to land at.

Prussia did not have a single port in the Mediterranean.

Unless Liu Zheng intended to land at the Suez Canal, in Nashadier's territory, and march through the long, desolate plains to invade Austria by land.

Frederick II imagined it; he would probably be killed by Austria before he could wait for Liu Zheng's support.

The time was too long; he couldn't afford to drag it out, and he couldn't wait.

"Defend with all your might. We cannot let that group of heretics step onto our Protestant land."

After dropping these words, Frederick II left; he wanted to write a poem for his beloved, to commemorate the fact that he was about to die, and to tell her not to be sad.

At this time on the Mediterranean, ever since the Prince of Yong's supply ships defeated the Franco-Austrian coalition, no more news had come from the sea.

No one knew that the Prince of Yong's supply ships had already secretly arrived in Nashadier's territory and secretly landed.

Jiang Xuan and Nashadier personally met them.

They did not know who was commanding the supply ships, assuming it was Liu Zheng.

But when they saw the person who arrived, they were stunned for a moment.

"Prince of Yong, why have you come? Where is the young master?"

"I have come to scout the path for the Chief Councilor first. How are the things you were asked to prepare?"

Jiang Xuan nodded: "Everything is ready, but if the main army lands here..."

Hearing this, Nashadier was terrified.

That was a million-strong Dragon Flame army; if they all landed here, and Liu Zheng found out about his little schemes, wouldn't his nation be destroyed?

"No, we will capture the first port for the Chief Councilor."

After speaking, Prince Yong mounted the Longyan, the latest invention designed by Liu Zheng himself, and with the supplies in the ships, a force of thirty thousand men vanished like ghosts in the direction of Austria.

At this time, the Archduchess of Austria, Teresa, was busy quelling rebellions within her country, but at the same time, she was also constantly monitoring news from the sea.

Ever since she learned that the French navy had been defeated by the Longyan Supply Ship, Teresa had worn a worried expression.

This time, she had deeply experienced the terror of the Longyan Fleet; even France, which claimed to have the strongest naval fleet in Europe, had been beaten to a pulp.

In the Mediterranean Sea, their Archduchy of Austria had ports where one could land.

The moment she received the news, Teresa stationed heavy troops at these ports, striving to prevent the Longyan from successfully landing.

But time ticked away, second by second; three days had passed, and the Mediterranean Sea remained calm.

Those seven Longyan vanguard units had simply evaporated into thin air, leaving absolutely no trace to be found.

"Still no news?" Teresa frowned tightly.

"None, and our ports have not yet been attacked by the Longyan Fleet."

Teresa fell into deep thought, looking at the map of Europe; the Longyan did indeed have a port at Suez where they could land, but it was impossible to attack Europe from there, as the detour was too far.

It would take at least seven days by horse, and if they were marching on foot, it might be even slower.

Teresa narrowed her beautiful eyes, racking her brain to figure out what on earth this group of mysterious Longyan was up to.

Just at this moment, she received news that shocked all of Europe.