British writer

"Is it really the German language itself that you want to talk to me about?"

"..."

William II was stunned.

The question is too direct!

Don’t they say that Chinese people are reserved?

He looked at Lu Shi,

"That...um...well..."

He was hemming and hawing, but he wasn't as crisp as the person in charge. Apparently he didn't expect the conversation to progress so quickly.

Lu Shi showed his face and smiled,

"Your Majesty the Emperor, don't you like to read the interview section of the Mirror?"

"certainly!"

William II did not hesitate;

“That approach was very novel.”

Lu Shi explained: "You should know after reading the interview page that pungent and direct questions are the top priority. It is not the style of "Mirror" to play some innocuous side balls."

William II lowered his head, seeming to be thinking.

Melnick coughed lightly and said,

"Professor Lu, you seem to have forgotten the gender version of the "Mirror". "13 Years of a Princess: A Stick and a Crown Seal the Door of the Heart", this kind of thing is considered a sideline, right?"

Lu Shi: "Hiss..."

Unexpectedly, he was hit by a boomerang.

He looked at Melnick,

The latter coughed lightly,

"Sorry, I am also in the media, so I have been following the Mirror. After all, it is now the industry benchmark~"

"History Magazine" can learn from the media "Mirror" in its seriousness?

Lu Shi really didn't expect it.

At this time, William II had already adjusted his condition,

He pondered for a moment,

"Professor Lu, I really want to talk about the popularity of German. What do you think causes German to be less popular than English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese?"

The drunkard's intention is not wine,

Care about the mountains and rivers.

Lu Shi didn't hide it and said directly: "Markets and colonies."

One word revealed the secret.

He shrugged,

"Of course, essentially, the two are actually the same thing."

William II, Monson, and Melnick were not surprised by the open secret.

As a German, of course I understand.

Melnick continued to record,

The pen tip rubbed against the paper, causing a slight "rustling" sound to fill the room.

The four of them were silent.

Suddenly, Melnick put down his pen, the "rustling" sound disappeared, and the quiet air seemed extremely harsh.

Wilhelm II said: “Germany is not the only country with similar problems.”

He pondered for a moment,

"USA……"

Lu Shi shook his head,

“The United States has South America as its back garden.”

William II was surprised: "Isn't there a 'Monroe Doctrine'? Are you so sure...well..."

As he said that, he suddenly froze, remembering the rumor about Lu Shi——

A close friend of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.

If Lu Shi knew Theodore, he must know the United States.

What's more, there is definite news that Roosevelt is preparing to distort the original meaning of the Monroe Doctrine through exegesis.

The previous Monroe Doctrine was:

The United States believes that European powers should no longer colonize the Americas or get involved in matters related to the sovereignty of the United States and Latin American and other countries.

The United States remained neutral in disputes between European countries or wars between countries and their American colonies.

Roosevelt’s post-exegetical Monroe Doctrine is:

Europe cannot interfere in America;

The United States can radiate influence around the world.

In one sentence:

Double standards and that’s it!

William II shook his head and changed the subject: "Japan also suffered the same fate."

Lu Shi sighed,

"Your Majesty the Emperor, I am Chinese."

This seems to have no beginning and no end, but it is the best answer.

China has revealed the facts with its own experiences:

Japan has its heart set on the Asian continent.

After talking about the United States and Japan one after another, William II naturally thought of Germany.

What about Germany?

What should Germany do when it is surrounded by powerful enemies?

Germany also needs to leave some land under the sun for future Germans.

William II sighed,

"What will happen to me...Germany?"

It seemed like a murmur to himself.

Lu Shi spread his hands,

"Your Majesty, the Emperor, does not need to be modest. In the German Empire, you are Germany, and Germany is you. So, asking what will happen to Germany is asking what will happen to you. I don't think there is much difference between the two."

These words did not embarrass William II;

He looked at the oil painting on the wall again.

That motto, "The welfare of the brothers and the people," seems extremely glaring.

Regarding the great achievements of Karl XIII in conquering Norway, what William II thought was clearly written in the history textbooks.

Of course, it's still early for the war to start, and the current discussion among a few people is just "fantasy" like a god.

"Huh~"

William II let out a breath,

"Professor Lu, taking the initiative to talk to you is a very correct decision."

His tone did not change, still extremely sincere.

Lu Shi did not answer, but glanced at Mengsen and said, "Professor Mengsen, how do you think His Majesty the Emperor will act in the future?"

Monson:? ? ?

Never thought that a hot potato would be thrown to him.

He said helplessly: "This...I'm not a prophet, how can I say it accurately?"

Lu Shi smiled,

"There is an old saying in China, 'If you use copper as a mirror, you can straighten your clothes; if you use history as a mirror, you can know the ups and downs; if you use people as a mirror, you can know gains and losses.'"

Monson fell into memories,

"I have heard this saying before... um... wait! Shouldn't it be 'a gentleman does not mirror water but mirrors people'?"

Lu Shi was surprised,

Heart way,

Monson is worthy of being a master of history. He not only knows about Rome, but also knows about "Mozi".

He explained: "The sentence I said is a famous saying by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty."

Munson suddenly realized,

"Tang Taizong? He knows how to use anecdotes. What he said makes sense."

Lu Shi laughed when he heard this, and then said: "Professor Monson thinks it makes sense? If so, why do you say you are not a prophet? The person who wrote "History of Rome" cannot be a person with empty fame. "

This is Chi Guo Guo’s fierce general,

However, the old man Monson is very simple and just accepts this.

He raised his eyebrows slightly,

"Huh, of course. Throughout the history of the European continent, there are not ten dynasties that correspond to the current Germany. There are always seven or eight. In order to survive, they all eventually followed the same path - to the outside world. war."

"..."

"..."

"..."

The scene was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Melnick and William II looked at Monson, their eyes full of complexity.

Someone is too easy to fool!

Lu Shi spread his hands,

"I didn't say anything."

As soon as he said this, he immediately attracted Monson's gaze.

stare--

Extreme resentment.

Lu Shi felt a little embarrassed and said quickly: "However, it is normal to have such thoughts. Moreover, I believe that His Majesty the Emperor also firmly believes that he will be the victor."

William II looked at Lu Shi cautiously,

"Why?"

Lu Shi said: "The billowing smoke rising from the Ruhr Valley is the confidence. You must... no, it should be that all Germans believe that Germany's more modern and better-organized army will easily crush France and Belgian resistance. And..."

William II raised his hand to interrupt,

"Belgium? Why Belgium?"

Lu Shi: "..."

"You don't deny France..."

William II was embarrassed,

Unexpectedly, Lu Shi dug a hole and let his thoughts be exposed unintentionally.

Lu Shi continued:

"

'It was enough for Austria-Hungary to provide us with flank cover. After defeating the Western Allies, I will turn around and sweep across the old Rus' Empire; then we will conclude a peace treaty with the defeated countries...'

"

When he said this, he had the tone of William II.

His Majesty the Emperor is dizzy.

I have indeed considered cooperating with Austria-Hungary.

Because rising nationalism is giving rise to Austria-Hungary's desire for war, the Balkans are the direction in which it will vent its flames.

But how could Lu Shi know?

What's even more astonishing is that he took a step forward and even thought about sweeping Russia and signing treaties with defeated countries.

What the hell...

"I want to sweep across Russia?"

William II fell into deep thought,

As a result, the more I thought about it, the more I thought it should be done this way.

He could already picture the dissenters being sent to dig potatoes in Siberia.

But fortunately, he hasn't been carried away yet.

"What about England?"

Lu Shi sighed,

"What do you think, His Majesty the Emperor?"

William II always felt that Lu Shi's words contained some emotion.

He said: "Yes. Professor Lu is right. Britain will not force us to shift our attention away from France..."

It's quick to hypnotize yourself, and Lu Shi doesn't need to say anything.

"Tsk..."

Lu Shi was speechless.

History is materialistic,

He might be able to change some small details,

However, some big events will definitely not be stopped before the small things add up.

He switched to French and said:

"

‘If the Germans are coming, come. War would be easy, and our vast worldwide colonial empire would stop the German offensive with overwhelming material superiority and then destroy Germany's military might. The Germans are not yet strong enough to penetrate deep into our territory and block all our attacks. ’

"

This is from a French perspective.

William II was a little confused. He asked Mengsen to understand what Lu Shi meant, and then frowned.

"Professor Lu, you imitate the arrogance of the French very well."

Lu Shi said: "Your Majesty the Emperor, don't you think that I can perfectly imitate the arrogance of the Germans?"

William II's expression turned cold,

"No, it won't."

He looked at the oil painting on the wall again and said: "I think when you describe Germans, you should use the word 'confidence' instead of 'arrogance'."

Lu Shi looked at Mengsen,

"Professor Monson, did you see that?"

Monson was speechless;

Use copper as a mirror to straighten your clothes;

Using history as a mirror, we can know the ups and downs;

Using people as a mirror can help you understand gains and losses.

It seems really philosophical.

William II waved his hands with some disgust and whispered: "Professor Lu, I know that you are the author of the "IPU Charter" and hope for eternal peace in the world. However, I think that is just a dream. And... Hum hum… IPU…”

Of course His Majesty the Emperor has a disdain for the IPU.

Lu Shi sighed,

"Europe's 'golden age' made people forget the horror of war. Once two extremely arrogant military groups collide on the battlefield, they will soon find that the predictions made before the war were in vain."

Wilhelm II did not continue.

After a while, he suddenly laughed "hehehe\

,""Professor Lu, Germany may not necessarily follow the path you predicted. Things are unpredictable~"

Lu Shi pointed at Mengsen,

"Professor Monson predicted it, not me. I just followed his words."

Mengsen wanted to die.

"Professor Lu, please stop messing with me, okay?"

Lu Shi smiled and said,

"Actually, Professor Monson's prediction is just a piece of wisdom, right?"

"Hoo~"

Monson took a deep breath and nodded repeatedly.

"exactly."

Wilhelm II asked: “Who else has held the same view before?”

He looked at Monson,

Mengsen looked at Lu Shi.

Lu Shi pondered for a moment and quoted someone:

"

‘Twenty years after the death of Frederick the Great, Prussia was defeated by Napoleon at the Battle of Jena; twenty years after my death, Wilhelm II’s crown will no longer be preserved. ’

"

William II's expression suddenly changed.

Because what Lu Shi quoted was the prediction made by the iron-blooded prime minister Bismarck before his death.

Bismarck was a veteran of three dynasties, assisting three generations of German emperors for half a century.

During his tenure, German reunification was completed.

At the same time, Bismarck defeated France in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, making Germany the hegemon on the European continent.

According to its conception, Germany should avoid foreign wars and focus on development in a peaceful environment.

As for the results...

The world knows it.

When Wilhelm II ascended the throne, he had serious political disagreements with the prime minister, and Bismarck was forced to step down in 1890.

The phrase "Twenty years after my death, William II's crown will no longer be preserved" gave His Majesty the Emperor the feeling of a dark cloud hanging over his head.

He frowned and said, "Professor Lu seems to be biased against me?"

Can Lu Shi not be biased against those who proposed the Yellow Peril theory?

Although China was at the mercy of others in modern times, it was the United States and Germany that openly engaged in such large-scale discrimination.

(And Japan, of course.)

With Lu Shi's efforts, the situation in the United States gradually eased.

That leaves Germany.

But this cannot be said explicitly.

Lu Shi whispered: "I met a Jewish psychologist from Austria before, named Sigmund Freud."

William II was a little confused;

"Psychology...psychology?"

He doesn't remember having this major in college.

Melnick on the side whispered: "Your Majesty, psychology is a science that studies human psychological phenomena and the mental functions and behavioral activities affected by them."

"Tsk..."

William II was speechless,

To him, this psychology sounded a bit like psychiatric research.

I wonder what he would think if he knew that Freud was indeed a psychiatrist.

He asked: "Why do you suddenly mention an irrelevant person?"

Lu Shi shook his head,

"It's not irrelevant. Your Majesty the Emperor, I just said that you are Germany, and Germany is you. So it can be concluded that your personal psychology is one of the internal factors, or even the main reason, that affects the changes in Germany's decision-making."

William II subconsciously stretched out his right hand and held his left arm.

He suffered from Erb's palsy and atrophied left arm due to a breech birth.

The medical and physical treatment measures did not achieve the desired results, but left him with pain and torture that he still cannot forget many years later.

In order to make up for his physical defects, he received strict military training since childhood and was especially good at equestrianism.

He also likes to lean on his sword or cane with his left hand to make himself look more dignified.

But decency is just decency after all,

Many outsiders say that because he was injured at birth, he may be suffering from a serious disease, which has caused problems with his brain function, making his character full of ambition, impulsive and reckless, and he also behaves very arrogantly in dealing with others.

But William II himself knew very well,

It's definitely not a brain injury;

Instead, it may be the "psychology" mentioned by Lu Shi.

He said slowly: "Is that Freud still in Austria-Hungary?"

Lu Shi shook his head,

"I don't know either. Maybe he went to the United States?"

William II was a little surprised,

"America? Why go to that academic wilderness?"

He really couldn't understand,

Since psychology is a new discipline that has just been established or is about to be established, it should stay at the center of world academics——

Europe.

Lu Shi smiled and glanced at Mengsen.

"Maybe it's because of some interpersonal factors."

William II laughed dumbly;

He heard about the previous disagreement between Lu Shi and Mengsen.

It is very common for academic circles to fight against each other.

It seems that Freud was in the same situation.

William II looked at Monson,

The latter was embarrassed and looked out the window,

"It's a nice day today."

Lu Shi: "..."

Melnick: "..."

William II: "..."

It was so dark that it almost turned into a ball of ink. How could it be that the sky was so good?

Old Man Monson is too cute.

William II sighed,

"Well, since the psychology professor is no longer in Europe, there is no need for me to drag him back from the United States."

He tilted his head and looked at the oil painting on the wall.

The four of them were speechless for a while.

The room fell silent.

"..."

"..."

"..."

For about a minute, William II struggled to wake up from his inner world,

He said slowly: "Professor Lu, I want to thank you no matter what. What you just said gave me a lot of profound thinking, and at the same time, it is also a brand-new thinking."

Lu Shi said "hmm" without expressing his position.

He knew very well,

Whether it is Germany or His Majesty the Emperor of Germany himself, the future path is destined.

William II pondered,

"Professor Lu, what do you want? I want to express my gratitude."

This is what Lu Shi was waiting for.

He was not shy and pointed at the oil painting on the wall.

"His Majesty the Emperor seems to like oil painting?"

William II shook his head,

"Oil paintings, murals, pencil drawings...what does it matter? What I care about is the content in the paintings."

Lu Shi followed the other person's words and said, "That's it. No wonder I heard that His Majesty the Emperor once conceived a painting. In the painting, an angel symbolizing the German nation holds a shining sword and is warning the patron saints of the European powers."

William II's face was gloomy,

He knew what oil painting the other party was talking about——

"Pictures of the Yellow Peril".

The content of the angel’s warning is:

The Yellow Peril has arrived.

In the direction of the angel's finger, Buddha, symbolizing the Yellow Peril, is approaching Europe riding a huge fire dragon.

Lu Shi said: "I remember that the oil painting also had an inscription."

William II couldn't help but groaned,

"yes."

The inscription was written by him:

All peoples of Europe unite to defend your faith and homeland.

Lu Shi's eyes were locked on the wall,

“Compared with the phrase ‘the welfare of the brothers and the people’, who is more magnanimous and magnanimous?”

These words dealt a huge blow to the arrogant William II.

His face turned red,

His weak left hand even had veins popping out.

After a moment, he said: "Professor Lu is right. The emperor of a country must have the magnanimity and mind to match his status. Instead of spreading rumors or causing serious injury."

What Lu Shi wanted was this statement.

It’s not in vain that it was about war and psychology.

William II thought about it and felt that it was not impossible for him to change his opinion.

In June 1900, German Minister Klind was killed by the Boxers.

William II retaliated against China and sent an expeditionary force of more than 20,000 people to China.

Of course, Germany wins.

Now that you have taken a substantial advantage, you might as well learn English and French and show your "magnanimity and mind\

,"You won't lose anything by using your words.

William II looked at Melnick,

"Are you the editor of the History Magazine?"

Melnick understood immediately,

"Your Majesty, I know what to do."