Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 260 Are you from Earth again?

"Due to its special geographical location and its proximity to the three major powers in the Western Continent, Leisenburg was forced to declare permanent neutrality, which made it a buffer zone between the three countries. As the capital, Nimsher bears the most arduous responsibility. In the 12th century, the Kingdom of Great Brittany, the United Nations of the White City-States, and the Great Empire of Mindreas held the Eternal Summer Conference in Nimsher and signed the famous Treaty of Eternal Summer Palace. It was this treaty that established the kingdom as the most powerful country in the Western Continent."

Linger stopped talking here, and looked up at a certain place on the city's border. His action was quite prominent in the crowd that was slowly flowing forward, and his companions couldn't help but follow suit, making the same action, but they found that their sight was blocked by a large area of ​​apartments, buildings and bright glass windows, and they couldn't see anything at all.

"What are you looking at?" Alice asked quickly.

"Eternal Summer Palace." The young man looked away. "It's in that direction, in the western suburbs of Nimsher. It's a summer palace built by the ancient Kreisov royal family for summer escape. Unfortunately, I can't see its shadow from here."

"Oh?"

Hearing the name, Alice was thoughtful: "So, the meeting you just mentioned was held in that palace? The three most powerful countries in the Western Continent are all involved, it's quite grand, what is it about?"

"For a war."

Linger continued to walk towards the town square where the opening ceremony was held. Others followed him and listened to the young man tell a story about humanity, civilization and history. Their figures were like the most inconspicuous drop of water in the noisy and boiling crowd. The gull's wings just brushed past them and they blended into the crowd and disappeared.

"In June of 1131, General Bockner of the White City Republic and Grand Duke Mainz of the Mindreas Empire instructed the border troops to have several small-scale conflicts with the border garrisons of the Great Brittany Kingdom. At the time, everyone thought it was just a normal small conflict. After all, the relationship between the three countries has never been friendly in history. However, no one expected that the small conflict would eventually turn into a huge war."

Although it was in the name of suppressing the rebellion, which country's internal rebellion needs the assistance of a powerful "friendly country" nearby? The White City Republic and the Mindrias Empire are not small countries like Leisenburg. Besides, you can't make a conclusion about whether the general and the archduke are really rebelling or not just by your mouth, right?

"Why did the kingdom initiate a war of aggression?" The innocent Metien asked his brother in confusion, "It's just a small-scale conflict on the border. There's no need for it to turn into a war of aggression, right? It's not only unjust, but it will also kill many innocent people."

"Ah this!"

As a university student majoring in history, Linger could still tell stories of the past even if he had not deliberately learned about the history of Nimscher. Although his tone was plain, it made people immersed in it involuntarily: "In November 1133, the War Affairs Department of the Kingdom of Brittany sent troops to the two countries to help them "quell the rebellion" on the grounds that General Bockne and Archduke Mainz were defying their country's military orders and intended to rebel. In December, the army crossed the border without permission; in January, General Bockne and Archduke Mainz, who were accused of rebellion, led their troops to meet the enemy, and the "War of Rectification" broke out."

"It was indeed an invasion." Linger said calmly. Although he was a Breton, he had no intention of defending his country. Because the king who made this decision was King Joseph, who instructed the court clerk to record this period of history as "suppression of rebellion". Later, during the reign of King Ingver, all decisions of King Joseph were overturned, including the tampered history, and he earned the reputation of "wise king".

However, such rectification will not change what has already happened.

"No reason." Saint Shallia, who was listening to the conversation quietly, replied lightly: "Humans like to do this kind of thing and never need a reason."

Linger nodded. "There really is no reason. The political situation at the time was generally stable, and the three major powers maintained a peaceful atmosphere. Therefore, until now, no historian has found out the truth of the matter and put forward a reliable point of view to discuss what King Joser and the royal government were thinking at the time to make such an irrational decision... But no matter what, the war broke out."

"During the Battle of Rectification, the army sent to Mindlias was led by Clausewitz, the executive director of the Second Department of the Ministry of War Affairs, and the army sent to the White City Federation was led by Durreny, the executive deputy director of the Second Department. Although it was the first time for both of them to step onto the battlefield, they both performed outstandingly and were recognized by historians of later generations as famous generals at the time..."

Alice was shocked when she heard this: "Isn't this the Kingdom's active invasion?"

"I said stop!" Alice interrupted him excitedly, her voice so loud that it attracted the attention of several passers-by. However, everyone was in a hurry to attend the opening ceremony, so they just cast a curious look and soon disappeared into the crowd. Alice didn't care about other people's reactions and asked anxiously, "Which two famous generals were you talking about?"

"Clausewitz, Executive Director of the Second Department of the Ministry of War Affairs, and Durreny, Executive Deputy Director." Linger repeated calmly, then looked at Alice who seemed to be thinking about something, raised his eyebrows and said, "Could it be that they are from Earth again?"

"Yes." Alice nodded blankly and whispered to herself: "Clausewitz is a German military theorist and historian. He participated in many major battles in his life and wrote the book "On War", which made great contributions to military theory. Turenne was a general in the Bourbon Dynasty of France. He led his army to attack Turin. He was one of the six great marshals in French history and was once hailed as the sharpest sword in France..."

She scratched her hair. "If I'm not mistaken, the prototype of the White City-State Republic is France, and the Great Empire of Mindrias is undoubtedly Germany... Let the French fight France, and the Germans fight Germany. Oh my god, this is too bad taste, isn't it?"

After saying that, she waved her hand irritably.

Everyone was silent. Although Alice's words were obviously emotional, if she really said that, even the most rational people would probably say that this period of history was indeed quite disgusting.

“Never mind, never mind!” Alice shook her head violently, throwing all these messy thoughts out of her mind, then looked up and asked Ling Ge: “So what is the result of the war, who won?”

A muffled voice came from Metien's breast pocket: "Justice will prevail!"

This is the simple conclusion made by the goblin based on what he read in the storybook, but it is a pity that it is not true. Besides, in a war between countries, who is absolutely just?

"Although they had to deal with two battlefields at the same time, the Kingdom's army showed extremely amazing combat effectiveness. Under the leadership of the two commanders, they won the Battle of Rectification. In December 1134 AD, the army suspected of 'rebellion' was basically wiped out."

The plain word "annihilate" actually implies countless killings, blood, gunfire and death.

"this--"

Alice felt a pang of annoyance. The British Empire in the 18th century was naturally invincible and unbeatable. But that was the 12th century, not long after the Hundred Years' War ended, and the Kingdom of Brittany was still in the post-war recovery and development stage. Where did the military strength come from to achieve such a great victory? It was really puzzling.

"Could it have evolved into the First World War?" Since the steam engine could be invented hundreds of years in advance, it is reasonable for the First World War to come hundreds of years earlier.

"No." Linger shook his head. "After the war of rectification, the three parties decided to negotiate. No one knows why the Great Britta Kingdom, which was in a dominant position, suddenly proposed peace talks, and no one knows why the White City-State Republic and the Mindrias Empire, which suffered losses, agreed to peace talks. The end of this war was just like its beginning, full of unknown mysteries. Even seven hundred years later, some people are still persistently exploring the truth, but they can't uncover the secret."

When Ling was in college, he also felt regret and sorrow after gaining a deep understanding of this period of history. There are so many mysteries in history that thousands of people who step into it will only be swallowed up by the white void.

"In short, in March 1135, the three parties decided to hold a negotiation meeting. The venue was chosen to be Nimscher, the capital of the neutral country of Leisenburg. Of course, it was not called this name at that time, but was called Dolushien, which means 'a place beyond the reach of the sky'. Leisenburg was not ruled by the current constitutional government, but by the Kreisov royal family. At that time, King Kreisov lent his summer palace, the Palace of Eternal Summer, to the three parties as a meeting place, and witnessed and supervised the meeting as a neutral country."

"The three parties involved in the Eternal Summer Conference were King Joseph of the Great Brittany Kingdom and Minister of War Affairs Helmut, Prime Minister Charles of the White City-State Republic, and King Ludwig II of the Mindreas Empire..."

"I said stop stop stop!"

Alice interrupted again, confusing everyone. When Linger gave her a silent and deep gaze, the genius player gritted his teeth and admitted, "Yes, that's right!"

"We are Earthlings again!"

　Give me some meow
　　
　
(End of this chapter)