156: Chapter 67 The Princess Arrives

On the 7th day of the 11th month of the first year of Yongan, at the pier outside Jinling City, a massive passenger liner flying the black eagle flag of the German Empire was slowly docking.

The liner was nearly twice the size of an ordinary ocean-going cruise ship. Its hull was painted pure white, shimmering brilliantly under the sun, while the prow was decorated with golden reliefs and the masts were adorned with colorful flags and signal lights, making it look like a floating palace. The deck was packed with uniformed sailors and attendants in formal attire, all standing with straight backs and cold, sharp gazes.

The pier had been set up well in advance. A red carpet stretched from the gangway to the carriages, flanked by honor guards in crisp military uniforms with gleaming bayonets. Li Ling, dressed in a brand-new black marshal's uniform, stood at the end of the red carpet, followed by his three consorts: Empress Su Wanqing, Imperial Concubine Hui, and Princess Zaiyi, along with representatives of the civil and military officials. The sea breeze blew in from the ocean, causing their clothes to flap and snap.

"This spectacle is truly something," Li Ling muttered to himself. "Marrying a princess is more exhausting than fighting a naval battle."

"Host, are you complaining or secretly enjoying it?" The system's voice echoed in his mind, carrying a distinct tone of mockery. "You are marrying a princess of the German Empire, not a girl selling vegetables by the roadside. Her father, Kaiser Wilhelm II, personally sent three telegrams to confirm the arrangements. If you make it too shabby, how will you buy warships from them in the future?"

"I know that," Li Ling rolled his eyes in his mind. "It's just exhausting. We rehearsed the arrival process all day yesterday—the handshake order, standing positions, address protocols—it was stricter than training new recruits. That old pedant, Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, even counted the buttons on my cuffs, saying I couldn't have even one too many or one too few."

"You deserve it. Who told you to be the emperor? Being an emperor requires the consciousness of an emperor."

"Shut up."

The ship's gangway was slowly lowered, and the cabin door opened.

The first to walk out were two German Empire officers in crisp formal attire, their shoulder straps covered in medals, who stood sternly on both sides of the gangway. Then came four maids carrying gift boxes, dressed in uniform white long dresses, blonde and blue-eyed, with delicate features like dolls from a porcelain shop. Following them were six guards, wearing ceremonial swords and walking down the gangway in perfect unison.

Then, everyone fell silent in unison.

The moment Princess Victoria Louise appeared at the cabin door, even the sea breeze seemed to pause for an instant.

She wore a silver-white long dress, the hem trailing behind her, shimmering with the soft luster unique to silk under the sun. Exquisite silver patterns were embroidered on the dress, extending from her chest to the hem, refracting tiny glimmers with her every movement. She wore a small diamond crown on her head, and her long golden hair shone in the sunlight, making her face look almost unearthly—beautiful features, skin as white as snow, a straight nose, and slightly pursed lips, carrying an innate nobility and elegance, while also revealing the clarity and liveliness unique to an eighteen-year-old girl.

Her gaze swept across the pier and found the man in the black marshal's uniform in the crowd. He was younger than she had imagined, and also... a bit shorter than she had imagined. But he stood there, his back as straight as a javelin, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's, exuding an aura of total control. That aura wasn't propped up by clothes or spectacle; it grew from within his bones.

She had been corresponding with this man for over half a year, but seeing him in person still made her heart skip a beat.

Li Ling stepped forward and, following the rehearsed process, performed a standard knight's salute—placing his right hand over his chest and bowing slightly. He had learned this from Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai last night; although the movement wasn't quite standard yet, it was natural and generous, not appearing too stiff or formal.

"Her Royal Highness Princess Victoria Louise, on behalf of all the subjects of the Tang Country, I welcome your arrival." He lifted his head, a consistent, slightly upturned smile on his lips, his gaze looking directly and unflinchingly into those azure eyes. "I have written many times in my letters—the autumn in the Tang Country is beautiful. Today, it is just right for you to see it with your own eyes."

The German Princess smiled slightly, a smile like the first ray of sunshine when winter snow melts, making the entire pier brighten a little. She curtsied slightly, a standard curtsy, her movements as elegant as a swan, and her dress hem drawing a perfect arc on the ground.

"General Li Ling," her Chinese carried a faint German accent, yet it was unexpectedly standard. "I have also written many times in my letters that I was looking forward to seeing you. Looking at you today, you are more interesting than described in the letters."

"Interesting?" Li Ling raised an eyebrow. "I dare not guarantee that evaluation. I am, at times, very boring—aside from fighting wars, I just crunch numbers."

"That is just perfect." The German Princess's smile deepened, a playful light flashing in her eyes. "What I am best at is making boring people interesting."

The two smiled at each other, the atmosphere much more relaxed than expected. The nervous protocol officers and translators around them quietly breathed a sigh of relief—it seemed this German Princess was easier to get along with than imagined, at least much better than those foreign envoys who constantly complained about "insufficient specifications" or "lack of etiquette."

The subsequent welcoming ceremony proceeded according to plan. Li Ling and the German Princess walked side by side along the red carpet, the honor guards on both sides saluting with their rifles, and the military band played the national anthems of the German Empire and the Tang Country. The German Princess cooperated by stopping and bowing slightly in acknowledgement, her every gesture displaying royal demeanor. Li Ling noticed her gaze lingering on the rifles of the honor guards for a few seconds, a flash of curiosity in her eyes—it was a professional scrutiny, sensitive to the details of weaponry.

"General, your soldiers' rifles..." she said in a low voice.

"I will show you later," Li Ling also lowered his voice. "There are better ones than this."

The German Princess's eyes lit up, and she did not ask further.

The carriage stopped at the end of the pier. It was a convertible carriage custom-made for this wedding, with a deep red body trimmed in gold, and four tall white horses wearing brand-new harnesses, their manes shining in the sun. Li Ling helped the German Princess into the carriage, sat down beside her, and the carriage slowly started, driving along the main road of Jinling City towards the palace.

The roads were packed with onlookers. They waved the small flags they had hastily made, shouting "Welcome the Princess," the sound rising and falling, forming a warm wave of noise in the late autumn air. Some bold children chased the carriage, only to be laughed at and blocked by the soldiers maintaining order. Several elderly women stood by the roadside with their hands pressed together, muttering, likely praying for the success of this marriage.

The German Princess looked sideways at the unfamiliar faces outside the window, her eyes calm, but a perfectly appropriate smile remained on her lips. She had grown up in the royal family, long accustomed to being watched and discussed, knowing what expression to wear at what time. But she noticed that the eyes of these commoners were completely different from those she had seen in Europe—there was no fear or humbleness in their eyes, but rather a sense of curiosity and goodwill. It was as if they were not watching a foreign princess, but seeing a fresh face in their own wedding procession.

She glanced quietly at the man beside her. Li Ling was waving to the commoners, his movements as casual as a neighbor's boy, yet he possessed a peculiar infectiousness—when the commoners saw him wave, the cheering grew even louder.

"General," she asked softly, maintaining a smiling posture toward the commoners, but her voice reached only the person beside her. "Are the commoners here... not afraid of you?"

"Afraid of me?" Li Ling turned his head to look at her, his eyes carrying a hint of amusement. "Why should they be afraid of me? I don't eat people. I fight wars when needed, cut taxes when needed, and build roads when needed. They know that following me means a good life, so they are happy to cheer for me."

The German Princess was silent for two seconds, then nodded thoughtfully.

The wedding procession stopped at the palace gate. Next was the highlight of the wedding ceremony—the bowing ceremony. The process was much the same as when Li Ling married Imperial Concubine Hui, but the scale was higher, the spectacle grander, and there were more guests—after all, it was not the daughter of a southern merchant who was marrying in, but a princess of the German Empire. The Taihe Hall was packed, with civil and military officials, foreign envoys, and generals and officials from the German Empire's wedding escort team filling the entire hall to capacity.

Li Ling and the German Princess stood side by side in the center of the hall, facing the incense table where the tablets of Heaven, Earth, the Sovereign, and Kin were enshrined. Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai stood to the side, reciting the auspicious words in a resonant voice, every word like a tempered cannonball, precisely striking the ears of everyone present.

Bow to Heaven and Earth. Bow to the elders. Bow to each other.

The moment Li Ling and the German Princess bowed to each other, thunderous applause and cheers erupted in the hall. Retired Emperor Li Zhenshan sat in the seat of honor, smiling so broadly that the wrinkles on his face bloomed like flowers; the Empress Dowager was quietly wiping the corners of her eyes; Empress Su Wanqing, Princess Zaiyi, and Imperial Concubine Hui sat side by side in the VIP seats, their expressions varied—Empress Su Wanqing was smiling, Princess Zaiyi was dignified as usual, while Imperial Concubine Hui was observing this blonde-haired, blue-eyed "new sister" with curious and scrutinizing eyes.

After the ceremony, everyone moved to the banquet hall. The banquet was sumptuous, and the wine was exquisite. Li Ling and the German Princess sat at the main table, accepting toasts from guests one after another. Li Ling had a good tolerance for alcohol, but there were too many people, and after a few rounds, his cheeks were already flushed, and his eyes were a bit hazy. The German Princess only took a few symbolic sips; except for the first cup she drank when toasting the German Empire envoys, she declined subsequent ones on the grounds of "not being able to hold her liquor."

But while she drank little, she watched a lot. Her gaze swept over the entire banquet hall imperceptibly, observing the words and actions of everyone. The standing and sitting postures of the civil and military officials, the expressions and tones of the generals when toasting, the expressions and interactions of the three consorts, and even the speed of the waiters serving dishes... every detail was quickly analyzed, filed, and evaluated in her mind.

"System, did you notice?" Li Ling muttered to the system in his mind. "This Princess has not stopped looking since she entered the hall. She is observing."

"The host has finally realized." The system's tone carried a "so you finally know" nuance. "She is evaluating your court, your army, your women, and your entire country. Although the German Empire married her off, she is first Kaiser Wilhelm II's daughter, and then your wife. She came not just to get married, but to give you—and her father—an accurate assessment report. This Princess is a smart person. You have gained a good helper, but also a bedfellow who is not easy to fool."

"Then should I be guarding against her?"

"Guarding? If you treat her like a spy, you waste her value. She is your wife and also a bridge between you and the German Empire. If you can make her sincerely stand on your side, your layout in Europe will be twice as effective with half the effort. Conversely, if you are suspicious of her, she will become the most dangerous uncertain factor by your side."

Li Ling digested the system's words in silence. He picked up his wine glass, turned his head to look at the silver-haired figure beside him who was elegantly cutting her steak, and made up his mind.

After the banquet, the German Princess was escorted by palace maids to her sleeping quarters—a courtyard built in a Western style specifically for her, filled with roses and tulips transported from Europe. Although the flowering period was over, they were well-maintained, with green branches and leaves, revealing an exotic gentleness. The furnishings in the room were also completely European style, with heavy velvet curtains, a carved walnut bed, a copper-trimmed wardrobe, a brand-new piano on the bookshelf, and even the vase on the windowsill was of the style she was used to since childhood. Li Ling had a whole ship of furniture transported from the German Empire, just so she could still find a shadow of home in this unfamiliar land.

The German Princess stood in the center of the room, looking around, and was silent for a long time.

Then she turned around and looked at Li Ling at the door. The light shone from behind her, casting her shadow on the floor, stretching it long. The smile on her face disappeared, replaced by a serious, almost scrutinizing expression.

"General," she spoke in German, her voice not loud, but every word clear. "My father asked me to ask you a question."

Li Ling stood at the door, not walking in, and replied in German: "Please speak."

"He said: 'Li Ling, you are marrying my daughter, is it for the German Empire's warships, or for my daughter as a person?'"

This question was like a knife, stabbing straight into his heart. Li Ling was silent for three seconds, then he smiled—not the perfunctory, polite smile, but a smile carrying warmth and sincerity.

"Your Majesty," he said, using a more formal address, "I can write a personal letter to your father. The content of the letter will be just one sentence—'I am marrying your daughter, not your warships. Warships can be bought, but a person is worth a lifetime of devotion.'"

The German Princess's eyes widened slightly at that moment. She stood there, suddenly feeling her eyes ache. She had seen too many hypocritical diplomatic remarks and heard too many exquisite political lies, but when this man in front of her said that, his eyes were serious—not the kind of carefully rehearsed seriousness, but an unadorned, somewhat clumsy sincerity.

She walked over, stood in front of him, stood on tiptoe, and kissed his cheek lightly.

"General," she said softly, "you are much more interesting than you wrote in your letters."

Li Ling touched the place where he had been kissed and grinned: "Then I will write more interestingly in the future."

"No need," the German Princess shook her head. "The words in the letters are dead, but the person is alive. I like the living one better."

Outside the window, the lights of Jinling City were gradually extinguishing. The night wind of late autumn blew through the courtyard, carrying a few fallen leaves, which spun twice on the floor and then stopped quietly in the corner.

And in that newly built Western-style courtyard, a letter was being written. Recipient: Berlin, His Majesty Kaiser Wilhelm II of the German Empire. Sender: Princess Victoria Louise. At the end of the letter, she wrote only one line:

"Father, he is worth it."