Chapter 6

Previously, Qing Ying had already decided to change the German High Seas Fleet while he was in the hospital, but he was frustrated by the enormity of the goal, feeling like a mouse trying to pull a turtle, not knowing where to start. However, the naval instructor Wilhelm II arranged for him was a revelation, immediately giving Qing Ying a clear direction for action.

Who was Tirpitz?

In 1865, at the age of 16, Tirpitz decided to join the then Prussian Navy. For the next half-century, he dedicated his entire heart and soul to this navy, working diligently. He was sharp-minded, rigorous in thought, and had an extraordinary insight into new things. At a luncheon in 1888, when the German Emperor asked him about his ideas for naval development, he proposed building a battleship fleet. As a result, he was immediately transferred to the North Sea to oversee the establishment of the High Seas Fleet. Wilhelm II was amazed and impressed by his talent and boldness. With Wilhelm II's support, Tirpitz, starting from scratch, built a powerful fleet that became the second strongest in the world, pushing the German Navy to its historical peak.

To be fair, although the Second Empire had the industrial strength to challenge the British Empire's naval power, it was still a latecomer. Its understanding of the navy was far inferior to that of the old maritime power that had dominated the seas for over 300 years. Due to outdated concepts, the German Navy only knew how to build ships, larger and stronger ships, following Britain's lead like a clumsy imitator, always lagging behind. In the end, Germany found itself in a two-front war on land, and its ambitious shipbuilding plans became mere clouds. Meanwhile, Britain steadily expanded its own advantages. By the time the Battle of Jutland broke out, the German High Seas Fleet was at a significant disadvantage in both the number of ships and the caliber of their guns.

Moreover, the warships of the historical German High Seas Fleet desperately needed major reforms. Germany's fleet was already insufficient in numbers and adopted a design with smaller-caliber main guns, which widened the firepower gap with the British. Additionally, the overly short main axis length and overly conservative hull strength redundancy were also unbearable; the former wasted the advantages of Germany's small-tube boilers in World War I, while the latter wasted tonnage and increased costs, a great crime against naval construction!

Now, Wilhelm II had placed the future father of the High Seas Fleet right in front of Qing Ying, undoubtedly giving him an excellent opportunity. If he could correct Tirpitz's initial concepts, the navy he would build would be vastly different from the historical High Seas Fleet!

Thinking of this, Qing Ying almost rushed back to his room as quickly as possible, but the person who came was not Tirpitz but an unknown passerby. After some thought, Qing Ying realized that Tirpitz was not a full-time teacher but a real colonel and chief of staff. He had to work at the Naval Ministry during the day and could only spare time in the evening.

After dinner, a very distinctive middle-aged officer finally appeared.

Thick eyebrows, sharp eyes, a hawk-like nose, and a lion's mouth. Compared to the elderly photos of Tirpitz available online, the 45-year-old version was clearly younger, with no hint of bags or wrinkles on his face. Perhaps due to overthinking, Tirpitz's hair had thinned significantly, with the front part completely gone, leaving only a small patch at the back struggling to survive. In stark contrast to his hair, Tirpitz's beard was so lush that it could rival Santa Claus's; not only that, but his beard was parted in the middle, looking like two bunches of grapes hanging on either side. His unique appearance would undoubtedly turn heads on the street, with a 200% chance of attracting attention.

Perhaps aware that his beard was too noticeable, Tirpitz pretended not to see the child's barely concealed smile. After a slight cough, he began his lecture. Since it was Qing Ying's first class, "Santa Claus" started with some basic naval knowledge. Just as he was feeling frustrated about being underutilized, the boy suddenly raised a slender, pale hand:

"Um... Sir, I have a question. Can I ask you something?"

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The charcoal stove in the room had been lit, emitting a warm glow. Tirpitz looked at the boy and said calmly, "Go ahead. I am here to teach and answer questions for His Highness, as commissioned by the Emperor."

Tirpitz's response was not enthusiastic and even a bit stiff. After all, a high-ranking officer who had entered the highest echelons of the navy was now teaching a child. It was like a mathematics Ph.D. being assigned to teach 1+1=2 in elementary school, which was naturally quite depressing and frustrating. If not for his need for Wilhelm II's support and the fact that this child was the most likely to inherit the throne, Tirpitz would have long turned and left without wasting his words.

Qing Ying seemed not to notice Tirpitz's cold tone. He organized his thoughts and asked, "May I ask, Colonel, what is the national strategy that the German Navy is executing?"

"Currently, the main task of the Imperial Navy is to protect the coastline and ensure that the homeland is not threatened from the sea during wartime. However, with the rapid growth of national strength, the Imperial Navy will not be content with just the shallow green waters of the coastline. We aim to build a powerful fleet to defeat our long-standing enemy, France, and secure our place in the skies over the seas."

Tirpitz answered Qing Ying's question without hesitation. He glanced at the boy and said coolly, "This is what I will cover in the next lesson. To be frank, even if His Highness is exceptionally intelligent, one must eat bread slice by slice. Being overly ambitious is of no benefit! Have you already memorized everything I've said so far?"

"Damn! I'm here, painstakingly guiding you, and you still give me a cold look. Do you really think I'm ignorant?" Qing Ying was furious but remembered that Tirpitz would become the head of the German Navy and was the most favored person in front of Wilhelm II. To achieve his ambitions, he could not afford to offend this man. Nevertheless, he still gave Tirpitz a cold stare and said, "I already knew what you said earlier. The navy is my father's favorite branch of the military. How could I not follow the trend and learn about it in advance? Even while I was in the hospital, I had someone buy all the issues of 'Jane's Fighting Ships' that had been published so far and read them!"

Tirpitz was taken aback and then, somewhat unwillingly, tested Qing Ying with a few questions, all of which were easily answered by Qing Ying, who had spent his previous life frequenting battleship forums. Tirpitz's brow furrowed, and he decided to assess the boy's level. "So, you know quite a bit? Why don't you tell me what you know, so I can see how advanced your understanding is?"

"Germany rose in East Prussia and gained prominence in the Rhine region. Although we have consecutively defeated Austria and France, Germany still needs a powerful army to defend its territory. Now, France has become our greatest threat, and the pressure on land has increased dramatically. As a result, the annual military budget will lean more towards the army, with the navy's budget being only a fraction of the army's. Is that correct?" Qing Ying picked up his water cup and took a sip.

Even with the intention to find fault, Tirpitz had to agree with Qing Ying's statement: "Your Highness is correct. At the recent imperial conference, Count Schlieffen proposed a new army development plan to the Emperor, requesting increased weapons procurement and personnel recruitment." He paused and continued, "However, with the rapid development of the empire and the Emperor's attention to the navy, this year's naval budget, though only a fraction of the army's, is still several times larger than it was five years ago. It won't be long before our naval budget rivals that of Italy."

With Tirpitz's confirmation, Qing Ying began to get to the point:

"After my father ascended the throne, although the naval budget has increased significantly, we still lag behind the established naval powers. The annual budget for the navy is limited, and the funds allocated for shipbuilding are even less. Therefore, every warship built by Germany must be closely linked to the current naval strategy. The ships of Britain and France may not be suitable for us. Many of their ships require excellent seafaring and long-range capabilities, which Germany's navy currently does not need! Since we are at a numerical disadvantage, we should, within the budget, combine our national conditions to ensure that our warships have the best possible quality and can meet our needs. What are your thoughts, Sir?"

Tirpitz listened very seriously, not because he particularly valued the boy, but simply to assess his level as a teacher. Additionally, his upbringing instilled in him good manners, and he never showed any sign of impatience when listening to anyone. Gradually, Tirpitz's expression changed. Although he had long known that Wilhelm II's second son, Dunmin, was intelligent, he did not expect his understanding of the navy to reach this level!

"Alright, I admit I underestimated you. But I, Alfred, am not one to be easily impressed."

Tirpitz smiled, a glint of excitement in his eyes. He closed his lecture notes and clapped lightly, "Very good, very good. You have thought about the need to adapt to our country's conditions, which is truly unexpected. To be honest, even in the entire navy, there are few adults who have this kind of thinking! What you said is exactly what I have been exploring. Now that I have made some progress, I might as well share it with you."

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