She changed Europe

Page 77

Of course, compared to the former two, Gisela would prefer to return to Prague to discuss the application and promotion of electrification with Rania and Mr. Werner.

Unfortunately, as a princess, she couldn't act on her whims. Although today's banquet was hosted by Emperor Joseph and Empress Elizabeth, it was ostensibly to celebrate her 15th birthday. Yes, she was fifteen today. Wasn't that fast? Nearly half a year had passed since the end of the Italian War, and the date was now April 23, 1871.

"Rita, can I not wear this dress?" Gisela looked at the corset in front of her, and a bad memory immediately surfaced: she had once fallen into a coma because of difficulty breathing.

“Of course.” Rita did not refuse Gisela’s somewhat capricious request, but readily agreed to it.

“I knew you wouldn’t agree… I was just kidding…” Gisela was already used to Rita’s seriousness and rigor in etiquette education, so she instinctively guessed that she would definitely disagree. So she obediently took the dress that Rita handed her and prepared to put it on.

"Wait a minute, something's not right! What did you just say?!" The slow-witted person realized that what Rita had just said didn't seem to be a negative sentence.

“Your Highness, I agree with your suggestion, and I also think you don’t have to wear this kind of clothing.”

“After all, such loose clothing is simply not enough to showcase your charm to the nobles and their children. Your fox ears and fluffy tail are a unique gift from God, a symbol of your unique Habsburg bloodline, and why should such beautiful things be concealed!” Rita placed her left hand on her chest, raised her right hand in the air, and then spoke in a clear and articulate tone.

“That’s right! These corsets and crinolines are a form of persecution against women, and we should resist them.” Gisela nodded, affirming Rita’s statement with an unquestionable tone.

"Your Highness, this is an evening gown I made for you!" Rita, who had been waiting for a long time, threw the dress onto the bed and took out an exquisitely crafted white silk backless dress from the box behind her.

This outfit perfectly embodies the designer's design concept. To highlight Gisela's charm and figure, the dress not only provides space for Gisela's tail to be exposed, but also designs the front of the skirt to be very short, obviously to show the softness and sexiness of the woman's legs. However, along with this great innovation, a small white lace shawl was added to the back of Gisela's skirt to prevent the princess from being exposed.

Even Gisela, a staunchly straight man, had to admit that the dress was a very pleasing piece in terms of workmanship, quality, and style. Most importantly, it didn't have that damned petticoat. She should thank God if she didn't have to wear it! Although she wasn't religious.

"Your Highness, this is the work of Vienna's most famous fashion designer. Its design philosophy is change and innovation, just like your efforts for the Empire," Rita said, her voice filled with emotion. Having watched Gisela grow step by step, she understood best the sacrifices Gisela had made for the country. Gisela clearly wanted to share the responsibilities and face difficulties alongside her prince, but her own lack of ability had caused her to miss two crucial battles in the Italian War.

"Thank you, Rita, I appreciate your kindness." Gisela looked at the maid in front of her happily and raised her slender fingers to stroke her soft hair.

"Your Highness!" Rita hugged Gisela, lowered her head and buried it in Gisela's budding chest, then cried with deep regret. Their heights were now almost equal, and Gisela was no longer as powerless against Rita as before.

"By the way, how much does Rita's dress cost?" Gisela, who knew little about women's accessories and clothing, asked this question out of curiosity.

"Your Highness's clothes aren't expensive. When the designer heard they were for you, he refused to accept a single penny. However, out of respect for our royal family, I still gave him 10,000 crowns as a reward for his hard work," Rita said calmly, after all, it was just a trivial matter.

"Ten thousand!?" Ten thousand is no small sum; it represents the combined expenses of many middle-class families over several years. You should know that when I was injured and living in the small mountain village where Laura lived, a family there didn't even spend one crown a day. This shows just how corrupt and decadent the feudal rulers were.

"So who paid for this?" Gisela's special status meant she had never had to worry about money.

"Your Highness, is this your money? You made a fortune investing in the factory, and Lady Rania asked me to manage it for you when she distributed the profits." At that time, prestigious nobles had an unwritten rule: they would never personally handle the accounting of their businesses. Instead, they would allow trusted servants to deal with the relevant matters and then submit the ledgers for review. This was the so-called noble restraint, after all, nobles looked down on those profit-driven merchants.

Of course, such behavior is nothing more than burying one's head in the sand and inviting trouble upon oneself.

"Tsk!" Gisela clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction. Even in the 19th century, women's shopping and spending sprees were still in their nature. Did you really think that this money wasn't hard-earned through "exploitation"? Confucius said it well: "Only petty people and women are difficult to deal with."

Well, it's already bought, there's no point in agonizing over it anymore. With that thought, Gisela gently released her grip on Rita and started fiddling with her clothes.

At that moment, a village girl with short silver hair barged into Gisela's boudoir without knocking.

"Hey! You silly Austrian princess, when are you going to finish preparing? Your guests have been waiting for ages." Jeanne was wearing a dark blue dress and a beautiful flower in her hair. Although Jeanne was an absolute beauty, the impatience and annoyance on her face at this moment made the young girl completely lose her femininity.

“Lady Jeanne, being late is a lady’s privilege.” Rita frowned, responding to Jeanne’s statement politely and appropriately, after all, upholding her mistress’s reputation was her duty.

PS1: Ra!

Chapter 286 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter 2 Father and Mother

“Lady Jeanne, being late is a lady’s privilege.” Rita frowned, responding to Jeanne’s statement politely and appropriately, after all, upholding her mistress’s reputation was her duty.

“Rita, there’s no need to be polite to this woman. You can drop the honorifics. She’s not the esteemed Duke of Orléans anymore; she’s just my attendant.” Gisela raised an eyebrow, deliberately looking at the Duchess of Orléans with a hint of amusement.

"Besides, she's very disobedient and lacks manners," Gisela continued teasing Jeanne, deliberately drawing out her words.

“Giselle Louise Marie, don’t push your luck! I am a Frenchman…” Jeanne raised her head, looking very angry.

"Then what about Richelieu?" Gisela asked calmly, examining the pattern on her clothes, without even glancing at Jeanne again.

Suddenly, the noisy French saintess fell silent.

“That’s good enough, Jeanne.” Gisela tossed her clothes to Jeanne.

"Then help me change with Rita!" Whether it was because of some lingering resentment towards Jeanne or the influence of Su Beiming's personality, Gisela found pleasure in teasing this French woman.

“Yes, ma’am…” Jeanne took Gisela’s clothes and walked over quietly. The once high and mighty Duke of France was clearly already completely under the thumb of a certain fox.

Let's turn our attention back to the reception hall of Schönbrunn Palace —

In the magnificent hall, countless of Vienna's finest musicians gathered, their nimble fingers playing their finest melodies for the nation's most distinguished guests. In the central dance floor, countless young men and women danced intimately, enjoying each other's company.

These old nobles, who were in the ruling class, not only possessed the vast majority of the empire's wealth, but also quietly gained a good status and conditions. Over the long course of hundreds of years, these families changed their bloodline and appearance from that of ordinary people to be different through repeated marriages. Look at those young and beautiful girls and handsome young men, heaven knows what their ancestors actually looked like.

However, none of that mattered at the moment. Although there were many guests in the hall, they were all arranged around two central figures. One was naturally Emperor Joseph, the ruler of the empire. This emperor was surrounded by many noble ladies and young wives who wanted to get close to him, but he paid no attention to them at the moment, surrounded by flowers.

At this moment, he looked somewhat uneasy at his wife, the beautiful Queen Elizabeth, who was currently conversing with the handsome Hungarian Prime Minister, Count Andrássy, and was accompanied by several dukes and marquises of the empire.

It wasn't that Joseph was jealous; after all, due to certain circumstances, his queen hadn't attended a court ball for a long time. If the queen hadn't taken the initiative to prepare a birthday ball for her second daughter, Gisela, he might never have seen his wife appear in social settings again.

Seeing his wife's sudden whim, Joseph naturally dared not disobey, but for some reason, he felt uncomfortable watching the Queen talk to other men, because he loved his wife too much.

Just then, the hall door was gently pushed open by a servant.

A young woman dressed in finery walked into the hall with her head held high and light steps, and all eyes were immediately focused on her.

With fair skin, crystal-blue eyes, and an exquisitely beautiful face, she possessed an extraordinary elegance and maturity despite being only fifteen years old. This was because she carried the bloodline of the Habsburg family, which had been passed down for six hundred years.

Of course, this beauty is different from that of the Spanish Habsburg family hundreds of years ago, with their comically large chins. The Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty of Empress Theresa was historically famous for producing beautiful women.

Whether it was Empress Theresa herself, her child Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, or later Empress Marie Louise, who gave birth to Napoleon's heir, all were renowned for their beauty.

Moreover, Gisela's mother, Elisabeth, was a stunning beauty from the Wittelsbach family in Bavaria. Her parents' good looks directly determined the lower limit of her appearance.

Aside from Gisela's appearance, many young nobles were more interested in the fox ears on the princess's head and the fluffy tail behind her. After all, the exotic princess almost fulfilled all the fantasies of the young nobles at that time.

It should be noted that men of their prime are never short of women around them, whether they are arranged by their families or women they meet in their spare time. They are all experienced in this field. On the contrary, a single-minded noble youth like Leopold is a very rare breed.

Not to mention that Her Highness herself is a walking embodiment of power and wealth, a powerful magic user. This innate advantage determines that she will inevitably become the most suitable partner and dream lover for eligible men throughout the country and even the whole of Europe.

"Father, I apologize for keeping you waiting." Gisela ignored the stares of those around her and slowly walked up to Emperor Joseph. She lifted her skirt and gracefully gave the emperor a standard courtly curtsy. To maintain her dignity and etiquette as a princess, she had suffered quite a bit at Rita's hands and endured "horrible" punishments when she first transmigrated into Gisela's body.

Two years ago, no, it should be three years ago, Rita was indeed a strict maid. At that time, Gisela was almost completely controlled by her. However, as Gisela grew up, she could also feel that Rita no longer supervised Gisela's every move and constantly corrected her mistakes as before. Compared to her previous strong older sister image, she was more like a peer.

Did she distance herself from Rita? No, rather than distance, Gisela and Rita seemed to have formed a stronger tacit understanding. After all, for Lin Wei, Rita was the first family member who shared hardships with her, so Rita was Gisela's personal maid, both in public and private.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." After greeting her adoptive father, Gisela turned her gaze to her mother. The last time the mother and daughter had met was after the Battle of Magenta; nearly half a year had passed in the blink of an eye.

"My lovely little Gisela, let Mommy take a good look at you." Sisi smiled, her eyes filled with doting affection and joy at her daughter's growth.

PS1: The saying that the queen is stronger than the king in chess probably refers to the queen in Gisela's world 0v0

Chapter 287 The Fall of Saint Stephen's Crown: The Convergence of Historical Melodies in Capter 3 (Seeking Votes)

Queen Elizabeth was not a conventional woman. Although she was a sorcerer, she never broke with tradition because she had her own inescapable constraints. But her daughter was different. She was a girl with the blood of the rulers of this country. No one was more capable of changing this aging nation than her. Moreover, little Gisela was determined to bring about change, and this political stance and idea coincided with her own. Therefore, she supported Gisela more than anyone else.

“Mother…” Gisela slowly walked towards Sissi, then stretched out her arms and embraced her mother. After a year of war, Gisela was now the same height as Queen Elizabeth, and the incident three years ago when she was nearly suffocated by being buried in someone’s chest was a thing of the past. Now she could dribble past people, though of course, the size was far from what she expected. (Europeans mature early, so don’t think 15 is an exaggeration.)

The heartwarming scene of the mother and daughter embracing brought tears of "emotion" to many of the royal nobles present. Even Count Andrahi was moved to tears. Of course, if you ignore the fact that he put the onions in his pocket like him, after all, playing along is an essential skill for every politician.

A moment later, the mother and daughter gradually separated. In fact, it was more like Queen Elizabeth unilaterally letting go, since Gisela was still quite interested in taking advantage of Mrs. Elizabeth, especially in front of her own father. After all, she was a little golden retriever!

"Little Gisela, as the star of the day, don't you plan to show everyone your playing skills?" Queen Elizabeth looked at the piano not far away. The sensible musician had already stopped playing and stood up to wait for Her Highness the princess.

I can understand Queen Elizabeth's thinking. Her daughter was talented, and she wanted her to appear in front of more people and show her extraordinary abilities. These seemingly insignificant "showing off" were actually a way to boost Gisela's popularity.

"Another piano?" Gisela sighed helplessly as she looked at the expensive piano in the distance. Although this piano, which was located in Schönbrunn Palace, might have been used by Mozart, she didn't know why she hadn't wanted to use a piano since her performance in Berlin.

"Mother, may I not play the piano today?" Gisela asked after pursing her lips. To make it seem like she wasn't being willful, Gisela deliberately acted a little nervous. Refusing her mother's request in front of such nobles would seem like a very immature and unreasonable act.

"Oh? Can little Gisela tell me why?" Fortunately, Queen Elizabeth was not angry, but continued to look at her lovely second daughter with a smile.

“I want to use a six-string guitar (classical guitar),” Gisela said confidently, looking up. The guitar is not a native German instrument, but rather originated from an instrument called the lute, which was popular in Spain and can be traced back to the Arabs around the 8th or 9th century AD.

The rising Islamic forces on the Arabian Peninsula swept away the centuries-long struggle for supremacy between Persia and Rome in Mesopotamia with astonishing speed, conquering the entire Near East in a very short period. The valiant Berbers even crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and conquered almost the entire Spanish peninsula. With the Islamization of the Iberian Peninsula, they also brought advanced culture and unique musical instruments, among which the lute was one.

Although the six-stringed lute has a long history, it has always been a folk instrument and rarely appeared in the court, which is why it is considered to lack elegance.

"Really? Little Gisela wants to play the lyre." Emperor Joseph looked at his daughter with great interest. Although he didn't remember hiring a lyre teacher for her, Gisela's fact that she had never disappointed him was enough for him to indulge his daughter.

"Someone, prepare a six-stringed lyre for Her Highness the Princess." Joseph snapped his fingers lightly, and the servants behind him immediately nodded, opened the door, and went out to find a six-stringed lyre for Gisela.

The fact that the princess was going to play the six-stringed lyre naturally sparked discussion among the guests present. Although this was an era of religious tolerance, it was rare in the history of the empire to play such a pagan instrument in Schönbrunn Palace, let alone when the person playing was the noble princess.

Could this be interpreted as the royal family's inclination to change its religious policies in the Balkans? This was a question on the minds of many officials and politicians present...

Gisela understood their thinking. The Balkan powder keg was the result of a combination of ethnic and religious issues, but her priority at this stage was to completely resolve the Italian problem and the Hungarian problem. As for the Balkans, that would have to wait.

But for now, let's just play the music. My music doesn't have so many political metaphors. Let them think whatever they want.

As Gisela thought about these things, a slight smile appeared on her lips. She then slowly walked towards the center of the hall, her high heels making a crisp sound on the gleaming marble floor.

"Gentlemen and ladies, do you remember Andalusia (Spanish for 'Andalca')?" Gisela raised his hand, looked around, and then spoke in his fluent Spanish.

"The land of the Vandals," a gentleman of unknown but certainly learned man quickly stated, revealing the meaning of Andalusia. In the 5th century AD, the Vandals, a Germanic tribe, were threatened by Attila the Hun and forced to migrate from their ancestral homeland along the Baltic coast to the Western Roman Empire, seeking its protection. However, the weakened Western Roman Empire had long lost its former strength and could not provide them with the protection they sought.

Thus, they "acquired" a portion of the southern Iberian Peninsula from the Western Roman Empire. Later, they invaded the Roman provinces of North Africa, capturing Carthage in 433 AD and establishing their own kingdom. In 455 AD, the once-powerful Vandal Kingdom even conquered Rome, sacking the city. It wasn't until a century later, during the reign of Justinian, when the Eastern Roman Empire had recovered its strength, that the Vandals were finally eradicated by Belisarius's expedition to North Africa.

"You're absolutely right, Mr. Lin Yingqi. So, what about the Kingdom of Granada?"

“Your Highness, that is one of the Tefa kingdoms in southern Spain, which was recaptured by our Christian world as early as the 15th century during the Reconquista.”

PS1: The little snake dot is so cute, I love it!

Chapter 288 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter 4 Memories of the Alhambra

“Yes, sir, you are truly learned. What I wanted to talk about is a Muslim palace in Granada, Andalusia, called the Alhambra. Today, I’m going to play a piece for the lyre named after this palace, called ‘Recuerdos de la Alhambra.’” Gisela was very familiar with this piece composed by the music master Francisco Tarrega, and playing it for more people was a small wish of hers.

However, Gisela was clearly unaware that the piece was composed in 1890, and her performance of it now seemed somewhat like plagiarism. But she was mostly doing it unintentionally, after all, as an imperial princess, she had no need to rely on such tricks to gain fame.

Just then, the servant who had gone out to look for the six-stringed lyre opened the door, holding the lyre in both hands, and trotted toward Gisela.

"Ladies and gentlemen, don't you think this is a coincidence? The lute originated in Arabia, but it was Germans who improved it into a six-stringed instrument (1790). Today, the name of my piece is 'The Alhambra' (an Arabic name), and that land once belonged to our Germanic ancestors, the Vandals." This amazing coincidence made many idealists in the audience nod in surprise.

"So please enjoy this melody, a product of history and time, together." Gisela gracefully sat down in her seat and crossed her legs, which prevented her from exposing herself while also better supporting the weight of the six-string guitar, allowing her to better control the rhythm.

First, she took a deep breath. Gisela's musical talent allowed her to quickly enter a state of true performance. She hugged her six-string guitar with a smile and then gently hummed the prelude to the music.

Then a timeless and melodious rhythm began, and the notes dancing on her fingertips seemed to traverse hundreds of years of time, closely connecting Schönbrunn Palace with the Moorish palace standing under the setting sun, symbolizing the glorious civilization that once created it.

The guests present closed their eyes and listened to the princess's account of their exotic journey.

As the melody lingers, a red brick building comes to mind for the listener.

The lavishly decorated palace courtyards, with their exquisite carvings, ancient Arabic script inscribed on the walls, copies of the Quran, heavy curtains, and exotic flowers and plants, all possessed a breathtaking beauty. Through hidden windows, one could glimpse the bustling activity outside the palace, while the outside world could not see the enchanting and sensual scenes inside, especially the mysterious and alluring veiled beauties, who captivated all the men present.

As they enter this place and contemplate by the window, it's not hard to imagine how the concubines, secluded in their boudoirs, spent their lonely days within this beautiful and luxurious cage. Those mysterious figures seem to linger in every corner of the room, inspiring endless reverie; and those poignant Moorish court stories seem to still be performed and sung to this day.

Looking at the performer, who is also a beautiful woman with exotic charm, this musical perception resonates naturally with the images in my mind, and eventually, as the melody speeds up, I gradually enter a new scene.

Rumors circulated that the Moorish kings of yesteryear would often bathe and massage themselves in a corner of the palace's royal bathhouse while enjoying erotic dances and listening to musicians play. To prevent these musicians from witnessing their eroticism, they were forcibly blinded and castrated. While the palace was being built and he indulged in extreme pleasure, Muslim rule in Iberia was already nearing its end.

Gisela stood up, smiling at the guests who were completely absorbed in the music. Then she gently put down her violin and softly sang a melody, the last part of which was clearly more suitable for her voice than for the instruments.

Looking far to the north, fully armed Christian crusaders, led by the two kings of Castile and Aragon, launched an attack on the last Moorish stronghold. Blood stained Andalusia, and the final lament of the Moors resounded. All glory and honor ultimately vanished in the fires that burned the infidels. This culminated in the suicide of the last Emir of Granada.

This marked the official end of the 600-year rule of Islamic civilization on the Iberian Peninsula.

When the dust settled, everything vanished except for the Alhambra Palace, which still stood alone on this land. Just like the last melody, it gradually slowed down, and then everything came to an end with the six-stringed guitar being picked up again.

“al-wadaa (Farewell!)” Gisela said in Arabic, bowing gracefully to the guests once again, then glancing at Rita not far away and winking at her.

Although the music had ended, the guests seemed to still be immersed in its afterglow, and the atmosphere fell into an unusual silence, because no one could have imagined that an ordinary six-stringed guitar could be played in the hands of a young girl to produce such an epic piece.

"Have you guys written down Her Highness's music?" Joseph asked expectantly, looking at the musicians standing blankly beside Gisela.

"I...I apologize...Your Majesty, the princess's self-composed music is so beautiful that I was too captivated by it." Realizing his mistake, the musician quickly lowered his head and expressed his apology to the emperor.

At this moment, Queen Elizabeth smiled and applauded Gisela. As her crisp applause echoed in the spacious hall, the nobles present also followed the Queen's lead and applauded Gisela.

People bid farewell to the princess as she left the stage where she had just performed. How many young people must have been captivated by this beautiful and exceptionally talented princess that night?

"Don't worry, sir. I have the sheet music written in my room. I will have my servant deliver it to you. You just need to make a copy and give it to my father. By the way, your performance of the dance just now was truly wonderful, Mr. Johannes Brahms." The musician Joseph called out to was none other than Johannes Brahms, later hailed as the last composer of German Classicism and the leader of the Viennese School of Music. The dance he had just played was his "Hungarian Dance," composed in 1869.

PS1: The Alhambra Palace background music in Civilization is still the best.

Chapter 289 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter 5 Greetings from the Clan of Three Lions (Seeking Votes)

"Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness!" Johannes politely thanked Gisela, then watched the princess slowly walk off the stage. At that moment, this musician, who was over fifty years old, seemed to feel admiration for a fifteen-year-old girl for the first time. He could not have imagined that from then on, he would embark on the path from classical to romantic music.

The ball continued, and Queen Elizabeth and Emperor Joseph went to attend to their respective subjects. Gisela, in a sense, also found a brief respite. However, her joy was short-lived, as a group of noblemen swarmed around her like busy bees.

"Your Highness, please dance with me."

“No! Your Highness, I am clearly more suited to be your dance partner than his frail shoulders.”

"..." Such arguments had quietly unfolded around Gisela. Looking at the male peacocks vying for attention, Gisela felt nothing, and even a slight urge to laugh. She deeply felt how others had viewed her when she was pursuing girls—it was truly ironic.

"Please bring me a glass of Perrier-Joet Champagne." Founded in 1854, Perrier-Joet wasn't considered a historically significant winery at the time. However, its uniquely delicate and elegant winemaking techniques, along with its Chardonnay champagne with its naturally fragrant and refreshing floral aromas, made it a favorite among Austrian nobility. Furthermore, the elegant containers and intricate anemone decorations provided sensory satisfaction alongside the enjoyment of the taste.

"Yes, Your Highness." The attendant politely handed Gisela a glass of champagne. Gisela held the glass and savored the wonderful taste on her tongue, while continuing to endure the chatter of the men.

"What is Black Jeanne doing?" Gisela glanced around, trying to find the French woman.