She changed Europe

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Then, under their watchful eyes, Her Majesty the Queen threw herself out of the window…

Faced with this unexpected situation, Rita and Marta were immediately stunned.

"No! Your Highness!" Rita suddenly snapped out of her daze, slapped her cheek, and looked at Marta.

"I'll settle the score with you later." With that, Rita quickly grabbed her skirt and slipped out of the room.

Although she wasn't worried about Gisela's life at all, since her emperor was a magic user, the responsibility for such a thing happening to the king of a country should be placed on her, his personal maid.

"Tsk tsk!" Looking at the unexpectedly interesting master and servant pair, Marta smiled and shook her head. After a moment, she withdrew her smile, replaced by an unusual sense of confusion and loneliness.

Even though they share a secret and seem to be able to trust each other, Gisela, being too familiar with human nature, can also sense from past events that, for Gisela, the maid named Rita clearly holds a much higher place in her heart than herself…

This is quite normal, after all, those who are good at lying can only live in an environment woven with lies.

Thinking about all this, she casually picked up some clothes from Gisela's wardrobe, then walked to her desk, took out a piece of paper and a pen, wrote something down on the desk, folded it up, and then drew a heart on the letter with her lipstick.

She then left the room gracefully. Regardless of what happened today, it would leave an indelible ripple in her once cold and unchanging heart, reminding her that emotions are the attachments that people have in this world.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

News of the Prussian Queen's proposal to Empress Gisela quickly spread throughout Europe. Empress Gisela, already renowned for her bold actions during her coronation ceremony, her powerful and bloody suppression of opponents, and her profound reforms of the ancient Austrian Empire, naturally became the focus of attention for countries across Europe.

The public's burning desire for gossip was ignited like a wildfire on the grassland.

A large group of scholars and experts studying European royalty engaged in a heated and serious debate, with supporters arguing that the marriages of great magical beings should not be subject to traditional marriage concepts or religious dogma. As agents of the gods on earth, they should not be perceived or viewed according to traditional notions.

If the Queen of Prussia and Empress Gisela were to enter into this marriage that transcends gender and religion, it would not only bring about a more sustainable development for Germany, but also profoundly influence the situation in Europe.

Opponents also argue that God has always granted monogamous marriages to mortals, a tradition clearly recorded in the Bible. More importantly, this marriage system has been practiced for thousands of years; setting aside bigamy, the very act of two women forming this relationship is itself heretical. As for promoting German unification, that's utter nonsense. The conflict between Prussia and Austria has always been sharp, and a union between their monarchs would certainly not garner popular support.

Some have turned their criticism towards Prince Leopold (Nina), arguing that his mediocre abilities put him in a weaker position in the marriage and that it would be better for him to let go sooner rather than become a burden. As for the Bavarian royal family's attitude, given the current rise of Austria, the Wittelsbach family will not express any dissatisfaction or protest, after all, the Empress's mother is also a member of the family.

While the two sides were exchanging barbs, the Empire appeared remarkably conservative compared to Prussia's active propaganda. The Empire's Foreign Minister, Count Heinrich, only mentioned in a public diplomatic meeting that the Empress would consider it, and after this brief reply, the Empire made no further statements.

The empire has not made any statement, but new gossip continues to circulate, with some even more outlandish than unofficial historical accounts claiming that the Empress and her husband Leopold were truly in love, and that the Prussian Queen's proposal was purely a case of a third party interfering in their marriage.

Another group of people believes that the wedding between Her Majesty the Queen and Leopold was in name only, and the most direct evidence is that Her Majesty the Queen rarely appears with Leopold. It is said that Leopold is still staying in Munich. More importantly, the Queen has not yet become pregnant.

Although Her Majesty the Empress is still very young, for an ancient empire, the question of whether or not there is an heir to the throne has always been a very important and urgent issue that needs to be addressed. Currently, the people of the entire empire have a favorable impression of the Habsburg dynasty and Empress Gisela, so they naturally do not want the royal family to die out and for a foreign royal family to inherit the empire's throne.

Regardless of opinions, one thing is certain: the people are expressing their love for their young and beautiful queen in their own ways.

At that moment, in a small tavern in Vienna, a person wearing a gray cloak, completely wrapped in a large cloak, pushed open the tavern's old, dilapidated wooden door.

With a creaking sound, the people chatting in the tavern all turned their attention to the mysterious figure in front of them, who was wearing a cloak. Although her appearance could not be seen clearly, people could still tell from her height that she should be a woman.

The cloaked man slowly walked to the table in the tavern and threw a few gold coins onto the bartender's table.

"Two cups of hot wine." The cloaked man's voice was somewhat deep, and his accent was a little strange. For a bartender who dealt with all sorts of people year-round, he could quickly tell that the person in front of him was at least not a local.

"I'm sorry, miss, we don't accept gold coins. If you're new to our country, it's best to exchange them for our currency at any branch of the Imperial Central Bank." Gisela is cracking down on direct gold trading to stabilize the value of its fiat currency in the early stages and to correct the domestic habit of directly trading precious metals. Anyone caught or reported will have their gold confiscated and be subject to a severe fine. As a small tavern with a physical storefront, they naturally dare not accept gold directly.

"The bank, where is it?" The cloaked man spoke slowly and haltingly, but his pronunciation and grammar were not obviously problematic. He was probably just unfamiliar with German, not completely unable to speak it.

PS1: Ao Shou, Ao Shou as the name suggests

PS1: Someone's monetization in bed is considered the empire's national balancer. (This last part is a fragment and doesn't translate directly.)

Chapter 521 The Turkish Symphony of the Vienna Rose: Capter 18 Visitor from the East (Seeking Votes)

“Miss, you’ll see the bank on the third block outside the main gate.” The bartender gestured with his hands, and the cloaked woman nodded in acknowledgment before turning to leave the tavern.

No sooner had the cloaked man left than three men stood up, seemingly following him.

Seeing this, the bartender didn't say much, just shook his head and sighed helplessly. There were quite a few people who were greedy for money, but he didn't intend to meddle. After all, he didn't know the customer from earlier, and there was no need to get involved and offend those gang members.

The cloaked woman walked slowly, reaching the entrance of a small alley at a normal pace before turning and going inside. The three burly men who had been following her quickly followed after seeing her disappear into the alley.

When the three rushed into the alley, they found that the cloaked man had disappeared.

"Boss! How come this woman from out of town is running so fast?" one of the three said.

"Who knows? I was hoping to borrow some money from her." Because of the gold ban, the price of gold on the black market has soared. Some buyers who like to collect gold are often willing to pay several times the market price for these precious metals. The three of them were obviously eyeing the cloaked man who casually took out gold.

"Forget it, since it's gone, consider it our bad luck." The leader sighed helplessly.

Just then, the cloaked figure that had disappeared descended from the sky and punched one of the man's men to the ground. The man and his other man quickly turned around, and then skillfully took out a folding knife from their pockets and stabbed at the cloaked figure.

The cloaked figure calmly dodged the stab, grabbed the man's arm with his right hand, and with a slight exertion of force in his left hand, broke the man's right hand that was wielding the knife. Then, with a swift over-the-shoulder throw, he slammed the man to the ground.

The man's last henchman, witnessing the cloaked figure's overwhelming strength, turned to flee, only to be kicked against the wall and quickly rendered unconscious. (Lin Yiqi's affairs...)

The cloaked figure turned around, looked at the man struggling on the ground because his right hand was broken, grabbed his hair, and brought his head close to his eyes.

"Why are you following me? Are you assassins hired by the Embroidered Uniform Guard?" The woman's voice changed from its previous deep tone. Now, her accent became extremely ethereal and captivating, like that of a celestial being.

"What Imperial Guard? I'm just an ordinary bandit." The man frowned slightly. Although his hand was broken, it was reassuring that he didn't scream and beg for mercy like a typical woman would when she was scared.

“That’s right, why would the Embroidered Uniform Guard hire idiots like you?” The woman released her grip, and the man’s face slammed to the ground.

"You're the idiot. I don't know what you're talking about, but let me tell you, this whole street is my territory. If you hurt me, don't expect to leave here alive." The man's attitude was tough, clearly indicating that he still had something to rely on.

"Now I take back what I said before. You're not only stupid, but you're also hopelessly stupid." The follower didn't stop speaking, and her aura was full of obvious malice. Her steps were also very unsteady. In the eyes of someone who practices martial arts like her, such a person is full of flaws. And since they have such a lack of respect for the strong, this group of people is obviously not even worth mentioning.

"You!" The man tried to stand up, but the cloaked figure stomped him back to the ground. This time, the cloaked figure spared no effort, applying even more force to the man's wound.

"It hurts! Spare me, sir." The man finally succumbed to the cloaked man's violence, proving that violence is the only solution for violence.

"To live, answer one question and then do one thing for me."

"My lord, if you just let me go, I'll agree to anything you ask."

"First, do you have women with fox ears in your country? Second, hand over all the money you have on you."

"Yes, our Empress is a person with fox ears, and all my money is in my right pocket." When you're trying to save your life, what do you care about saving face? You'll definitely tell everyone.

“Very good.” The cloaked figure picked up the man’s wallet, took out all the money, returned the wallet to the man, and then leaped onto the roof and disappeared from the man’s sight.

The cloaked figure who jumped onto the roof did not go far. Instead, he stood on the rooftop chimney, raised his head to observe the entire city, and then fixed his gaze on the tallest building in the city in the distance—St. Stephen's Cathedral.

She removed her cloak, her pale blue hair fluttering in the wind, and the jade pendant tied around her hair at the back of her head was so unusual that it involuntarily reminded people of that distant country.

"My strength is still waning, and the wound has worsened." The woman coughed up a mouthful of blood, gritted her teeth, lifted her cloak, unbuttoned her shirt, and tore off the bandages. She then carefully examined her body. The purple bruises were still spreading, and had now spread from her lower abdomen to her arm.

She took a deep breath, took out a small ceramic-style bottle from her right-side pocket, poured out a black pill, and then picked it up and swallowed it.

"You can hold on for a few more days. Asu, I hope my premonition is right, and that you are really still alive." The woman gritted her teeth and looked down at the two jade pendants on her belt. One had a magatama pattern, and the other had a kite pattern.

"I hope you still remember me," the woman murmured to herself with a touch of melancholy. Then she looked up, buttoned up her clothes, put her cloak back on, and strode toward St. Stephen's Cathedral.

Coincidentally, Gisela's carriage also stopped in front of St. Stephen's Cathedral at that moment. As the new monarch, she naturally needed to come here to visit her ancestors, because the hearts of the Habsburg monarchs were kept here after their deaths, so this place has always been the soul of the Gisela family.

"Welcome, Your Majesty." The elderly Archbishop of Vienna had been waiting for Giselas at the gate for some time, his gaze filled with a natural obsequiousness, for Giselas was not only the monarch of the country, but also a nobleman whom the Roman Catholic Church had explicitly instructed to cooperate with.

“Let’s begin, Your Grace,” Gisela said softly. It’s worth noting that Jeanne d’Arc (Alter) accompanied Gisela to the ceremony today, while Jeanne Alter, unusually, stood silently behind Gisela. No one knew what the French girl was thinking.

PS1; A Chinese girl has arrived, and she's also an old friend of Su Beiming.

PS1: In the old book, Su Beiming and the fox were mother and daughter. In this one... 0v0

Chapter 522 The Turkish Symphony of the Vienna Rose: Capter 19 Gisela's Probing (Seeking Votes)

"Jeanne, hurry up." Gisela called out to Jeanne, who was lost in thought, and she looked up at Gisela, who had already walked ahead.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Jeanne nodded slightly, then took another step to catch up with Gisela.

“Recently, the French government sent us a letter requesting that we send you back to France. After careful consideration, I have decided to leave the decision entirely to you.” Jeanne has fought for the Empire for many years and has fought alongside Gisela many times. Now she is unsure whether the fox has had a change of heart or if he has set a trap for her in some other way, which is why she dares to so readily hand over the so-called decision-making power to her.

Don't be fooled by the fox's seemingly harmless and docile appearance. Jeanne knows very well that this wicked woman is more ruthless than anyone else. She herself had tried to escape before... and what was the result? She knows all too well the outcome.

But what if the fox really lets her go...?

“Your Majesty, you know what I will choose.” Jeanne’s tone was firm, her golden eyes showing no hesitation or doubt as always.

“I mainly want you to think about whether you’re staying with me now because of Richelieu, or whether you truly want to stay with me.” Gisela, dressed in formal attire, didn’t move quickly, giving them ample time to walk and talk. When Gisela posed this question, Jeanne’s expression showed a slight hesitation.

In Gisela's eyes, Jeanne Alter always seemed aloof and unapproachable, but whenever her emotions changed, she was the type who wasn't good at pretending and wore her heart on her sleeve.

“You don’t need to worry about it. I used Richelieu’s affair to blackmail you in the past because I didn’t become the monarch of this empire. At that time, I needed your power to strengthen my own power and resources. But now that I have achieved my goal, I have no reason to threaten you anymore. However, I will definitely keep my promise to you.” In fact, after meeting with Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III, Gisela had already secretly sent someone to contact Napoleon III in Algeria.

Napoleon III's comfortable life in North Africa was inextricably linked to the tacit, covert financial support from Britain and Austria.

"Your Majesty, what exactly do you mean? Do you want to send me away?" Jeanne wanted to call Gisela by his name, but after glancing at the attendants not far away, she bit her lip and changed her words.

"I want to know your choice." In fact, Gisela had always liked this somewhat arrogant and silly French girl in front of her, but she also knew that Jeanne had feelings for Richelieu that she could never match. But some things you will never know the outcome if you don't try, right?

"Hmph! Then I refuse! Don't even think about kicking me out. I haven't achieved my goal yet, and I still need you to help me protect Richelieu and restore my reputation in France. If I leave now, and you break your promise later, wouldn't all my efforts over the years have been in vain?" Jeanne looked at Gisela with dissatisfaction and disgust. She was only putting on an act with Gisela; she had no respect for her at all. After all, she knew very well that the seemingly elegant, dignified, and beautiful queen was actually extremely wicked.

She's fickle, promiscuous, and manipulative of others' feelings; cunning and calculating; and her political tactics are particularly insidious, as she's always helping others against her. Therefore, Jeanne has a thorough understanding of Gisela. (The scumbag is clearly much more complex than that.)

“Then continue to supervise me. I’m happy to accept your supervision.” Gisela suddenly stopped in her tracks, grasped the scepter in her hand, tapped the ground lightly, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on her lips.

“Of course, I’m not someone you can just kick out.” Jeanne held her head high, looking somewhat smug.

After her conversation with Jeanne ended, Gisela looked up and began to observe the largest and most magnificent church in Vienna once again. Eight years ago, she first came here and used her wisdom to unravel the secrets of the Carolingian dynasty, recovering the true Lombard Iron Crown for the empire.

Today, this crown is still kept in the Hofburg Palace as a symbol of the glory and rule of the Habsburg dynasty, for later generations to visit and worship.

Sunlight refracted through the stained glass windows and shone into the center of the church, coating the statue of St. Stephen in a layer of crystal-clear light. Under its illumination, the entire church became solemn and sacred.

Led by the bishop, Gisela slowly walked through the room where the hearts of past monarchs were kept. To enhance the sense of ceremony, Gisela deliberately raised her hand and stroked each of the uniquely styled bottles in front of her, silently reciting some dogmas that she had memorized countless times.

"Looking up to the former ruler to awaken myself, I strive to govern the world so as not to be ashamed before the people." Gisela softly recited her prayer in Chinese.

At this moment, another memory surfaced in Gisela's mind. She couldn't help but think of her biological sister, Sophie. On that night in Denmark, the two had a long talk, during which Gisela vowed to take on the burdens her sister carried. During the First Italian War, it was Sophie's help that earned her a precious opportunity to lead an army from the Imperial Diet and Joseph.

Unfortunately, Princess Sophie is now completely bedridden. Her parents have gone to Switzerland to put aside all their troubles and spend their final days with their daughter. The so-called abdication and retirement is just a pretext Joseph uses to appease the nobles.

Gisela's sister, who died young in the original history, seems unable to escape her despairing fate. If she could, she really wanted to do something for her...

"Your Majesty, ahead is the royal confessional. You may pray here at any time, pour out your troubles to the Lord, and ask for His forgiveness." The elderly bishop slowly pushed open the wooden door in front of him. A cushion had already been placed in the room, and the room was filled with the rich fragrance of burning incense.

"Understood, thank you for your hard work, Your Excellency." Gisela nodded, indicating that she understood. She then handed the scepter to Jeanne behind her and went into the room.

The wooden door slowly closed, leaving Gisela alone in the room.

After confirming that no one was around, she casually took off the heavy crown from her head and placed it on the table next to her. Then she took off her heavy cloak and tossed it onto the clothes rack.

The weight of the crown is indeed its weight in a physical sense.

PS1: I went on a business trip to Leshan, Emeishan, and Meishan.

Chapter 523 The Turkish Symphony of the Vienna Rose: Capter 20 The Vanished Dragon Vein (Seeking Votes)

"It's so hot today," Gisela complained, wiping the sweat from her brow with a handkerchief before looking down at her chest. Two beautiful mounds were clearly laid out before her, even obstructing her view of her toes.

Although I've grown accustomed to this body over the years, I still find this outfit exceptionally alluring, perhaps due to the clothing itself. It's undeniable that Victorian dresses, while still classic, perfectly showcased the beauty of women.

Gisela then reached her handkerchief to her chest to wipe her exposed skin, raising her head slightly to fix her gaze on the statue of Jesus before her. As an atheist, she believed in no god, yet fate had made her the sole emperor of the Catholic world. Since she relied on this faith for her glory, she naturally had to observe proper etiquette.

Upon thinking of these things, Gisela clasped her hands together, knelt down, and prepared to begin her true confession with great devotion.

It is said that Jesus suffered for three days and then rose again, but the church often chooses the image of him suffering on the cross. Looking at the statue in front of me and the small stained glass Gisela behind it, I felt particularly glaring.

Just then, a dark shadow blocked the light and approached the glass. With a loud crash, to Gisela's surprise, a woman with a turban smashed through the glass and entered the confessional.

"Holy crap!" Gisela exclaimed.

Faced with danger, Gisela instinctively activated her magical powers immediately, and the color of her long golden hair and eyes changed instantly.

Despite being on alert, Gisela was still pinned to the floor by the intruder due to inertia.

"Who are you!" Gisela raised her right index finger, and a ball of blue flame leaped on it.

"Asu, what happened to you!" The woman's standard Chinese accent reached Gisela's ears immediately, and Gisela's right hand, which was about to launch another attack, stopped abruptly.

"Your Majesty, we heard a noise in the room. Are you alright?" The bishop, who was waiting by the door, gently knocked on the wooden door and asked.

"It's nothing, just a few things were broken. You can wait outside for a bit, then come in and deal with it." After answering the question, Gisela turned her gaze back to the woman whose face was hidden under a cloak.

"You are still alive." The cloaked figure slowly pulled off his mask, revealing a beautiful woman dressed in a distinctly oriental style before Gisela.

"Ah Fu?" Unlike the person Gisela encountered in her dream, Fu Hua's hair, which was originally white and red, had turned blue, and her fiery eyes had faded to gray. Compared to the unfathomable Fu Hua in the dream, Fu Hua now appeared exceptionally ordinary.

"Asu!" Fu Hua's voice was somewhat excited.

"Wait a minute, let me emphasize this: I'm not Su Beiming, my name is Gisela. But you taught me the 'Fist of Fury' technique in my dream, right here in the Kunlun Mountains," Gisela explained, looking at the woman before her.

"The dragon vein, the dragon vein of our Great Ming Dynasty is in trouble. I have lost most of my past memories and power. Asu, I need your help." As she said this, Fu Hua coughed up a mouthful of blood, then buried her head in Gisela's chest and fell into a coma.

"Black Silk Fu Hua, Immortal Fu Hua, Shenzhou Tablet, what happened to you?!" Even though she had a million questions to ask about Fu Hua's disheveled state, saving her life was the priority right now.

"Summon a well-trained doctor!" Gisela's shout echoed throughout the church. Jeanne was the first to walk to the wooden door, forcefully pushed it open, and stepped inside. She saw a woman with blue hair wearing a cloak, lying on top of Gisela.

"What exactly happened to Your Majesty?" After noticing the blood on Gisela's chest, Jeanne didn't have time to investigate those strange little questions anymore, after all, there were more important things to do right now.

"Is she awake?" Gisela gazed at the doctor before her, known as Jinghai. She knew nothing of his past, yet this doctor had served the Habsburg family since her father's time. This court physician was not only highly skilled but also incredibly versatile, proficient in everything from advanced emerging fields like neurology to basic gynecological treatments. Gisela had previously suffered from menstrual cramps that left her bedridden, and it was thanks to this unexpectedly reliable doctor that she quickly recovered.