Qin Tian fled from Wilhelm II's office in embarrassment. Faced with the emperor's fury, he did not dare linger for even a moment. He had no wish to further provoke Wilhelm II, as that would do him no good at all.
If Wilhelm II were to remove him from the House of Hohenzollern in a fit of rage, his situation would become truly miserable. At that point, he would have no place in Germany—or even in Europe. Anyone expelled from the royal family would become an object of scorn wherever they went.
"Do I really have to spend four years at the Kiel Naval Academy?" Qin Tian thought bitterly after returning to his room. "Wouldn't that be an enormous waste of time?"
"No. I have to find another way," he muttered to himself, forcing his mind to work.
Wilhelm II had ordered him to report to the Kiel Naval Academy within a week and had explicitly forbidden him from returning to the palace without permission. This alone showed how deeply disappointed the emperor was.
"If I can get Dean Ludwig Birkenhagen to make an exception for me, then even if I go to the Kiel Naval Academy, I'll still have enough time to handle my own affairs," Qin Tian reasoned.
Of course, he knew how difficult it would be to persuade the old-fashioned Dean Birkenhagen to bend the rules. Germans were famously rigid, and Birkenhagen had served as dean of the Kiel Naval Academy for many years, cultivating countless naval talents for the empire. He was also highly trusted by Wilhelm II. Convincing such a man to open a back door was far from easy.
"But no matter what, I have to try," Qin Tian decided firmly. "Otherwise, I really will be trapped in that place for four years."
"Karl, buy two train tickets to Kiel," Qin Tian ordered.
"Yes, Your Highness," Carl von Jonneret replied from outside the door, letting out a quiet sigh of relief.
News of Qin Tian being severely reprimanded by Wilhelm II had already spread throughout the palace. This made Carl feel an intense sense of unease. As someone close to Qin Tian, his fate was closely tied to his master's. If Qin Tian truly fell out of favor—or worse, incurred the emperor's hatred—Carl's future would be bleak.
Fortunately, Qin Tian seemed to have accepted reality and was preparing to report to the Kiel Naval Academy. This finally allowed Carl to relax a little.
Transportation in Germany was extremely convenient, with a dense railway network connecting almost every city. In an era without airplanes, trains were undoubtedly the best means of travel.
Thanks to their身份 and status, Qin Tian and Carl easily obtained two first-class train tickets to Kiel. Even so, the first-class carriages of this era were far inferior to trains of later generations—but considering that this was more than a hundred years ago, such comparisons were unreasonable.
Although Potsdam was only about 300 kilometers from Kiel, train speeds at the time were slow. By the time Qin Tian and Carl arrived at Kiel Railway Station, it was already nightfall.
"Find a place to rest. We'll visit Dean Ludwig Birkenhagen early tomorrow morning," Qin Tian instructed.
Carl nodded silently.
They quickly found a decent hotel. Exhausted from the journey, they ate a simple meal and went to bed.
However, Qin Tian lay awake, unable to fall asleep. He needed a way to persuade Dean Birkenhagen to give him special treatment. After more than an hour of thought, an idea finally formed in his mind. With a faint smile on his face, he eventually drifted off to sleep.
Early the next morning, after breakfast, Qin Tian and Carl headed straight for the Kiel Naval Academy.
Kiel was originally a small city, but nearly everything there revolved around the navy. Not only was the Naval Academy located there, but it was also one of the most important bases of the German Navy. Facing the threat of the powerful British fleet, the German Navy could be stationed safely in Kiel. If war broke out, ships could pass through the canal to Wilhelmshaven and enter the North Sea.
In addition, Kiel housed the Imperial Shipyard and Germania Shipyard, both large facilities capable of building battleships.
After arriving at the academy and presenting their identification, Qin Tian and Carl were quickly escorted to the office of Dean Ludwig Birkenhagen.
"Your Royal Highness, welcome to the Kiel Naval Academy," Dean Birkenhagen said stiffly. "Are you here to officially report for enrollment?"
There was not the slightest trace of warmth on his stern face. Clearly, news of Qin Tian's earlier refusal to attend the academy had already reached him.
In Birkenhagen's eyes, Qin Tian had already become synonymous with an ignorant and spoiled royal. If not for Qin Tian's身份, he would not have bothered entertaining him at all.
"Yes, Your Excellency," Qin Tian replied. "However, I hope that you might be willing to grant me a small request."
"A request?" Dean Birkenhagen frowned. "Your Highness, please speak."
"Your Excellency, I hope that during my enrollment at the Kiel Naval Academy, I will not be required to participate in daily coursework. I only wish to sit for the examinations at the end of each term. There is no need to limit the duration."
The moment Qin Tian finished speaking, Dean Birkenhagen's face darkened, like the bottom of a pot.
As the cradle of German naval officers, the Kiel Naval Academy accepted only elites. Every student who entered studied diligently in preparation to serve the empire. Members of the Hohenzollern family, in particular, were expected to set an example for the entire nation.
Qin Tian's request struck Birkenhagen as utterly outrageous. His gaze toward Qin Tian filled with contempt—such a person was, in his eyes, completely unworthy of the academy.
Carl, standing beside Qin Tian, was also stunned. He had never imagined that Qin Tian would make such a request.
"Your Highness," Dean Birkenhagen said coldly, "if you truly have no desire to study at the Kiel Naval Academy, I will not force you. To be frank, it was only His Majesty's command that brought you here. I can immediately send a telegram to His Majesty and ask him to rescind the order."