Chapter 433: The Emperor’s Impatience
All of this was a deliberate scheme by Charles to mislead the Germans.
The transport ships carrying ammunition, combined with the rumbling sounds of tanks at night in Brussels, were carefully coordinated to suggest that fuel had already landed in Antwerp.
Charles added further details to enhance the ruse:
At the port, he instructed his men to transport barrels, one after another, but instead of fuel, the barrels were filled with water.
Later, a truck laden with barrels of "fuel" conveniently appeared on the streets of Brussels. It had been meticulously covered with canvas as it headed toward the stadium being used as a barracks. By coincidence, the truck broke down en route, forcing French soldiers to transfer the barrels to another vehicle.
To complete the illusion, tank and automobile engines roared through the night, forming a compelling chain of evidence.
The narrative was clear: the French were not short on fuel, and an armored division had stationed itself in Brussels, ready to deliver a crushing blow to the German forces attempting to break through.
...
When Charles explained this plan, Tigani and King Albert I were too stunned to speak.
“You... you really plan to do this?” King Albert I stammered. “This... this simple? The Germans will believe we have fuel?”
“What else?” Charles countered with a question of his own.
Then, as if recalling something important, he added with a serious expression, “Oh, right. We should ‘impose a news blackout,’ ordering all personnel not to speak of the fuel transportation. This is top secret.”
King Albert I and Tigani nearly broke down. An issue of life and death, one concerning the fate of Belgium, was treated by Charles as if it were child’s play.
“But this doesn’t seem right,” said Colonel Eden, unaware of the broader picture. “If we already have fuel, why would the guerrillas still be collecting it from civilians?”
King Albert I shared this doubt.
“To trick them into breaking out from Tournai,” Tigani briefly explained, leaving the two men enlightened.
Colonel Eden looked at Charles with awe. “So the guerrillas can confidently collect fuel while the Germans remain unaware of our shortage. Brilliant idea, General. It’s flawless!”
King Albert I laughed heartily, patting Charles on the shoulder. “Now I see why only you could reach Antwerp. No one else has this level of ingenuity, Brigadier General.”
Tigani, however, still wore a trace of concern. “What about the British? They know the truth.”
The expressions of King Albert I and Colonel Eden turned grim. They had not considered this.
Colonel Eden hesitated before saying, “They... they wouldn’t do anything, would they? After all, we are allies...”
“No, they would,” King Albert I replied, shaking his head and gritting his teeth. “I know the First Lord of the Admiralty. He’s someone who will stop at nothing for his own interests. If he cannot have his way, he might very well expose the truth.”
The command room fell silent. No matter how they thought about it, they couldn’t circumvent the British.
But Charles remained unfazed. “We’ll do what we must. No need to bother with the British.”
Everyone was baffled. How could they ignore the British?
If the British exposed them, all their efforts would come to naught!
Tigani seemed to realize something, nodding slightly. “You’ve planned everything, Brigadier General. It’s seamless!”
...
That day, a thick fog descended over London, shrouding everything in a veil of white.
Streetlights glimmered faintly, their golden halos dissolving in the mist like diluted paint.
The chimes of Big Ben cut through the fog, steady and resolute, carrying their rhythm to the residence of the First Lord of the Admiralty.
The study of the First Lord of the Admiralty was equally hazy with cigar smoke. With a lit cigar between his fingers and a glass of brandy on his desk, he alternated between puffs and sips, scanning a telegram from General Winter with a slightly tipsy gaze.
There was nothing. None of it pertained to the Dardanelles campaign that he cared about.
The First Lord paused for a moment. Charles had sent no reply!
After some thought, he instructed his butler to send another telegram. The response was: “Charles has not answered yet.”
The First Lord frowned. Shouldn’t Charles be the one feeling anxious?
Soon, General Winter sent another telegram: “I asked Charles just now, and his reply was, ‘Then we’ll just have to wait for the German submarines to leave.’”
The First Lord stared at the telegram in disbelief.
Could Charles have misunderstood its meaning, taking it at face value?
No, impossible!
After a brief hesitation, the First Lord sent a query to the French Naval Minister: “What is the situation in Antwerp? I’ve heard there are some issues.”
Both being naval authorities, they had a good relationship.
The French Naval Minister replied, “Yes, I’ve heard they’re short on fuel and relying on guerrillas to gather gasoline from civilians.”
The First Lord was stunned. Wasn’t the fuel shortage supposed to be a military secret? Charles had guerrillas collecting it publicly? That would make it common knowledge, including to the Germans!
Shortly after, another telegram arrived from the French Naval Minister: “Your country should send fuel to Charles. This will determine the outcome of the battle. You should act!”
The First Lord brushed it off with a vague reply: “Sorry, it’s because of German submarines. You know, the Germans are also trying to prevent Charles from receiving fuel, so they’ve deployed many submarines in the area.”
This made sense. The Germans had indeed sent submarines to blockade Antwerp.
But the truth was, if the British wished, they could still dispatch a formidable fleet to escort transport ships into Antwerp without much difficulty.
The First Lord, however, wasn’t focused on this. He pondered endlessly: Where was the problem? Why did Charles dare to act this way?
He paced back and forth in his office, then sent another telegram to the French Naval Minister: “What about the Germans? How have they reacted to Charles’s fuel shortage?”
The French Naval Minister replied, “The Germans seem indifferent. They’re still breaking through around Mons.”
This was one reason for the French military’s lack of urgency.
The First Lord was bewildered. How could such a bizarre situation exist?
One side openly revealed its weakness, while the other ignored it entirely...
Suddenly, the First Lord understood.
He burst into laughter. “This is Charles’s ploy, a masterstroke. This young man has the Germans dancing in circles.”
Then, shaking his head with admiration, he muttered, “Unfortunately, he still can’t fool me.”
The First Lord sat back in his chair, his eyes gleaming with a sly, cold light.
It was time to put pressure on Charles!