Empire Rise: Spain-Chapter 35: The Spanish Military Academy Opens

While Carlo was still immersed in the great expansion of his royal industry, Prime Minister Primó hurried over, bringing Carlo what might be bad news—that the Basque separatists and the Carlist faction had cooperated.
It was inevitable for the separatists and the Carlist faction to mix together, because their individual strength was negligible compared to Spain and could not pose a threat to the Spanish Government.
But if the separatists from Catalonia and the Basque people united with the Carlist faction to launch a rebellion, the sensation caused in Northern Spain would still be quite significant.
These rebels were spread across Catalonia, the Basque region, and Navarre, and the neighboring regions of Aragon and La Rioja would also be affected.
However, this was also good news for Carlo. Spain’s most troublesome rebels had gathered together—wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to wipe them all out in one fell swoop?
“How are the government’s preparations? Can our army cope with the united Basque people and Carlist faction?” Carlo turned his gaze to Primó and asked the question he cared about most.
“The army of Spain will crush all enemies of Spain, whether Carlist faction or Basque people, without exception.” Primó replied calmly.
“Very good, Prime Minister. I will wait for your good news in the Royal Palace, hoping that the day of our victory is not too far away.” Hearing Primó’s calm response, Carlo nodded quite satisfied.
As the captain of Carlo’s Court Guard, Giuseppe naturally also heard the news of the rebellion in Northern Spain.
After a long time together, Giuseppe had already decided to be loyally devoted to Carlo and naturally wanted to share Carlo’s worries regarding the rebellion in Spain.
“Your Majesty, the Red Army currently still has a scale of over ten thousand men and can quickly be conscripted into the army. As long as Your Majesty needs it, I believe Father is also willing to lead the army to help Your Majesty and thoroughly deal with this rebellion in Northern Spain.” Giuseppe proactively suggested to Carlo.
“The situation in Spain is not that bad yet for the time being.” Carlo naturally understood Giuseppe’s loyalty, but the internal strife in Spain had not yet reached the point of needing external intervention.
“Very well, Your Majesty.” Hearing that Carlo was not willing to request the Red Army’s help for the time being, Giuseppe could only nod helplessly.
“However, you have reminded me, Giuseppe.” Carlo said with a smile: “Since the Carlist faction has decided to resist my rule, I absolutely cannot sit idly by.
It is time to let all Spaniards and the Carlist faction understand that the Bourbon Dynasty is long gone, and now it is the era of the House of Savoy.
I, Carlo of the House of Savoy, am the master of Spain, the true King of Spain.”
“Giuseppe, I need you to help me with something, and perhaps only you can do it.” Carlo smiled, as if he had thought of something worth mentioning.
“I am at Your Majesty’s service.” Giuseppe stepped forward, listening to Carlo’s plan.
A few days later, a rumor spread in Madrid that their King Carlo would give a speech in the square in Madrid City Center.
Although the rumor did not specify the content of the speech, based on recent events in Spain, the speech was likely to stabilize the morale of the army and the people in Spain.
Such a rumor quickly attracted the attention of a large number of Madrid citizens, including the workers who benefited from the implementation of the Labor Law and the farmers who benefited from agricultural tax reduction.
It must be said that after the agricultural tax reduction legislation and the Labor Law, two beneficial decrees, Carlo still had considerable prestige and support in Madrid.
Time soon came to the day of Carlo’s speech, and the square in Madrid City Center was packed with people, with at least ten thousand gathered around the square.
Centered on the speech platform, there were not many people within a radius of several dozen meters. To ensure Carlo’s safety, only those who had been screened could enter within dozens of meters of the speech platform, which could largely guarantee that no assassins from reactionary factions would sneak in.
At noon, Carlo’s carriage slowly arrived and drove straight toward the speech platform along the pre-reserved passage.
Wearing a crown and a king-customized long robe, Carlo got out of the carriage with the guards’ support and walked straight toward the speech platform.
The speech platform was already equipped with amplification equipment, ensuring that Carlo’s speech could be heard by most people in the square.
As for those too far away or hard of hearing, there was no way around it. Perhaps they could learn about the content of Carlo’s speech through the next day’s newspaper news or through retellings from those nearby.
“My people, I am your King Carlo.
It is a great honor to be the king of the great ethnic group Spain and to witness the revival of the great country Spain together with you all.
Perhaps some will ask, what qualification do I have to make Spain revive?
Spain once stood at the pinnacle of the world, and Spaniards were once the greatest ethnic group in the world. It is too difficult to make Spain regain its former glory, and the revival process is bound to be fraught with difficulties.
But I want to say, I have confidence, confidence to witness all this happen together with all Spaniards. The reason Spain is great is not because Spain once stood at the pinnacle of the world.
Rather, it is because after experiencing long periods of hardship and lows, Spaniards still firmly believe that Spain is the greatest ethnic group and still hold hope for Spain’s revival.
The agricultural tax reduction legislation and Labor Law are just the first steps. I will use more decrees to promote Spain’s progress, protect the interests of all Spaniards from infringement, achieve industrialization for Spain, and move toward power.
We have already dealt with the capitalists who exploited workers, and we are fighting against the enemies who seek to tear this country apart.
My people, please believe me. I will lead Spain toward power. I will guarantee that the interests of all Spaniards are not infringed upon. I will be enemies with all who obstruct Spain’s advance. I take pride in the great Spain and Spaniards, and create a golden age belonging to all Spaniards.
People, although the former glory is no more, the future still belongs to Spain, to all Spaniards.
Let us shout together the slogan ‘Make Spain Great Again,’ and let Spain achieve great revival once more!”
“Make Spain Great Again!”
Sincere speeches often move people the most. For Carlo, everything he said was what he truly wanted to achieve in his heart, which was also what Spaniards most wanted to hear.
And because of this, after Carlo shouted that slogan, the Spaniards below the platform immediately followed with shouts of: “Make Spain Great Again!” “Long live Spain!” and other slogans, creating a lively scene.
Bang! Bang bang!
Suddenly, several consecutive gunshots immediately interrupted the cheering of the crowd.
People looked up in surprise, and a puff of white smoke rose from the area closest to the speech platform.
On the speech platform, several guards had already rushed toward Carlo, blocking in front of him.
The guards below the speech platform also reacted promptly, quickly locking onto the person who fired from the smoke and arresting them.
“There is an assassin!”
“His Majesty is wounded!”
“Protect His Majesty!”
The panicked voices of the guards and the shouts of the crowd below mixed into chaos, and the situation seemed about to spiral out of control.
Carlo, protected by the guards, stood up again and, under everyone’s surprised gazes, raised his right hand and shouted: “Nothing can defeat me. Long live Spain!”
At this point, the scene was completely out of control.
The crowd below saw that the assassin had been subdued, and their inner panic dissipated somewhat. Seeing that Carlo seemed to have been shot but could still stand up again to encourage the crowd, the people’s emotions could no longer be suppressed.
“Long live Spain! Long live His Majesty Carlo!”
“Long live Spain! Long live His Majesty Carlo!”
Hearing the enthusiastic cheering from the crowd below, Carlo seemed as if he could no longer hold on and collapsed into the arms of the guards.
The guards immediately carried Carlo onto the carriage and headed to the nearest hospital in Madrid.
Make Spain Great Again!