She changed Europe

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"This is it," Marta said slowly, sliding along the thread to the edge of the pillar. She then took out a small explosive and placed it on the pillar. She lit the fuse with a flint.

"Oh no, I brought the wrong explosives." Only when the explosives were about to be lit did she realize that she had been so engrossed in petting foxes these past few days that she had forgotten to change her equipment. Thinking of this, the black-haired woman gave an embarrassed self-deprecating laugh, then casually pulled a dagger from her thigh and skillfully cut the silk threads wrapped around her body. Just then, the Ottoman soldiers who had discovered the problem burst into the room.

They opened fire the moment they spotted Marta, and a hail of arrows, bullets, and flames rained down on her. As Marta struggled to dodge, a deafening explosion erupted.

PS1: It exploded again!

Chapter 538 The Turkish Symphony of the Vienna Rose: Capter 35 The Last Empress of Byzantium (Seeking votes)

The enormous tremor shook the old city of Constantinople. Even the pigeons perched outside the Hagia Sophia were startled by the commotion and took flight. Gisela, who had just stepped off her carriage and was heading straight for the old Ottoman palace, stumbled and would have crashed into a wooden plank if Rita hadn't been there to support her.

"What happened!" Mustafa's expression was even more embarrassed, and his sharp eyes were filled with the expected anger. Such a thing had happened at such an important time. If the heads of state and delegations of other countries found out, the remaining face of the Ottoman Empire would be completely ruined by this damned accident. This was a situation he absolutely did not want to see.

"My lord, what happened in the underground water palace? There was an explosion." At that moment, Osman Pasha, who was passing by, was leading his soldiers towards the location of the Yelebatan underground water palace.

When he noticed that Lord Mustafata's car was in the area, his expression became even more terrified, after all, that lord was known for his strictness and toughness.

"Isn't that all water?! How could it explode?!" Mustfata's face darkened. He wanted to roar, but after glancing at Gisela behind him, he could only take a deep breath and calmly look at his general.

"This must have been caused by some other accident. Go and find out the cause quickly." Mustfata gave the Pasha a serious and earnest order.

"Yes, sir." Pasha, feeling like he had been granted a pardon, naturally did not want to continue confronting this capricious lord, and quickly left the scene.

"Your Majesty, I am very sorry. There has been a minor incident here, but please do not worry. My loyal and reliable soldiers have already gone to investigate." Mustafata looked at Gisela with an apologetic expression and sincere eyes.

"Then I'll have to trouble them..." Gisela nodded calmly. Although there's a saying that you shouldn't concern yourself with things that don't concern you, Gisela had a feeling that she might be implicated in this matter. But so what? She had the guts to back it up. When the Shinra Tensei and the Balkan Tensei came together, would the Ottomans be afraid?

Our gaze returns to the underground water palace—

Along with the explosives, the fuel for the countless flowing Greek fires inside also exploded. Fortunately, due to its proximity to the pool, the flames did not spread, but the massive explosion almost completely collapsed the hall.

In the darkness, Marta stretched out her hands, searching the surrounding walls to check her condition. The intelligence queen, who had everything firmly in her grasp, was more disheveled than ever before; her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were torn to shreds by the rocks. Little did she know that ever since she joined Gisela's side, bad luck had been constantly plaguing her—but that's a story for another time.

Suddenly, it seemed as if she stepped into thin air, and Marta fell deeper into the ground.

The sounds of tinkling and clanging rose and fell in the darkness. Bumps and knocks were inevitable, but as a demon wielder, her power ensured that her life wouldn't be in danger because of these things, until she finally fell into a cold pool of water.

A moment later, she struggled to climb out of the water, but noticed a light on the ground not far away. Instinctively, she crawled toward the light, pushed aside the stone slab with a cross on it, and a luxuriously decorated enclosed room came into view.

A cross hangs high at the front of the room, while two skeletons in black robes lean against the walls around the room, and a woman in a purple robe kneels on the marble floor in the center of the room.

Her long, silky black hair and snow-white skin gave her a charming face that combined youthful vitality with the allure of a mature woman. She clasped her hands tightly against her chest, as if making a final prayer.

Not far from her, a finely crafted short sword was stuck in the ground, and there was still a lot of dried blood on the blade.

Marta approached the woman and crouched down directly in front of her. On the ground in front of her, Marta noticed words engraved in blood.

"I am Constantine Palaiologos, Emperor of the Roman Empire. I will pray for my people, I will dedicate my last strength to this country, and I will protect the last symbol of the empire until the end of the world." In this short sentence, Marta could feel the composure and magnanimity of the last Byzantine Empress when facing the Turkic army hundreds of years ago. As a monarch, she fought to the last moment, and in this respect, she was worthy of her people.

"Thank you for your hard work, Miss Constantine." Marta was not loyal to anyone except herself, so she greeted the kneeling woman with the most simple address, rather than calling her Your Majesty.

Marta then reached out and pried open the woman's hands, which were clasped tightly to her chest. A spherical object was removed by Marta. Those familiar with history would likely recognize it immediately as the same ornament held by Justinian in the portrait of the emperor, symbolizing supreme imperial power. This was none other than the Heart of Rome mentioned in Constantine's last words.

As the Heart of Rome was taken away, the woman's body quickly changed. Not only did her skin age rapidly, but her hair also fell out at an alarming rate. Within minutes, the woman turned into the skeletons that were on the walls on either side and then collapsed to the ground.

“This could be given to the fox as a toy.” Marta fiddled with the toy-like sphere in her hand.

Now a new problem has arisen: how to get out?

Marta observed the enclosed space around her, then looked up at the dome, and a good idea immediately came to her mind.

Of course, Marta is unaware that this secret room is actually a secret space within the Hagia Sophia Cathedral, and that the reason the last empress's body was not found or defiled by the Turks was because two priests brought the wounded empress into this place.

At the same time, Gisela strode confidently into the main hall of Topkapi Palace, where she saw for the first time the true ruler of the empire—Hhuremsultanah.

At this moment, Sultana, hailed as the most beautiful woman in the Ottoman Empire, gazed intently at Gisela with her exceptionally charming eyes, her face veiled by a soft veil.

"Welcome, Your Majesty, the Great Emperor of the Germans, Gisela Louise Marie." Whether intentionally or not, the beautiful woman before him didn't use any special gestures, but instead addressed Gisela as the Emperor of Austria, or rather, the Emperor of the Germans—a statement that carries a particularly intriguing connotation.

PS1: The body of Constantine XI has not been found in history, and historical records say that when the city fell, two devout priests were sucked into the wall of the Hagia Sophia. So I combined these two points to create the plot.

PS1: Tears of the Elite

Chapter 539 The Turkish Symphony of the Vienna Rose: Capter 36 Gisela's Offer (Continuing from the discontinued section of the old book)

“Thank you for your hospitality, Your Majesty Sultanna.” Gisela left Rita standing behind her and strode confidently to Sultanna under the watchful eyes of the Ottoman court.

Gisela gracefully nodded to Sultana before her, then raised her right hand and extended it in front of Hürem. With a gentle snap of her fingers, a blue flame flashed at Gisela's fingertip, transforming into a phoenix soaring through the sky before disappearing into the heavens.

"I hope Your Majesty will enjoy some small magic tricks." After saying this, Gisela sat down opposite Sultana, who was at the same level as her.

Rita quickly followed Gisela, while Mustafata clapped his hands lightly, signaling the palace maids to bring food and wine to Gisela.

"The red wine of Achaia was once a rare treasure in Europe." Because the Greek region was under the control of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years, and for various reasons, successive sultans prohibited or restricted the export of red wine from Achaia, which led to the high price of Greek red wine for a long time.

Greece finally gained independence in the 20s with the help of European countries, and Achaea wines began to be sold throughout Europe again.

Gisela's words throughout the day had been intentionally or unintentionally provocative or suppressive towards the Ottomans. Now, after mentioning the "apple," she brought up the Greek issue represented by Achaia, which clearly agitated many of the Ottoman officials present, causing them to frown.

"Her Majesty is absolutely right. We were indeed forced to recognize the independence of the Greek region due to the interference of the great powers. However, if Your Majesty is familiar with the map, it is not difficult to see that the vast majority of the so-called former Christian kingdoms in the Balkans are still under our control." Hürem looked at Gisela without changing her expression, responding to Gisela's provocation in a calm yet dignified tone.

Gisela's humble yet assertive personality makes her truly impossible to dislike.

"Your Majesty Sultanah should know that the Russian army has crossed the Danube and could not reach the walls of Constantinople in more than a week. Even if you begin mobilization now, can your Ottoman army withstand the first wave of Russian attacks near Hadrian's Fortress?"

"Your Majesty is not Hadrian's Castle, but Edirne," Rita whispered to Gisela's raised fox ear. Hadrian's Castle was actually the name from the Eastern Roman period, but everyone present was royalty and nobility; who lacked this basic cultural knowledge?

"If what Her Majesty Gisela says is true, then can you stop the Russian army?" Hürem gracefully turned to look at the generals below her seat. Of course, no one knew at that moment that Empress Gisela of Austria was admiring Sultana's delicate collarbone and beautiful bosom with great interest.

It has to be said that the genes of the Ottoman royal family are truly exceptional; they are all undeniably beautiful. In Gisela's view, she and Shahrador perfectly encapsulate the two most perfect types of women in this ancient empire.

The key point is that Gisela secretly knows that Shahrador and this Sultanah have some unspeakable relationship, and thinking about this makes Gisela even more interested in Sultanah.

Perhaps they could be kindred spirits.

"Your Majesty, as long as our soldiers fight to the death, we will surely be able to keep the Russian army out of Constantinople," an Ottoman Pasha loudly answered the question posed by Hürem.

To someone unfamiliar with politics, this statement seemed reassuring and reliable. Unfortunately, Hurem, who was already familiar with court politics, frowned and then put down her wine glass with a hint of anger.

"Blocked outside Constantinople" means that the Russian army could still reach the walls of Constantinople, and how this concept is defined depends entirely on the performance of the generals. Even if the entire Balkans were lost to defend Constantinople, it could still be called "outside Constantinople".

The loss of the entire Balkan Peninsula was absolutely unacceptable for the Ottoman Empire.

“We Austria remained neutral last time, but that doesn’t mean we will remain neutral this time.” Gisela finally shifted her gaze from Sultana to Mustapha, who had been silent all along.

"How can Your Majesty help us?" At this moment, Grand Vizier Mustfata stood up and looked at Gisela with a serious expression.

Finally, when the Turks brought up the issue, Gisela began to deal with them more seriously.

"First, your land needs railways, and obviously the British won't help you, but we are willing." The British naturally didn't want the Ottoman Empire to grow stronger; what they wanted most was to maintain the Ottoman Empire's weakened state.

"Your Majesty, I don't believe you would be so kind as to help us. We've been fighting each other for over a century. Tell me, what price do we need to pay?"

“Price? No, no, no, I don’t like that word. I prefer to call it a win-win situation.” Gisela’s lips curled up slightly, then she stood up and walked to the center of the palace hall.

"Your army will have the same faster transport and mobilization capabilities as our European nations, and your goods can be transported from your heartland to ports and then sold all over the world. All I want is to obtain your orders for building railways and the privilege of establishing factories and companies along the Persian Gulf coast." At this time, the Persian Gulf coast had always been at the forefront of the war between the Ottoman Empire and Persia, so its inhabitants were either relocated to the interior of the empire or forced to abandon their homelands due to the war. Mesopotamia was unprecedentedly desolate, and Baghdad, the largest city in this Fertile Crescent, had a population of less than 100,000.

It's important to know that in 1914, when World War I broke out, the vast Ottoman Empire had a population of only over 2000 million, less than a third of the unified German Empire. As for the story of "black gold," Gisela naturally wouldn't tell these Turks.

“There is no problem with that. I wholeheartedly agree with Your Majesty’s idea of ​​a win-win situation. It is best for both sides to get what they need, rather than for one side to give or take.” Mustafa knew that Turkey was currently in need of the other party, and it was not shameful to lower its stance appropriately. Most importantly, this did not fundamentally affect their interests.

They didn't care how the railway was built, and they were too lazy to bother with the abandoned lands of the Persian Gulf. Since the Austrians wanted them, they were happy to give them to them, since the core territory of the Ottoman Empire was Anatolia and the Balkans. As for the land along the Persian Gulf coast, the Austrians could do with it as they pleased.

PS1: This is roughly where the old book stopped updating; the rest is new writing by the cat.

Chapter 540 The Turkish Roc of Vienna's Roses: Anomalocaris si-8 Symphony: Capter 37 Political Games (Vote Requested)

"Secondly, the Ottoman Empire is a great and respectable civilized nation, so I do not wish for any more persecution against ethnic minorities, especially Armenians, to occur in your country." Gisela's tone was calm. Ethnic issues may not be a problem when a country is strong, but once a country weakens, they become Gisela's best "trump card" for interfering in the internal affairs of the Ottoman Empire.

Was she truly acting out of concern for Armenians to protect them from Ottoman persecution? Of course not. She said it merely to prepare these Turkish princes for future "commercial" immigration, reminding them that Austria was always watching their stance.

“We…” Hurlem was about to say something, but was interrupted by Mustafata, whose expression turned serious.

"Openness and inclusiveness have always been the foundation of our nation. Our country has never deprived any other ethnic group of any rights. There is no persecution of Armenians. The reason why such things happened to them was simply because of a plague that was spreading in that region. Your Majesty should know that the best way to deal with the spread of the plague is to eliminate the problem at its root." With that, Mustafata stood up, picked up his wine glass, and walked to Gisela.

"Your Majesty, let us leave this heavy topic for tomorrow. Today is a great day. For the true Queen of Europe has arrived in Constantinople," Mustafata said, raising his glass to the assembled crowd.

The cunning Mustafa naturally didn't want to lose too many bargaining chips in today's meeting with the Austrians, so he pinned his hopes on later meetings and relied on the attitudes of other powers to balance the Austrians' interests.

Knowing Lord Mustafa's intentions, the Ottoman officials also rose to offer their blessings to Gisela.

Blessings such as "May Sultana ****" and "May Queen Gisela be forever healthy" were offered one after another.

Gisela didn't say much to the old fox Mustafata, so he raised his glass and drank the red wine in it in one gulp in front of everyone, and the atmosphere of the banquet gradually reached its peak.

Our gaze returns to Gisela's temporary residence—

This luxurious mansion, built on a small hill west of Constantine's old town, boasts an exceptional view. From its outward-facing balcony, one can easily overlook the entire city, taking in the bustling Golden Horn. At this moment, within the vast mansion, Aponia is fanning the silver-haired young girl in the wicker chair with a fan, humming a Mozart lullaby.

"Aponia, why did you leave the Thirteen Courts?" At this moment, the silver-haired girl asked softly, her gaze still fixed on the dome of the Hagia Sophia in the distance.

“Holy See, I did not…” Aponia bit her lip, her expression conflicted, and the fan in her hand paused.

“You all always think I know nothing, whether it’s Grandpa, you, or even everyone else. I don’t care what you’re plotting. I only hope that everyone can find salvation and gain what they consider precious. Am I wrong? Shouldn’t prayer be a place that provides comfort?” Deli sat up slightly and spoke softly in her ethereal voice.

“No! Holy See, people are selfish, and many things become worthless in the face of desire. You may only want to redeem the world, but when faced with supreme authority, not everyone is as noble as you. You are the projection of God on earth; you only need to remain holy and inspire believers. Let us face the filth ourselves in the mud.” Aponia gently stroked the girl’s cheek, her expression exceptionally tender.

In fact, Aponia is good at dealing with all children who are not psychologically mature, because these innocent children make her lower her guard, and this has become the softest part of the heart of this church sharp knife who is accompanied by killing.

"Holy See, be careful!" Aponia's weapon appeared in her hand, and she then stood in front of Delisha.

At this moment, Marta, covered in dust and dressed in tattered clothes, climbed onto the balcony and then rolled over and fell to the floor.

"I'm exhausted. This time, the fox should at least give me something different in terms of compensation." Marta muttered to herself as she lay on the ground, panting heavily, looking extremely tired.

"Miss Marta, where did you go before?" Aponia put down her scythe and asked in a slightly more relaxed tone.

After all, Marta has already joined Gisela's camp, and in that respect, she can truly be considered one of their own.

"I went to the city to take care of some things." Marta smoothed her hair from her forehead, then looked down at her tattered clothes and sighed helplessly.

"Please wait a moment." Aponia turned and went into the room.

During a break, Marta placed the cloth bag she was carrying in front of her, then took out the glowing sphere. Holding it in her hand, she looked at the silver-haired little girl watching her from the side.

"Kid, I remember you're His Holiness the Holy See of Rome, right? Look at this, do you recognize it?" Marta looked up and threw the ball directly in the direction of Delilah was.

Theresa caught what Marta threw to her and then carefully examined the object in her hand.

“This is somewhat similar to what I saw in the Roman Library, in the portrait of the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian, in his hand, but I’m not sure. May I ask where you found it?” Delilah looked up at Marta with a puzzled expression.

“Then this is pretty much what I guessed. I also think it looks like something Justinian used. I found this in a secret room in the Hagia Sophia.” Marta stood up and walked to the chair opposite Theresa, sitting down and casually picking up the green drink from the table.

"I'm a little thirsty, do you mind drinking it?"

"Please go ahead." At this moment, Theresa, who was holding the sphere in her arms, rested her chin on her hand and pondered the clues about the glowing sphere.

"Cough cough! Why is it so bitter, kid? What exactly are you drinking?" Marta coughed violently, and the liquid splashed directly onto her chest.

“Bitter melon juice,” Theresa said seriously.

Just then, Aponia entered the room, bringing Marta new clothes and a clean towel to wipe her body.

"I've already given the order to the boiler, and the water in the bathhouse will be ready in a little while. Miss Mata, please wait a moment." In fact, it's not just the bathhouse; the Turkish side has also provided their VIP guests with Turkish-trained tanlaks (Turkish for massage therapists) to help them enjoy a complete and comfortable Turkish bath service.

"Thank you for your help." Marta first took the towel from Aponia, then took off her clothes, exposing her beautiful figure, draped the towel over herself, and prepared to stride towards the bathroom.

PS1: Ra!

Chapter 541 The Turkish Symphony of the Vienna Rose: Capter 38 Joy Turns to Sorrow (Seeking Votes)

"What are you doing!" Theresa frowned, looking indignantly at the shameless woman in front of her.

“If your clothes are torn, you don’t need to wear them anymore. It’s so hot, this is cooler. Besides, is there anyone else here besides the two of you?” Marta sat down on the balcony railing and crossed her legs.

"Or are you guys not confident about your bodies?" Marta rested her right hand on her knee, glanced at Theresa with interest, and then looked at Aponia beside her.

Putting aside Theresa's childlike physique, Aponia's figure is actually quite perfect. Unfortunately, her opponent is Mata Hari, the wicked woman who makes the entire European underworld fall at her feet. Her weapons are not only her figure, but also her captivating charm that fascinates many.

Theresa, enraged, gripped the sphere with both hands and then exerted force as if venting her anger.

A clanging sound quickly followed, and to the astonishment of the two, Theresa looked down and discovered that the sphere had been split in two, revealing a ring inside.

“I recognize this. This is the ring that Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, found in Jerusalem and made from the sacred nail. It is said that this nail is the one that nailed Jesus’ right hand.” Theresa spoke as if she had prepared the words beforehand, like a machine gun.

Aponia and Marta were speechless with surprise at Theresa's reaction.

"How did you know?" they both asked in unison.

"Actually, the modified ring on my left hand is still in my hand, but I lost it during the last escape (hehe)." Theresa tilted her head and stuck out her tongue, her expression particularly smug at this moment.

Fortunately Gisela wasn't there, otherwise a struggle between "royal power and divine power" would have taken place.

“I don’t know the function, but Grandpa Otto should know. However, I haven’t told him about losing it.” Theresa put her hands behind her back, looking like Quincy was playing dumb.

"Aponia, don't stop me! Today I'm going to do what God says!" Marta tried to roll up her non-existent sleeves, preparing to commit treason.

"Put on some clothes, you perverted exhibitionist! I won't let the clergy pray for you after you die. Just wait to meet Satan! Hehe!" Theresa flipped off the wicker chair and ran away. Even Aponia, seeing the Holy See being so cheeky today, was momentarily speechless.