On the plywood, Captain Petra looked into the distance with a sad face and seemed to be lost in thought.
He had never been so nervous in his 20 years of experience on the sea. Even when he was robbed by pirates, Petra was not as nervous as he was now.
There was no other way, who asked him to take on a business that he shouldn't have?
In fact, Petra also knew that this business was risky. It was very dangerous to sail at night these days, and under normal circumstances, no one would ask to leave the port at night.
But there were accidents in everything, and for the sake of the pound, Petra didn't mind taking the risk.
In his mind, it was nothing more than taking a few people and sneaking away. Petra had done similar things many times.
But under normal circumstances, people would sneak into Britannia from the outside, and sneaking away was still rare.
For Petra, these were small problems. As long as the money was enough, everything could be discussed.
Things went smoothly in front, and it wasn't until these special customers boarded the ship that Petra realized something was wrong.
After so many years on the sea, Petra was also experienced and knowledgeable. No matter how Vittorio Emanuele III disguised himself, his temperament couldn't be deceived.
With many years of experience, Petra could tell at a glance that the identity of this group of people was extraordinary, and they were definitely important people.
The problem was that this Fulda was just an ordinary cargo ship, and there was no comfort to speak of.
Unless it was a critical moment, otherwise, even if the important people were down and out, they would not choose such a way of travel that was obviously beneath their status.
No one was willing to take on this kind of business, which meant great trouble. Before Captain Petra could go back on his word, he was warned.
According to the agreement to send people to Holland, the agreed commission would be doubled; if there was any accident on the way, the whole family would go to hell together.
It was impossible to refuse. The whole family was being watched, and Petra could only hope for God's blessing and a smooth journey.
…
While Petra was deep in thought, two warships were catching up from a distance, and the distance was no more than 20 nautical miles.
The experienced first mate reminded, "Captain, something is wrong. The two warships behind us seem to be watching us. "
Hearing the first mate's words, Petra went straight to the observation room without another word, picked up the binoculars and looked behind.
Sure enough, there were two warships on the horizon, and they were heading towards the Fulda.
Because of the distance, Petra was still unable to determine which country's warship it was. However, the gradually shortening distance still told Petra that the visitor did not come with good intentions.
"According to the current speed, the two warships behind us will catch up in six hours at most.
Pass down the order to speed up. We must reach Holland as soon as possible. After completing this mission, all your income will be increased by half. "
The first mate replied cheerfully, "No problem, Captain."
Everyone risked their lives to make a living on the sea for the sake of wealth. As long as there was enough money, anything could be discussed.
However, Captain Petra was not so optimistic. With many years of sailing experience, he could determine that the Fulda was more than 100 nautical miles away from the nearest port in the Netherlands.
Under normal circumstances, the warship was not much faster than the cargo ship. However, the upper limit of the warship's explosive speed was very high. At full speed, it could run twice as fast as the cargo ship.
Of course, steamships in this day and age were still limited by their power. Although the warship could run fast, once it moved at full speed, it would definitely need to undergo a major overhaul afterward, and there was even a possibility of it being scrapped.
Unless it is a very important thing, generally speaking, the Marine will not be so extravagant.
…
The commotion on the ship alerted Vittorio Emanuele III, who was in the cabin.
"What's going on? Did we encounter pirates?"
For safety reasons, when Vittorio Emmanuel III left, he arranged for a number of cargo ships to leave the port at the same time. He just randomly chose one.
In theory, as long as he was not exposed that night. Communication was not convenient these days. Even if the Government of the United Kingdom found out that he was missing the next day and ordered the Royal Navy to chase him, it would not be so fast.
Without waiting for anyone to answer, Captain Petra broke in.
"I'm very sorry, there is bad news, I have to disturb you distinguished guests.
Now the situation is very dangerous, there are two warships catching up, less than 20 nautical miles away from us.
I have ordered to speed up, but the Fulda is just an ordinary cargo ship. Even if it has been modified, it still can't outrun the warships.
For the safety of everyone, I hope you can open your hearts and explain things clearly so that you can make a decision. "
Hearing that the warships had caught up, Vittorio Emmanuel III's face changed dramatically, and he sighed helplessly.
Thinking of the heavy responsibility he shouldered, Vittorio Emmanuel III forced himself to calm down and slowly said, "Captain, there is still a lot of cargo on the Fulda, right?"
Captain Petra nodded. There was no doubt that the cargo ship was going to transport cargo.
After getting a positive answer, Vittorio Emmanuel III said, "Very good, then now, except for the necessary coal, all the goods and sundries will be thrown into the sea.
Including bedsheets, quilts, personal items, weapons, ammunition, food, and water. Only keep half a day's quota, and do everything possible to reduce the weight. "
Vittorio Emmanuel III's understatement shocked Captain Petra, and then he exclaimed, "This is impossible! If I throw away these goods, I will lose money! "
It wasn't an exaggeration. With Captain Petra's net worth, if he lost this ship, he would have no choice but to go bankrupt.
Vittorio Emanuele III smiled and pretended to be nonchalant as he said, "Don't worry. I'll bear all the losses, including the employer's dissatisfaction. Someone will take care of it for you.
Now, what you have to do is to throw away these unnecessary things, find a way to speed up the ship, and get rid of the pursuers. "
Compensation?
Vittorio Emmanuel III admitted that he was a poor man, and could even be said to be the poorest royal family in Europe.
Originally, the rich wealth left by his ancestors, because he wanted to restore the country, had long been tossed around.
In order to maintain a decent life, Vittorio Emmanuel III had long been in debt. The so-called compensation was completely an empty promise.
But no matter how poor he was, he couldn't show weakness. In any case, he had to reach the Netherlands first. Whether or not he needed to pay compensation, he would think about it later!
After a moment of contemplation, Captain Petra still shook his head, "It still won't work. Even if we throw away all the goods on the ship, the speed will increase by two knots at most. We still can't outrun the warship.
Don't forget, there are cannons on the warship. They can attack from a distance, and the Fulda's small body can't withstand it. "
Money didn't matter, the key was their lives. Civilized law enforcement was not popular these days, and the Navy liked to talk with shells.
Vittorio Emmanuel III frowned and asked with concern, "Is the warship chasing us British or French?"
Captain Petra rolled his eyes and replied in a very exaggerated tone, "I'm not sure for the time being. But we set off from London, and the warship chasing us should be British.
Did you also offend the Government of France?
God, I'm really unlucky! This kind of thing can happen, it's terrible … "
Vittorio Emmanuel III waved his hand, "Captain, don't be so pessimistic. If it was a British warship, they wouldn't dare to open fire.
I think instead of wasting time here, it's better to hurry up and clear the warehouse. At least we have a better chance of escaping.
Otherwise, if we fall into the hands of the British, I'll be fine, but you'll be dead. Believe me, they will hang you. "
Regicide was not something an ordinary person could do. Although the title of King Vittorio Emmanuel III was a little low, a king was still a king.
In the European political system, regicide was a felony.
Vittorio Emanuele III was sure that the Englishmen were displeased with his departure, but not to the point of murdering the King.
The Government of the United Kingdom couldn't bear the crime of regicide, and the Royal Navy couldn't bear the crime of regicide. Whoever did it would be finished.
In contrast, it was hard to say for the French. The two sides were already enemies, and Vittorio Emmanuel III had no confidence in the integrity of the Bonaparte Dynasty.
Moreover, Vittorio Emmanuel III ran away from London. As long as the French were thick-skinned enough, they could deny it and blame it on the British.
Captain Petra's face sank. After a moment, she said, "Well, you win. But Sir, you'd better give me a satisfactory explanation, or we'll go our separate ways. "
Compromise, this was something that couldn't be helped. Petra hadn't lived long enough and wasn't ready to die.
After a moment of contemplation, Vittorio Emmanuel III slowly said, "Don't worry, the reward will definitely be satisfactory.
If you perform well, I might even give you a title of nobility. "
Noble titles were very valuable in Europe, but they were also very cheap. At least for now, titles in the Kingdom of Sardinia were not valuable.
When in London, in order to raise funds for the restoration of the country, Vittorio Emmanuel III sold titles more than once.
From the Duke to the Knight. As long as there was money, there was nothing that couldn't be sold.
To Vittorio Emanuele III, the title of nobility was the cheapest asset he had, and it was completely worthless until he succeeded in restoring the kingdom.
Even if the restoration of the country was successful, the value of the title in the Kingdom of Sardinia would be greatly reduced. After all, it was a title bought with money, and there was no hope that the aristocratic world would recognize it.
Captain Petra was not stupid. There were many nobles in Britannia, but in fact, only some exiled royal families could use titles as rewards.
Thinking back to the current situation, Vittorio Emmanuel III's identity had actually been exposed.
Knowing was one thing, but Captain Petra's EQ was not low, and he forcibly suppressed his impulse.
This was not a good time to reveal his identity. No monarch wanted to be seen at his lowest point.
"No problem, Sir, I'll do it right away!"
After that, Petra glanced at Vittorio Emanuele III and left.
Seeking riches and honor amidst danger was a universal saying throughout the ages. Captain Petra had been wandering at sea for more than 20 years and had long been tired of this life.
It was just that he had no chance to change his profession, so he had to continue. Now the opportunity had come. Although Vittorio Emmanuel III looked very down and out, he was of noble birth!
Judging from the current situation, the chances of the restoration of the Kingdom of Sardinia were about the same as the chances of the anti-French alliance winning the war.
Based on past experience, Captain Petra believed that the odds of the two sides winning the war were 50-50. It was a gamble of life to seek refuge with Vittorio Emmanuel III.
Logically speaking, Captain Petra, who was over the age of 30, should not like to gamble, but the problem was that he could not rely on other nobles at all!
The royal families and great nobles of the European countries all had a bunch of retainers. Who would have nothing better to do? Instead of using someone they knew through and through, they would run over to put a guy of unknown origin in an important position?
Although the current public opinion was becoming more and more unfavorable to the aristocracy, it was still the aristocracy that held the power.
Including the most powerful capitalists, they were all working hard to become a member of the aristocracy, and Petra was naturally no exception.
…
Looking at the boxes of goods being thrown into the sea, Captain Petra's heart was constantly bleeding. What was being thrown away now was all money.
Even though Vittorio Emanuele III had promised to pay for the damages, it was still unknown if he could keep his promise.
After all, the king was really too poor, and the next war of restoration would cost a lot of money.
Even if the restoration was successful, there would still be many years of hard times in the future.
It was fine if he did not seek refuge, he would ask for money, and the king could not default on his debts. But if he wanted to seek refuge in the past and achieve a life reversal, Petra could not make things difficult for the old captain.
The heartache did not last long. The warship behind suddenly accelerated, 15 nautical miles, 10 nautical miles, 5 nautical miles …
The distance between the two sides was constantly narrowing. The cruel reality made Captain Petra unable to care about the heartache.
The first mate said in horror, "Captain, the British behind us made a flag signal, asking us to stop the ship for inspection, or they will open fire."
That was the Royal Navy. These days, everyone at sea knew that the British Royal Navy was the last force to be messed with in the world.
In normal times, everyone would hide if they could and try to avoid close contact.
The reason was naturally due to the good reputation of the Royal Navy as a thief and an officer. Even if it was a British ship, they were still worried when they encountered the Royal Navy at sea.
Especially when Captain Petra ordered to abandon all the goods, the uneasiness in everyone's hearts became even stronger.
Petra resisted the discomfort and said, "Tell them that this is international waters, not under the jurisdiction of Britannia. They have no right to inspect."
The first mate said in a trembling voice, "Captain, can we do that? If they really open fire, then we are finished.
Why don't we stop the ship for inspection? Anyway, there is nothing on the ship that is worth them … "
"They are coming for me, but it doesn't matter anymore. Tell them that if they want to kill the king, then open fire! "
The sudden voice startled the two of them. They didn't know when Vittorio Emmanuel III appeared behind them.
Seeing Vittorio Emmanuel III identify himself, Captain Petra hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, why are you out? It's not safe here, you'd better go back to the cabin! "
…
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