Just as Carlo was still engrossed in the great expansion of his royal industries, Prime Minister Prim hurried over, bringing Carlo what was possibly bad news: the Basque separatists and the Carlists had cooperated.
It was inevitable that the separatists and Carlists would join forces, as their individual strength was negligible compared to Spain's and could not pose a threat to the Spanish government.
However, if the Catalan and Basque separatists, in league with the Carlists, launched a rebellion, it would cause a considerable stir in the northern regions of Spain.
These rebels were spread throughout Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Navarre, and the neighboring regions of Aragon and La Rioja would also be affected.
However, this was also good news for Carlo. The most troublesome rebels in Spain had gathered together; wasn't this a perfect opportunity to catch them all in one go?
"How are the government's preparations? Can our army handle the alliance of the Basques and the Carlists?" Carlo looked at Prim, asking the question he was most concerned about.
"The Spanish army will crush all enemies of Spain, without exception, whether they are Carlists or Basques," Prim replied with a calm expression.
"Very good, Mr. Prime Minister. I will await your good news at the palace, and I hope the day of our victory is not far off." Hearing Prim's calm reply, Carlo nodded in satisfaction.
As the captain of Carlo's palace guard, Ricciotti naturally also heard the news of the rebellion in northern Spain.
After a long period of time together, Ricciotti had long since decided to be wholeheartedly loyal to Carlo, and naturally wanted to help Carlo with the Spanish rebellion.
"Your Majesty, the Red Shirts currently number in the tens of thousands and can be quickly mobilized into an army. As long as Your Majesty needs them, I believe my father would also be willing to lead troops to assist Your Majesty in completely resolving this rebellion in northern Spain," Ricciotti proactively suggested to Carlo.
"The situation in Spain is not that bad for now." Carlo naturally understood Ricciotti's loyalty, but the internal unrest in Spain had not yet reached a point where outside intervention was needed.
"Alright, Your Majesty." Hearing that Carlo was not yet willing to request assistance from the Red Shirts, Ricciotti could only nod helplessly.
"However, you have reminded me, Ricciotti," Carlo said with a smile. "Since the Carlists have decided to resist my rule, I absolutely cannot sit back and do nothing."
It is time for all Spaniards and Carlists to understand that the Bourbon dynasty is long gone, and now is the era of Savoy.
I, Carlo of the House of Savoy, am the master of Spain, the true King of Spain."
"Ricciotti, I need you to do me a favor. Perhaps only you can do this," Carlo said with a smile, as if he had thought of something worth mentioning.
"I am at your service, Your Majesty." Ricciotti stepped forward, listening to Carlo's plan.
Within a few days, a rumor spread in Madrid that their King Carlo would give a speech in the square in the city center.
Although the rumor did not specify the content of the speech, based on recent events in Spain, it was highly likely that the speech was intended to stabilize the morale of the military and the public.
This rumor quickly attracted the attention of a large number of Madrid citizens, including workers who benefited from the implementation of labor laws and farmers who benefited from agricultural tax reductions.
It's worth mentioning that, thanks to the agricultural tax reduction bill and the labor law, two beneficial decrees, Carlo still enjoyed considerable prestige and support in Madrid.
The day of Carlo's speech quickly arrived, and the square in the center of Madrid was packed with people, with at least tens of thousands gathering around the square.
Centered around the podium, there weren't many people within a radius of several dozen meters. To ensure Carlo's safety, those allowed within this area were screened to largely ensure that no assassins from the reactionary forces had infiltrated.
Around noon, Carlo's carriage slowly arrived and drove directly towards the podium along a pre-arranged path.
Wearing a crown and a custom-made royal robe, Carlo alighted from the carriage with the assistance of guards and walked directly towards the podium.
Amplification equipment had already been set up on the podium to ensure 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 nothing to be done. Perhaps they could learn the content of Carlo's speech from subsequent newspaper reports, or get a general idea through word of mouth from those nearby.
"My beloved subjects, I am your King Carlo.
It is a profound honor to reign over this great nation of Spain and to stand alongside all of you as we witness her resurgence.
Some may ask: What right do I have to lead this revival?
Spain once stood at the pinnacle of the world; Spaniards were among the greatest people on Earth. Restoring Spain's former glory is no easy task, and the path ahead will be filled with challenges.
But I say to you — I have unwavering confidence. Confidence born not merely from Spain's past greatness, but from the enduring spirit of her people. After centuries of hardship and decline, Spaniards still believe, still hope — that Spain will rise again.
The agricultural tax reduction bill, the labor reforms — these are just the first steps. I will enact more decrees to drive Spain's progress forward, to protect every Spaniard's rights, and to forge a strong, industrialized nation.
We have already confronted the capitalists who exploited our workers, and now we stand firm against those who seek to divide this land.
My subjects, believe in me as I lead Spain to strength. I vow to defend the interests of all Spaniards, to oppose any who stand in the way of our progress, to honor the great Spain and its people, and to build a golden age for our nation.
Though the glory of our past may be behind us, the future still belongs to Spain, to every one of you.
So join me in raising our voices and shouting the rallying cry: Make Spain Great Again!
Let us together bring about the great resurgence of our beloved country!"
"Make Spain Great Again!"
A sincere speech is often the most moving. For Carlo, everything he said was what he truly wanted to achieve, and it was also what Spaniards most wanted to hear.
Precisely for this reason, the Spaniards in the audience immediately followed Carlo in shouting slogans like "Make Spain Great Again!" and "Long Live Spain!", creating a lively scene.
Bang! Bang bang!
Suddenly, several consecutive gunshots immediately interrupted the crowd's cheering.
People looked up in surprise, and a puff of white smoke emerged from the area closest to the podium.
On the podium, several guards had already rushed towards Carlo, blocking his path.
The guards below the podium also reacted promptly, quickly identifying the person who fired from the smoke and making an arrest.
"Assassin!"
"His Majesty is injured!"
"Protect His Majesty!"
The panicked voices of the guards and the shouts of the crowd below became a chaotic mix, and the situation seemed on the verge of spiraling out of control.
Carlo, protected by the guards, stood up again, and under everyone's astonished gaze, he raised his right arm 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 subsided somewhat. Seeing that Carlo, who seemed to have been shot, could still stand up again to encourage the crowd, the emotions of the people could no longer be suppressed.
"Long Live Spain! Long Live His Majesty Carlo!"
"Long Live Spain! Long Live His Majesty Carlo!"
Hearing the fervent cheers of the crowd below, Carlo seemed unable to hold on any longer and collapsed into the arms of a guard.
The guards immediately carried Carlo onto the carriage and headed to the nearest hospital in Madrid.
Make Spain Great Again!
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