Mo Laowu was taken aback upon hearing this.

This is...this is so shameless.

The cabinet ministers present all lowered their heads and pretended to be stupid.

This statement makes it very clear: if you want me to send troops, you'll have to pay for the food and supplies for your men and horses.

Mo Laowu pondered,

Not only do they have to get military funding for free, but they also have to share the land with the city-states if they win the war.

They made a fortune, but the South China Sea suffered a huge loss.

"This...isn't easy to discuss." Mo Laowu chuckled awkwardly. Damn it, isn't this bullying?

Don't be fooled by how relaxed they seem during the conversation.

In fact, Qin Che chose his negotiation strategy based on multiple factors.

In the last simulation, he had spent most of his life in the South China Sea, and even died there. He still had a lot of feelings and memories for the city-states of the South China Sea. This is the real world, so there is no need to project his own experiences onto it.

Qin Che, however, lived in the South China Sea and was extremely familiar with the area.

The people of the South China Sea fought many wars against the plundering civilians by the mad soldiers, and even with the help of the rock people, they only managed to win by a small margin.

They cannot exterminate the rabid soldiers and plunderers, just as the plunderers cannot truly seize the South China Sea.

They're about even, aren't they?

The Wolf King is a very powerful man. He has ruled the western mountainous region of the Garden of God for so many years, and so many tribes have followed his lead. This is not just empty talk.

Individual strength is one factor, but the fighting power of the plundering people accounts for the vast majority.

If the people of the South China Sea want to completely annihilate the plundering tribes and take over their land, they will need the help of the desert people.

After years of hard work and battlefield experience, the military has long since trained an elite and sizable force.

This is the power of an entire nation!

It is not a force that can be ignored.

Putting everything else aside, Regent Qin Che is also a powerful transcendent being, with immense strength. He might even be able to fight the Wolf King, which would give the South China Sea Province a lot of reason to consider.

Mo Laowu remained silent for a long time before speaking again, his tone less relaxed: "Your side should know that now is the best time. If you let the desert people fight the berserker plunderers, are you confident that you can annihilate them all?"

He was saying that if we didn't participate, we'd miss this opportunity.

You guys do it yourselves next time.

We won't help.

"This is a tremendous opportunity. The city-state has negotiated with the Rock Clan and obtained their help. If we can launch a three-pronged attack simultaneously, the Wolf Den will be no match for us!" Mo Laowu declared confidently, his voice strong and resonant.

Qin Che smiled but remained silent.

Finally, news broke from the military headquarters. Li Xin calmly said, "How about this, let's compromise again..."

Mo Laowu's lips twitched.

"Everyone is having a tough time right now. This is your first time fighting in two or three years, while we have been fighting continuously for two or three years. We've really run out of money. If the South China Sea doesn't provide assistance in this regard, we won't say anything, and it's not like we can't send troops."

Mo Laowu sighed: "Speak, what are your conditions?"

“We need support in terms of commerce and population. The new district has just opened, and we are accepting immigrants from all over the world, as well as Lingbi caravans trading in the South China Sea. It would be best if we could offer some tax breaks.”

"No problem, I'll give you the best possible discount within my authority!"

Li Xin smiled, mimicking Qin Che by remaining silent.

The next person to speak was Su Pei from the Ministry of Finance.

He and Mo Laowu have gotten along quite well these past few days, and he's taken him to see many places.

"Ahem, what we mean is that it would be best to exempt them all."

Su Pei's words almost made Mo Laowu fall off his chair.

Taxes levied on business and trade activities constitute a significant portion of the revenue for the South China Sea region, with the desert-adjacent Lingbi region accounting for 30% to 50% of that revenue.

They are major taxpayers.

Completely free?

Dream on!

Mo Laowu felt like crying; this was truly a tough job.

"The main problem is... I can't make that decision. Our two countries have been trading with each other for so many years, and everything has been fine. Why are you suddenly proposing a complete tax exemption?"

Mo Laowu suspected that these desert people had suffered some kind of shock.

Such an outrageous demand!

Su Pei remained silent, mimicking Qin Gong and Minister Li by smiling without saying a word.

And so, the villain came along.

Li Zhanhuo, the deputy minister of the military, suddenly sneered: "You forbid this and you forbid that, are you trying to get my desert army for free? Isn't the South China Sea side a little too insincere? Ambassador, are you making fun of us?!"

Bang!

He slammed his hand on the table.

Mo Laowu's mind raced, but he remained outwardly calm.

“No…no, that’s not it.” Mo Laowu was sweating. “I need to send a telegram back to discuss this matter. It’s a very big deal. We understand your difficulties, but I’m just a lowly diplomat and can’t make any decisions.”

Qin Che finally spoke, laughing and saying, "Then you can discuss it slowly. There's no rush. The army needs to move. We need to feed the people and horses every day. We can't let my soldiers go out and face the northwest wind."

Mo Laowu gave an awkward smile, nodded, and didn't say anything more.

The negotiations thus concluded amicably.

Mo Laowu fled as quickly as possible and sent a telegram back to the South China Sea City-State, reporting the desert people's demands to his superiors.

I heard they had a fight.

But Mo Laowu wouldn't let up.

Qin Che didn't pay much attention and waited for news.

"So confident? What if they reject you?" Savanyin asked him.

“Sa Lingtian sent us a secret telegram today, informing us that the South China Sea City-State leadership has decided to implement reforms.”

"Oh? Is that true?" Savanyin asked in surprise.

"It seems that war has broken out in the north..." Qin Che's gaze turned serious.

Sa Lingtian's source of information must be the World Chamber of Commerce.

Such a large organization not only has its presence in the South China Sea, but also has its informants in the Central Plains region.

Has the war between the Mechanicus and the Iron Beast Kingdom already begun?

That's true. They've been fighting all along, as you can see from previous simulations. The two sides have been fighting for control of the Central Plains for over a hundred years...

The original intention of the reforms in the South China Sea was to unite against external threats and eliminate internal troubles.

If those ruthless soldiers who plunder the people can be completely wiped out, it will play a decisive role in the reform of the South China Sea.

Therefore, they have to fight.

It would be great if they fought; Qin Che couldn't be happier if they fought.

Otherwise, why would the people of the South China Sea come to him for help?