Chapter 1012: Sending Death (Second Update, Please Subscribe)
Every day, newspaper deliverymen would deliver hundreds of newspapers to the Ming Empire's embassy, including the largest local newspapers and many third-rate tabloids with gossip.
All newspapers may contain various secrets.
A qualified intelligence analyst must first learn to find valuable intelligence from newspapers and messy news.
This is the first lesson for intelligence analysts.
As the second-class counselor of the embassy, Zheng Mingsen was also an intelligence analyst of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His daily job was to collect the necessary information from newspapers and other materials. When he finished writing his report, the blue dawn had just descended on Tacna. He stretched the tense muscles in his shoulders, lit another Furong cigarette, and then read the last few paragraphs of a news article in the newspaper.
“…British companies will further increase their investment in the Atacama region, which will surely further promote the overall economic take-off of the federation.”
"The British hand is extending further and further into the Federation."
Zheng Mingsen was mumbling to himself, as if he saw the British extending their hands to the Federation. But what was the reality?
The British had already extended their hands to the Bolivia-Peru Federation. Soon after Peru gained independence, in order to guard against powerful neighbors, it had a tradition of forming an alliance with Bolivia. In October 1836, the Peruvian Congress passed a resolution to unite with Bolivia to form the Peru-Bolivia Federation. The establishment of this confederation has important benefits for the common development of the two countries: Peru can make more in-depth use of Bolivia's resources, and Bolivia can also make better use of Peru's long coastline. At that time, Chile believed that this federation broke the regional balance and threatened its own interests. So it joined Argentina to go to war with this confederation. Although the federation fought hard for more than two years and repelled the Argentine army, it was eventually defeated by Chile. Under the threat of the Chilean army, this short-lived federation was disbanded.
In 1869, in the face of the strong rise of the Ming Empire, under the instigation of Britain and the threat of reality, the Bolivian-Peruvian Federation was once again established. After the demise of the Brazilian Empire, the Bolivian-Peruvian Federation became a bridgehead to resist the expansion of the Ming Empire.
Over the past decade or so, British businessmen have invested heavily in Peru in order to enhance Peru's strength and gain profits, especially in the Atacama Desert, where they have invested in and built a number of saltpeter mines. Saltpeter is a natural raw material for refining fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium, sodium, sulfur, and iodine; it can be used to make gunpowder and is also an indispensable raw material in the military industry.
Although Chile had begun mining saltpeter in Bolivia's Antofagasta Province and Peru's Tarapaca Province (North Grande Region) before the fall of Chile, Chile exported more than 60,000 tons of saltpeter annually when the country fell. However, after the fall of Chile, Peru and Bolivia both strengthened controls and restricted South China's investment in the two places. Of course, South China could not go to the two countries to confiscate enterprises. At the same time, Britain increased its investment in the Federation, and in the following decade, saltpeter became the most important export product of the Federation. It was also stimulated by the export of saltpeter that the military strength of the Federation has developed by leaps and bounds in the past decade.
"The Federation... should be the biggest border threat to the Empire in the future."
While taking a shower in the bathroom, Zheng Mingsen still had this thought in his mind. After drying himself and changing into clean casual clothes, he walked towards the restaurant on the first floor. Before he reached the restaurant, he was stopped by a young embassy staff member. These young people in their twenties all looked energetic. They graduated from various schools in China. They either aspired to become diplomats or wanted to see foreign countries. They worked in the embassy as trainees. Their work was simple. They usually ran errands, served as messengers, and passed on orders.
"Counselor Zheng,"
The young man gasped and said,
"The Ambassador wants you to go to his office immediately."
Zheng Mingsen looked at his Seiko watch.
"Tell the ambassador that I'll be there when I finish breakfast."
"The Ambassador wants you to come over immediately."
The ambassador's arrangement made Zheng Mingsen feel a little unhappy. Although the official style of the Ming Dynasty was greatly influenced by tradition, there was no habit of officials at higher levels to crush others and obey orders from their superiors. Officials at all levels had a certain degree of independence.
Even though the ambassador is the chief officer, it is only seven o'clock in the morning. Should he be asked to go to the office immediately?
Just when Zheng Mingsen wanted to refuse, the young man said again.
"The ambassador said it was an emergency."
Emergency?
What's going on?
As soon as he entered the ambassador's office, Zheng Mingsen heard the ambassador say.
"Counselor Zheng, I received an urgent call from China and I need your assistance."
"An urgent call from home?"
Zheng Mingsen said in surprise.
"What is it?"
"Do you know Mr. Wang?"
Sun Zhaohan asked.
"Old Prime Minister Wang? Are you referring to the Assistant Minister?"
Zheng Mingsen asked.
"Yes, that's him. Didn't he retire a while ago? He must have been bored at home, so he suddenly traveled around the world. This is his first stop!"
"What!"
Zheng Mingsen spoke in surprise, his voice higher than his usual volume.
"Why don't you stay at home and enjoy your life? What are you doing here?"
"We can't ask about this, and we can't ask. He has already arrived in Shanxi, and will soon take a boat from Shanxi to come to us. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs means that while the old prime minister is in the Federation, the embassy will be responsible for receiving him and also for his safety!"
Sun Zhaohan said.
"You are the intelligence counselor of the embassy, so this matter is handed over to you. You are responsible for the protection of the old prime minister in the federation."
The ambassador's arrangement made Zheng Mingsen frown.
"Don't you know where this place is, old Prime Minister? When he was in charge of Shanxi, countless Chileans fled to Peru. Now he comes to Peru... Ambassador, if something goes wrong, neither you nor I can afford it!"
There is no problem with how many intelligent people have fled to this place. The biggest problem is that some of those people have the same hatred for him of having their fathers or brothers killed. This is the biggest problem.
"I know, but we can't tell the old prime minister that you offended too many locals in Shanxi and have many enemies here. If you come here, there will definitely be problems with your safety."
After Sun Zhaohan said a series of words, he said again.
"We are slapping the old prime minister in the face, so we have to be responsible for his safety, and this work is yours."
"ambassador."
With a frown on his face, Zheng Mingsen moved back in his chair and thought to himself… This job is really tricky! And it’s not just a simple tricky one.
After all, there are more than one or two people who want him dead in this place. In this case, I want to protect his safety.
It's just a little unrealistic.
Doesn't he know that so many people want him dead?
"Ambassador, my advice is to try not to let him come here. After all, you know this place. At least one or two out of ten people want to kill him. In this case, if he comes here, it will be very dangerous! He may even come to die!"
Faced with the reminder, Sun Zhaohan said helplessly.
"He wants to come here to die, what can I do? All we can do now is to do our best and leave the rest to fate."
(End of this chapter)
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