Chapter 1103: For the sake of the people, let us surrender (third update, please subscribe)
Roar!
Like everyone else, Aniceto Arce was attracted to the window by the low roar of the engine in the air and stared at the airship above the city in amazement, with this question in his mind.
"Oh My God!"
No one agreed to him. At this moment, everyone went to the window and looked at the airship in amazement. What did they see?
There are doubts, confusion, and fear.
"The Great Ming Empire is coming, coming..."
The airship in the sky destroyed the last bit of fantasy in the heart of Anicetto Arce, the vice president of Bolivia.
What was the first thought that flashed through his mind at this moment?
Now that Hilarion Daza has been defeated, what next?
Although he is Bolivia's first vice president, he is not just a politician, he is also the owner of Bolivia's largest mining company, Huanchaca.
More than 20 years ago, Arce, who was already a member of Congress, acquired the bankrupt Huanchaca Mining Company for 40,000 Bolivian pesos. At that time, the company had invested 180,000 pesos in the construction of mining infrastructure, but failed to create any profit for the company's shareholders. After acquiring Huanchaca Mining Company, Arce continued to operate the Porque Mine in Potosí Province, which originally belonged to the company, and soon injected enough funds to get the company up and running. Between 1856 and 1861, Arce invested more than 300,000 pesos to purchase modern machinery and equipment, introduce drainage equipment, and build a vertical shaft for the silver mine. Since then, the company's business has been prosperous, especially after obtaining the privilege of freely exporting silver to the international market. Huanchaca Company once became one of the largest mining companies in Bolivia, and Arce himself became the first millionaire in Bolivia. He is one of the most powerful mining owners in Bolivia and a veritable "mining king."
A good businessman will become a government official. No, for Anicetto Arce, who is also a congressman, his success in business helped him succeed in his government career. Last year, President Daza appointed him as the first vice president.
As the first vice president stared at the airship in amazement, the question flashing through his mind was: President Dasa has failed, what should he do now?
Waiting online, very anxious.
As a businessman and a politician, Aniseto Arce is a typical realist. He understands the rules of the world: it is a pure jungle, and the principle followed in this jungle is the survival of the fittest.
And he himself is a jaguar in this jungle. In the past, he was always merciless when biting his prey, but what about now?
He found himself a prey, and he would probably be torn to pieces by many people until not even a bone would be left, because he knew very well what would happen after the conquerors arrived.
Potosi Silver Mine!
It was a piece of fat meat for any invader. Those invaders or the mining companies of the Ming Empire must have described the silver mines of Potosí on his map. Aniceto Arce had no doubt about this. He had friends in Chile, Argentina and Brazil. What happened to his friends?
His friends lost their fields, their mines, their...even their lives.
Perhaps their plight is worthy of sympathy, that's all.
To him, this is how the world works.
The strong prey on the weak!
In this world, all people and things follow this principle. If they violate this principle, they will be eliminated.
"What now?"
Gazing at the airship in the sky.
"Fortunately, I...only have one daughter!"
In an instant, Aniceto Arce made a decision in his heart, his beard slightly raised, and then he walked out resolutely.
As soon as he walked out, he felt the chaos in the presidential palace. People were running back and forth in panic, and everyone had the same expression on their faces, shock and fear.
"Where is the Chancellor? Where is the Chancellor?"
Anicetto Arce asked where the Chief Justice was because Supreme Court Chief Justice Pedro José Domingo Guerra was the Acting President appointed by President Daza to act on his behalf during his absence.
The chief justice is the acting president. This is a custom in the Spanish era. In the Spanish era, the first official in the government was the governor, and the second was the chief justice. After the colonies gained independence, they also retained this tradition.
Soon, Aniceto Arce arrived at the president's office, where Pedro José Domingo Guerra and several officers and ministers were standing by the window, all of them looking out the window with worry at the airships.
"Vice President, you've arrived at the perfect time. What should we do now?"
Pedro José Domingo Guerra said a little nervously.
"The Ming people are coming, not only with airships, but also with their troops. Their troops are entering the city and will soon reach the presidential palace. President Dasa may have been defeated, and he himself may even have been captured..."
Guerra’s words left Aniceto Arce completely stunned.
"Oh my God... How could this happen so fast..."
Failure was not unexpected, after all, the Ming Empire was so powerful, but no one expected it to happen so soon, even though the president had only been away for one day.
Is this a war?
This was not war as they knew it.
"Oh my God, is this the end of Bolivia?"
When Anicetto Arce heard Guerra's words, he looked at the acting president thoughtfully. Many years ago, when he was Bolivia's plenipotentiary representative in Lima, Peru, he had proposed that Bolivia should unite with South American countries such as the Empire of Brazil, Peru, Chile, Ecuador and the Republic of New Granada (Colombia) to form an American Union.
When the Ming Empire was rising, he also actively promoted the Peru-Bolivia Federation, trying to unite the forces of the two countries to resist the threat of the Ming Empire.
However, faced with absolute strength, the Federation didn't even have the ability to fight back. It was defeated so thoroughly and so quickly.
"Mr. Acting President, my friend, we have failed, and I think we should face reality..."
Anicetto Arce walked up to the acting president and said.
"I think we must now consider the safety of the citizens of Sucre. If the Ming Empire's airships bomb the city, it will definitely cause extremely heavy casualties."
"Mr. Vice President, are you talking about surrender?"
Gra said loudly.
"We need to think about the people here. Now that the army has lost the war, let's face it, Mr. Acting President, we still have a chance to end this with dignity."
Aniceto Arce looked out the window. Although he could not see the Ming Empire's army yet, he seemed to have heard the sound of their military boots.
"We can prepare an agreement before they arrive, requiring them to guarantee everyone's property and personal safety! If surrender can protect the safety of the citizens, then I think surrender is acceptable."
(End of this chapter)
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