Chapter 968: The Secret War of the Empire (First Update, Please Subscribe)
The British Empire is depressed!
At least in the past few years, the British Empire's international influence has obviously not been as strong as it used to be. It's not just because challenges come from all directions, but what makes the British Empire depressed is that it is powerless to face challenges.
"When the Ming Empire occupied Brazil, all we could do was wait and see. When France, Russia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ming Empire divided Turkey, we were still waiting and seeing. Even in Africa, when the Ming Empire extended its claws to the Cape Town Colony, we were still waiting and seeing..."
In London's Hyde Park, a middle-aged man wearing a short coat and a black hat was shouting there. His speech had only one core point - the British Empire had reached its most dangerous moment.
In the past few years, the British public opinion and political circles have already reached a consensus on this. In Hyde Park, some public opinion leaders give speeches every day, advocating that the British Empire should fight against external threats with all its strength.
While they were giving speeches, there would always be a lot of ordinary people in tattered clothes standing around them. They would applaud and cheer for each other's speeches. Of course, at the end they would take out a penny or two from their shabby wallets and give them as rewards to these speakers to express their gratitude for awakening the patriotism of the general public.
"We are living in a more dangerous era than at any time in history. Although France and its allies are not as aggressive as Napoleon, gentlemen, they have been tightening the noose little by little over the past decade, and this noose has long been around the neck of the British Empire..."
The speech coming from afar seemed a bit noisy, but it had no effect on the people who were playing chess in the corner of the park. However, when waves of curses such as "Kill the French" and "Kill the Ming people" were heard, the middle-aged man who was playing chess still frowned.
"What a bunch of idiots."
Lawrence cursed casually as he stared at the chessboard.
The old man who was playing chess with him asked in confusion.
"What?"
“Those people…”
Lawrence glanced at the people in the distance and said.
"They don't know that Mr. Cullens, who is giving the speech, has never been a patriot. All his remarks are just to please others. Compared with the threats facing the British Empire, he cares more about his bread tonight, and his speech is just to coax a few pennies out of the pockets of another group of poor people."
The old man who was playing chess with Lawrence laughed.
"This is how the world works, but you can't deny that it is the existence of people like Cullens that makes many British people realize that the external threat to the empire is the most direct threat. Compared with external threats, issues like bread and 12-hour work are not worth mentioning. For the British Empire, this is obviously more beneficial."
Lawrence shrugged his shoulders without denying it and said.
"Colonel, I heard that Sadat is going to be executed soon, right?"
Sadat was the leader of the resistance in the French Middle East. A month ago, he and his army were defeated and captured by French commandos and then sent to Paris for interrogation.
"This is inevitable. Ever since the Jerusalem Incident, the French have been very consistent in their attitude towards those people - either convert and live as Christians, or die!"
Staring at the chess pieces on the board, the colonel took out a cigarette from the cigarette box in his pocket, lit it and took a puff.
"In the past few years, large-scale resistance has long disappeared. In order to destroy those people spiritually, the French and Russians destroyed all the local temples. Even the "Kaaba" in Makka was destroyed by the French with explosives. The whole city was razed to the ground and the "Saint Eugene Cathedral" was built there. Since then, the entire Arab world has sunk. After all, in the face of the brutality of absolute strength, even fanatics will become cowards."
Lawrence did not refute the colonel's point of view, but nodded in agreement.
"Yes, for the barbarians, violence is the most effective way of communication. We can see that many locals converted to other religions for wealth or survival, from Turkey to Medina. But we should also see that the locals are extremely dissatisfied with France because of this. From Egypt to Yemen, from Yemen to Oman, from Oman to India, from India to the Dutch East Indies, countless Muslims have deep hostility towards the French."
The colonel certainly had no doubts about Lawrence's statement. After all, it was a well-known fact.
"Tell me what you think."
"Colonel, perhaps the French can use bayonets to force people to submit in their occupied areas, but there are still many exiles outside their occupied areas. For example, there are many exiles in Yemen. I think we can completely support them and use them to infiltrate into the French-occupied areas, so that the French will continue to bleed..."
After a pause, Lawrence added.
"Now, France's oil fields in Mosul and other places can bring them more than 20 million pounds of income every year. France has gained extremely rich returns from it. The Middle East is now a fat goose that lays golden eggs for France. Colonel, if we allow the French to continue to make money there, it will undoubtedly be a crime against the British Empire. After all, the wealth France earns every year can build a fleet!"
After saying this, Lawrence looked at the colonel expectantly, waiting for his answer!
Four years!
In the past four years, Lawrence has been neglected intentionally or unintentionally. After he completed the work on "Jerusalem", he was neglected. There was no reward or any other expression.
As his immediate superior, Colonel Weinberg knew very well that for the politicians in London, Lawrence was a "scar" that could never be uncovered. Once someone knew that Britain was the mastermind behind the "Jerusalem Incident", then Britain... would truly become the enemy of the entire Christian world.
So, as early as four years ago, the instructions from London were very clear, asking Lawrence to keep quiet and no one would ever mention this matter again.
But Lawrence is never a person who is willing to be lonely. In the past, he has always longed to make a comeback.
Where will he make his comeback?
Of course, he made a comeback in Arabia. In fact, he supported the Arabian resistance forces and the local people in resisting French rule.
This is what Lawrence longed for.
But Lawrence obviously forgot one thing, that the British now didn't want to have anything to do with the Arabs at all. They even wanted to stay away from them to avoid the secret being exposed.
"That's true, but you know, my friend, Britain cannot get involved in these matters right now. After all, Britain is also a civilized country. If the French knew that we support pagans, then the British Empire would become an enemy of civilization. My friend, now..."
Shaking his head, Colonel Weinberg said.
"The timing is not right, Lawrence, my friend. You should go out and relax and enjoy the spring sunshine. After all, spring is so beautiful..."
(End of this chapter)
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