Chapter 791: The most deadly blow to Britain (fourth update, please subscribe)
Emperor Zhu certainly trusts the warriors!
Just like the Tsar trusted the Cossacks and Britain trusted India. They were all consumables of the empire, so how could they not be trusted?
Give the consumables a certain amount of trust, use the consumables and their blood as fuel to light up the empire's great cause, and let the people of the empire enjoy a better life under the burning light of the empire's consumables.
This is what an empire should be like!
Not only should one trust the consumables, but also praise them. Emperor Zhu was moved by the Japanese warriors' enthusiasm for signing up and their sincere loyalty to the emperor. In order to show his care for his retainers, Emperor Zhu issued an edict that the benefits and salaries of all the recruited warriors would be increased by 10% when they were fighting outside.
This is a considerable expense, equivalent to an increase of ten kilograms of rice!
Alas, the cost is a bit high.
But there’s nothing I can do!
They risked their lives, and the Ming Dynasty paid for rice. It was only right that they paid an extra three or five dou.
When tens of thousands of samurai put on military uniforms and carried their family-inherited samurai swords and set out on the expedition, the Ming Dynasty's call for conscription caused an unprecedented response in Europe.
In a British newspaper, a cartoon depicting the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and the French Goddess hugging each other and rushing towards North Africa wrote this directly.
"Occupy Egypt!"
Faced with such a threat, No. 10 Downing Street naturally seemed very nervous. France alone had already made Britain a little overwhelmed, not to mention that the Ming Dynasty had now recruited 100,000 Japanese samurai.
What exactly are they going to do?
Are they really going to intervene in North Africa?
Almost at the beginning of the conscription, the consul in Japan asked the Ming Dynasty for its opinion. After refusing to respond on the grounds of military confidentiality, the British ambassador to the Ming Dynasty asked the Ming Dynasty's Ministry of Foreign Affairs again. Zhu Guojiu chatted with the other party for half an hour, and finally got a promise that "the Japanese soldiers recruited this time will never be sent to North Africa."
But everyone knows that the commitments between countries are basically... adjusted at any time according to changes in the situation.
It was at this time that a telegram from the British Cape Colony stunned No. 10 Downing Street - the Ming army appeared on the Namibian coast north of the Cape Colony.
"Their expeditionary force is moving deeper inland!"
Earl Henry Herbert, the British Empire's Colonial Secretary, said this in a very serious tone.
"Sir, now everything is clear. The French occupy North Africa. Under their control, North Africa will put the entire Suez Canal under their control, while the Ming Dynasty occupies Southwest Africa. The collusion between the Ming people and the French has not only seriously damaged Britain's interests in South Africa, but also threatened Britain's interests in the East. If Britain's hegemony in this region cannot be guaranteed, then Britain's sea routes to India will also be threatened - from the Suez Canal to Southwest Africa, all routes are under the threat of the Ming Dynasty and France. India is the core interest of the British Empire. Therefore, the Ming people's attempt must be thwarted."
In everyone's opinion, Henry's worries were undoubtedly in line with judgment. This was the fact. According to Emperor Zhu's plan, once the war with Britain broke out, the "Quadruple Alliance" would pose a direct threat to Britain from all aspects. What was the ultimate goal?
It is to isolate Britain!
The key to defeating Britain is to restore it to the British Isles, disintegrate Britain's huge colonial empire through control of key areas, and prevent Britain from obtaining resource supplies from overseas colonies.
Why did Germany fail in its challenge to Britain in World War I and World War II?
Is it just because of the US declaration of war?
Of course not. What is the core reason? No matter how much blood the British shed, they could always get supplements from their vast overseas colonies. It was the overseas colonies that gave Britain the capital to continue fighting. In contrast, Germany was always on the blockade side. Germany could neither obtain industrial raw materials from overseas nor obtain food, meat and other necessities of life.
Failure was doomed from the moment Germany was cut off from the world.
In fact, this is also what Britain is best at. Britain has never been a Roman-style military empire. They are more like the Carthaginians. The purpose of war is for trade, and the goal of trade is for money. They will fight wars in the lowest cost way. Blockade and isolation at sea are the key to Britain's defeat of Spain, the Netherlands, Napoleon, and the two Germans and three Germans.
Emperor Zhu, standing on the shoulders of the giant of history, certainly knew the secret of Britain's strength. Therefore, from the very beginning, his strategic plan was aimed at undermining the lifeblood of the British Empire.
Whether it is the "Eating Dirt Alliance" or the "Africa Strategy", they are essentially sharp daggers stabbing at the foundation of the British Empire, and every dagger is fatal.
Faced with such a situation, how could they not worry.
"Yes, sir, our concession will only fuel the ambitions of the French and the Ming people. Their ambitions are expanding, and they are arrogantly challenging Britain around the world. Prime Minister, we must stop them, otherwise, they will destroy everything we have!"
As Foreign Secretary, Edward was fed up with making concessions. In the past few months, Britain had been slapped in the face. The Ming Dynasty slapped them twice in East Africa and Japan, and the French slapped them in the face again in Libya.
This face hurts!
"America, Italy, Germany, are they willing to join the Entente?"
As Prime Minister, Benjamin certainly knew the answer. Facing the threat of the "Quadruple Alliance", what was Britain's answer? It was to form an alliance like them.
"Although Italy is very interested, the United States and Germany are waiting and watching, at least for now, they are not willing to join the agreement,"
Edward said, shrugging helplessly.
"Bismarck needs to consider the balance. He is worried about being attacked from three sides. As for the United States, they have the same problem. Ming Dynasty and Mexico are both threats to the United States. However, they do not think it is the time to intensify the conflict with France and Ming Dynasty..."
The Foreign Secretary's answer filled Benjamin's heart with helplessness. Whether it was Germany or the United States, the issues they were worried about were of course realistic, but what was the more realistic issue?
"He's waiting for our offer!"
Benjamin said with a slight headache.
"Without a suitable price, they will not join the alliance, but what price can Britain offer now?"
Benjamin, who just felt a headache, rubbed his brow and said.
"Supporting the US's request for British Columbia may be the only option to get the US on board. They will definitely not refuse. After all, they are cutting flesh from the Ming Dynasty. And what about Italy? Their ambition is not just the Papal States. They also have ambitions for the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. As for Bismarck, that guy, is his ambition just the true unification of Germany? Only God knows. In this case, to get them on board, we must offer enough price... This is really a headache! Every time we offer a price, they will become stronger. Then the question is, after the threats from France and the Ming Dynasty are eliminated, will they become a new threat to Britain?"
No one can answer this question, and this is why Britain has not yet formed an alliance - not because it does not want to, but because it is worried that its opponents will become stronger.
This is the pain of being the boss.
On one side were those damn French and Ming dynasties, who stabbed Britain's most lethal parts with their knives.
Faced with such a situation, even if the UK wants to take action, the "Four-Nation Alliance" is a real threat.
Even if they want to win over a group of little brothers to deal with the Quadruple Alliance, will those little brothers become a threat to Britain in the future?
Edward said, looking at the Prime Minister who was suffering from a headache.
"Sir, the problem now is South West Africa! We must stop them there!"
(End of this chapter)
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