Thanks to the reopening of the sea supply channel, by the end of April 1543, the regular army size of the Silver Wolf Column had expanded to 93 infantry divisions and 128 independent brigades.

And as more weapons and ammunition were transported by sea, the size of the regular army of the Silver Wolf Column was still expanding.

In addition, in the Bauhinia Province, Tulip Province, and Phalaenopsis Province of the Silver Wolf Empire, as well as the New Wilk Province of the Barbarian Bull Empire, the number of militia regiments formed by the Silver Wolf Column is as high as thousands.

Each militia regiment has a minimum of more than 1,000 people, and a maximum of 5 or 6,000 people, almost turning all the control areas of the Silver Wolf Column into soldiers.

Although the Barbarian Bull Empire has sent a large number of troops to New Wilk Province, in the face of the crowd tactics of the Silver Wolf Column, it can only hold on to some cities in the southern part of New Wilk Province, and at least two-thirds of New Wilk Province has been captured by the Silver Wolf Column.

However, due to the heavy concentration of troops in the southern part of New Wilk Province, the offensive of the Silver Wolf Column was also stopped, and the battle in New Wilk Province suddenly fell into a stalemate.

Just when the war in the New Wilk Province of the Barbarian Bull Empire had just reached a stalemate, Lu Qing, the prime minister of the Liang Yan Empire, secretly came to Ganyang City.

"The Liang Yan Empire wants to form an alliance with our Zhou family?" Zhou Rui asked Zhou Xiaorong with some surprise.

Although the Liang Yan Empire is the most industrially and technologically developed country among the human countries, the Liang Yan Empire has been learning from the six beast countries and has carried out a technological blockade of other human countries in many aspects, which makes the Liang Yan Empire have a very poor reputation in other human countries.

At the beginning, Zhou Rui hoped to import a batch of machinery and equipment from the Liang Yan Empire to manufacture large-caliber artillery shells, but they were all closed.

Zhou Xiaorong nodded and said, "Lu Qing, the prime minister of the Liang Yan Empire, came here in person to discuss the alliance with our Zhou family.

The military strength of the Liang Yan Empire is not weak, and the industrial level is also very strong, if it can really form a military alliance with the Liang Yan Empire, it will still have a lot of benefits for our Zhou family. ”

Zhou Rui groaned slightly: "Then let's meet Lu Qing, the prime minister of the Liangyan Empire, first, as for the alliance, I don't really have much expectations in my heart."

If a war breaks out between our Zhou family and which beast country, can the Liang Yan Empire really send troops to help?

I felt a little hanging.

Of course, if we can really form an alliance, we should be able to buy some machinery and equipment from the Liang Yan Empire that we are in short supply. ”

On the morning of April 29, 1543, Zhou Rui met with Lü Qing, the prime minister of the Liang Yan Empire, in Jiedu Mansion, the eleventh town of Ganyang City.

After Zhou Rui and Lu Qing exchanged a few words, Lu Qing directly turned to the topic, "Zhou Dashuai, the strength of the Zhou family now, not to mention in the Han and Tang Empires, even among all human countries, is the strongest existence.

But it is precisely because of this that the Zhou family will become a thorn in the side and a thorn in the flesh of those beast countries.

With the current military strength of the Zhou family, they may not be afraid of any beast country, but what if those beast countries unite?

As far as the old man knew, some time ago, the six beast nations almost formed a joint expeditionary force against the Zhou family. ”

Zhou Rui smiled slightly, "Lu Xiang, since your Liang Yan Empire is very aware of our Zhou family's situation, why do you want to form a military alliance with our Zhou family?"

Aren't you Liang Yan Empire afraid of being affected by our Zhou family? ”

Lu Qing immediately said: "Zhou Dashuai, let's not hide it, in recent years, because the Zhou family has attracted the attention of those beast countries, our Liang Yan Empire has dared to unscrupulously carry out round after round of army expansion.

Today, the army of our Liang Yan Empire has more than 4 million regular troops and more than 6 million reserves.

The navy of our Liangyan Empire already has 39 battleships with full main guns and 12 battlecruisers.

And 12 full-gun battleships with 360 mm guns and 12 battle cruisers with 360 mm guns are also about to be completed.

If the Zhou family was not in front, with the urine nature of those beast countries, they would never tolerate our Liang Yan Empire having such military strength. ”

Zhou Rui nodded, "What Lu Xiang said is very right, if there is no Zhou family, the Liang Yan Empire will inevitably become the next target of those beast countries."

Our Zhou family is also very willing to form a military alliance with the Liang Yan Empire, but the premise is that we hope that the Liang Yan Empire can support the Zhou family in some technical aspects, and in terms of machinery and equipment, relax the export restrictions on the Zhou family. ”

Lu Qing immediately patted his chest and assured Zhou Rui: "Rest assured, Zhou Dashuai, as long as we form an alliance, our Liang Yan Empire will not have any restrictions on the Zhou family, and our Liang Yan Empire is willing to provide whatever technology the Zhou family needs."

The shipyards of our Liang Yan Empire can even build all-main gun battleships and battle cruisers for the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet. ”

"Help the Southwestern Coastal Defense Fleet build all-main-gun battleships and battle cruisers? That's a good idea! ”

In a large hall of the imperial palace in Lingyang City, the capital of the Liang Yan Empire, Emperor Fan Yi asked the crown prince Fan Pu, "What do you think of the telegram sent back by Lü Xiang?" ”

The crown prince Fan Pu pondered for a while and said, "Father, I feel that I can agree to the conditions offered by the Zhou family.

Helping the Zhou family build those factories, including those four large shipyards, our Liang Yan Empire is not free assistance, and can even make a lot of money by selling those machinery and equipment.

As for helping the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet build all-main gun battleships and battle cruisers, there is no problem, even if the Zhou family is given a relatively favorable price, our shipyards in the Liangyan Empire can make a lot of money. ”

After Zhou Rui and Lu Qing reached a preliminary intention, Zhou Rui gave Lu Qing a purchase list, ready to purchase machinery and equipment worth more than a billion silver coins from the Liang Yan Empire, and asked the Liang Yan Empire to send technicians to help the Zhou family set up the corresponding factory.

Emperor Fan Yi sighed and said, "But the Zhou family is inevitably a little too wealthy.

Putting aside the machinery and equipment worth more than a billion silver coins for the time being, the Zhou family actually gave orders to several shipyards in our Liang Yan Empire for 30 Xianyuan-class battleships with full main guns and 30 traditional-class battlecruisers. ”

The Xianyuan-class all-main-gun battleships are the 12 all-main-gun battleships that have not yet been completed by several shipyards in the Liangyan Empire, with a full load displacement of 35,500 tons and a maximum speed of 22 knots.

It is equipped with 4 twin 45x caliber 380 mm main guns, 16 45x caliber 120 mm secondary guns, 20 30 mm anti-aircraft guns, 24 13 mm anti-aircraft machine guns, and 4 500 mm torpedo tubes.

The broadside armor belt was from 180 mm to 350 mm, the main deck armor was 90 mm, the main turret armor was 350 mm, and the crew was 1100 people.

The traditional-class battlecruisers, that is, the 12 battlecruisers currently under construction in several shipyards of the Liangyan Empire, will have a full load displacement of 35,900 tons and a maximum speed of 27.5 knots.

It is equipped with 3 twin 45x caliber 380 mm main guns, 18 45x caliber 120 mm secondary guns, 20 30 mm anti-aircraft guns, 24 13 mm anti-aircraft machine guns, and 4 500 mm torpedo tubes.

The broadside armor belt was from 110 mm to 220 mm, the main deck armor was 60 mm, the main turret armor was 280 mm, and the crew was 1030 people.

The Xianyuan class and the traditional class of the Liang Yan Empire, although compared with the all-main gun battleships and battle cruisers being built by several beast countries, have one less twin main gun, but the comprehensive performance is still very good.

Zhou Rui learned that the Liang Yan Empire was willing to help the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet build all-main gun battleships and battle cruisers, and with a wave of his hand, he placed an order for 30 Xianyuan-class and 30 traditional-class.

The crown prince Fan Pu said with a smile: "Father, the Zhou family is famous for its wealth.

Our Liang Yan Empire just used the order of these 60 warships to expand the shipbuilding scale of several shipyards, and prepare for a larger expansion of our Liang Yan Empire's navy in the future. ”

Emperor Fan Yi shook his head and said: "Our Liang Yan Empire is not as rich as the Zhou family, and the previous construction of 12 Xianyuan-class battleships with full main guns and 12 traditional-class battlecruisers has already advanced the navy's military spending for the next few years.

I see that the new large docks added by those shipyards may all be prepared for the Zhou family. ”

Crown Prince Fan Pu said: "Father, since we have formed an alliance with the Zhou family, the stronger the Zhou family, the safer our Liangyan Empire will be."

As long as the Zhou family can afford to give silver coins, as many warships as the Zhou family wants, our Liang Yan Empire will help the Zhou family build as many warships. ”

One Lang was affectionate, the other was intentional, and soon the Zhou family signed a formal military alliance treaty with the Liang Yan Empire.

The core content of this military alliance treaty is that the Zhou family and the Liang Yan Empire, and the invasion of either side by other forces and countries is equivalent to declaring war on the other.

In the Forbidden Army Governor's Mansion in Tiansheng City, the capital of the Han and Tang Empires, Zhao Shicong, the commander of the embroidery platform, said to Zhao Rongguang in a deep voice: "Father, it has been confirmed that the Liang Yan Empire and the Zhou family officially signed a military alliance treaty on May 5.

Although this military alliance treaty is mainly aimed at the six beast countries, it is obviously not good news for the various forces of our Han and Tang Empires. ”

Zhao Rongguang frowned and asked, "I heard that on the additional conditions of this military alliance treaty, the Zhou family purchased machinery and equipment worth more than a billion silver coins from the Liang Yan Empire, and also ordered 30 battleships with full main guns and 30 battle cruisers from the Liang Yan Empire?" ”

Zhao Shicong nodded, "That's true, the cost of the 30 battleships with full main guns and 30 battlecruisers is also as high as more than one billion silver coins, which is very in line with the Zhou family's rich and generous style." ”

Zhao Rongguang sighed and said: "Fortunately, the territory of the Zhou family is not yet bordered by the area controlled by the imperial court, and the imperial court does not have to have a headache to deal with the threat of the Zhou family for the time being."

By the way, how is the purchase plan of the embroidery platform in Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town, and Yongwei Town? ”

Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town and Yongwei Town are all located in the northeast region of the Han and Tang Empires, after the imperial court successively annexed Pushan Town and Pingyue Town in the northeast region, Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town and Yongwei Town formed the Northeast Alliance, becoming one of the eight major forces of the Han and Tang Empire.

The imperial court of the Han and Tang Empires, or Zhao Rongguang, the governor of the forbidden army, after receiving the assistance of the Golden Lion Empire, especially the annexation of Pingyue Town, expanded its strength very quickly.

So Zhao Rongguang hit the idea on Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town and Yongwei Town.

Zhao Shicong hesitated for a moment and said: "Father, the families of Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town, and Yongwei Town have recently monitored the generals who lead the troops very strictly.

Some of the generals that we had bought by the embroidery desk were found out one after another, which made our embroidery desk's purchase plan for these three feudal towns very unsmooth. ”

Zhao Rongguang said indifferently: "If the imperial court wants to recover Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town and Yongwei Town, it will have to rely on strong military strength after all.

However, don't give up halfway through your embroidery table's purchase plan, and when the imperial court prohibits the army to send troops, even if only a small number of troops in these three feudal towns choose to defect, it will also be a big blow to the morale of the troops of these three towns.

Correspondingly, for the imperial forbidden army, it can boost morale. ”

Zhao Shicong does not live in the Forbidden Army Governor's Mansion now, and after talking to his father Zhao Rongguang about business, Zhao Shicong left the Forbidden Army Governor's Mansion.

However, Zhao Shicong did not directly return to his mansion in Tiansheng City, but went to a mansion in the north of the city.

Zhao Shicong walked into the house, and a woman with a good appearance greeted him, "Commander, why do you have time to come to me today, I happened to make shark fin soup today." ”

Zhao Shicong stepped forward, hugged the woman's thin waist, and said with a smile: "I don't want to eat shark fin soup now, I just want to eat you!" ”

This good-looking woman is actually Liu Menglu, who is already married to Cui Wentao.

In order to obtain greater rights, Cui Wentao stunned Liu Menglu and personally gave it to Zhao Shicong, the commander of the embroidery table.

As a result, Liu Menglu, who had been promoted to a high-level martial artist, woke up ahead of schedule and almost beat Zhao Shicong to death.

When Liu Menglu figured out that it was her husband and gave herself to Zhao Shicong, she was almost disillusioned.

In the end, Cui Wentao knelt in front of Liu Menglu and admitted that he was actually only interested in men, hoping that Liu Menglu could look at the love between husband and wife and go to Zhao Shicong as a lover.

Liu Menglu can't be described as disappointed with Cui Wentao, but Liu Menglu thought about her situation and finally chose to leave with Zhao Shicong.

Zhao Shicong got Cui Wentao's wife, but he did not break his promise to Cui Wentao, and soon Cui Wentao was promoted to the pacification envoy of the embroidery table.

And Liu Menglu was raised outside by Zhao Shicong and became one of Zhao Shicong's many lovers.

Early the next morning, after Zhao Shicong left the house where Liu Menglu lived, Liu Menglu freshened up and dressed up, and went out shopping.

In a shop that sells rouge, when Liu Menglu was buying rouge, she quietly stuffed a circled note to the proprietress of the rouge shop, and said in a low voice: "The imperial court is ready to attack Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town, and Yongwei Town." ”