Uniting the side of the Brazilian Empire and carrying out the operational plan to destroy the main naval force of the Republic of Brazil meant that the scale of the war was expanded.

War is a double-edged sword, on the one hand, through war, the scope of the territorial scope can be expanded, and the cohesion of the country can be improved, on the other hand, a protracted war will also have a certain degree of negative impact on the country's economy and industrialization.

Before the outbreak of the war, Li Mingyuan and the main local officials and generals were most inclined to take advantage of a rapid local war to control the scale of the war within the territory of Paraguay, and at the same time use about three months to solve the army of the Republic of Brazil entering Paraguay, and then complete the strategic task of the Paraguayan War and smoothly bring Paraguay into the territory of the local rule.

However, the intervention of the Americans increased the variables of the war and made it difficult to implement the original strategic plan of the Han side.

In this unfavorable situation, if the Han side wants to accomplish the set strategic goals and not passively accept the negative changes brought about by the intervention of the Americans, it can only choose a more powerful counterattack and intensify the attack on the Republic of Brazil, so that the Republic of Brazil understands to what extent it will face resolute countermeasures from the Han side if it does not respect the wishes of the Han side and insists on pulling an external power into the southern part of South America!

"The British did not want us to spread the war to the territory of the Republic of Brazil, but now that the situation has changed, the Republic of Brazil is in collusion with the United States, and in order to temporarily prevent the strategic attempt of the United States to enter the south of South America, it is necessary for the local side to expand the scale of the war, and at the same time teach the Brazilian Republic a profound lesson that it is to draw the United States into the South American game without regard for the interests of the local side!"

According to the changes in the strategic situation, after issuing the latest operational instructions to the troops of the Asunción Front and the Paraná River Front, Li Mingyuan continued: "The entire Paraguayan battlefield continues to be deployed in accordance with Plan No. 1, and the garrison troops stationed on the front line near the state of Paraná of the Republic of Brazil will enter a state of first-class combat readiness from today onwards, and will always be ready for battle. The garrison immediately launched an attack on the defenders of the Brazilian Republic on the Paraná side in accordance with the operational plan No. 3! ”

"Yes, Your Majesty!" After listening to Li Mingyuan's order, the dozens of high-ranking generals standing in the room all stood up to answer.

"The core combat mission of the Los Angeles (Santa Catarina) garrison is to occupy the state of Paraná and, according to the changes in the battlefield situation, advance to São Paulo, Minas Girajis and other places, occupy and destroy the ruling base of the core control area of the Brazilian Republic, and loot all property, resources, and population that are beneficial to the development of the country! It is necessary to completely defeat the ability of the Republic of Brazil to cause trouble for the local side with a quick and fierce war, and strive to create favorable conditions for the local side to implement the next stage of the strategic plan! ”

"Your Majesty, expanding the scale of the war may lead to the intervention of the British, and now that the local side is in a head-on confrontation with the United States, if you offend the British again, will it lead to a further deterioration of the international situation facing the mainland?"

Tang Jingsong said worriedly.

"The Americans have stepped in and upset the situation in South America, and I believe the British should have a headache by now."

Li Mingyuan said calmly: "Although we should pay attention to the attitude of the British, we don't have to tie our hands and feet because of scruples at all times, bypassing the British, and directly attacking the Republic of Brazil, it is indeed possible that the British will intervene, but it is not only the local side that participated in the Paraguayan War, but also the Republic of Brazil was also involved?" Since the Republic of Brazil did not resist its ambitions and sent troops to Paraguay one step ahead of us, then, when the situation on the front line in Paraguay is tight, in order to save the more than 100,000 main forces that are pinned down by the local army, the Republic of Brazil will not take the lead in making countermeasures like the previous time, break the predicament of the Paraguayan battlefield, and provide a powerful excuse for us to enter the territory of the Republic of Brazil. ”

"Your Majesty means to use the more than 100,000 troops of the Republic of Brazil trapped in Paraguay as bait to force the Republic of Brazil side to make moves that are beneficial to the local side to expand the scale of the war?"

"Generally speaking, this is the idea, but the actual implementation will depend on the assistance of the military and political officials installed in the Republic of Brazil by the Brazilian Empire."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, for the sake of the great cause of the Empire, I will definitely strengthen communication and coordination with the Brazilian Empire."

Li Mingyuan's other father-in-law, the father of the virtuous concubine Li Yina, Silva said.

"The contact with the Brazilian Empire is the responsibility of Your Excellency and Chief Tang, and after the matter is completed, I will fulfill the promise I made some time ago, confer on Your Excellency the hereditary nobility of the Empire, and restore the noble status of the Calaveras family."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"The empire treats those who are truly committed to the empire, regardless of whether they are Chinese or white."

Li Mingyuan was satisfied with the performance of his father-in-law, and added, "If there are families in the Brazilian Republic or the Brazilian Empire who are willing to cooperate with or serve the Empire, Your Excellency can also contact them on behalf of the Empire. ”

"Your Majesty's prestige has spread widely in South America, and more than 20 old families, including the Dias family in the Brazilian Republic and the Jimenez family in the Brazilian Empire, all hope to establish closer ties with the empire and are willing to pay allegiance to Your Majesty in the name of their families."

"Very well, you are responsible for liaising with these families, and if they want to return to live in the country in the future, you can also arrange for them."

"Yes, Your Majesty." ……

With the war situation properly arranged, Li Mingyuan then shifted his focus to the economic aspect.

The Han state was founded on military affairs, and the total military expenditure of the army and navy has been on an upward trend for the past two decades.

In 1870, the total military expenditure was 5.81 million Han Yuan, of which 4 million was spent by the army and 1.81 million by the navy.

In 1875, the total military expenditure was 7.5 million Han won, the army military expenditure was 5 million Han won, and the navy military expenditure was 2.5 million Han won.

In 1880, military expenditure was 10 million Han won, and the military expenditure of the army and navy was 6.5 million and 3.5 million Han won respectively.

Before the outbreak of the Paraguayan War, at the end of 1888, the military expenditure of the Han army and navy exceeded 20 million won for the first time, reaching 23 million Han won, and the military expenditure of the navy also reached the level of equilibrium with the army for the first time.

Although the total amount of military expenditure has increased year by year, the proportion of total military expenditure has always been controlled within the range of 26 percent of the total state fiscal revenue due to the rapid increase in the economic strength of the Han State.

In 1875, the total fiscal revenue of the Han State was 20 million Han won, and in 1879, the total fiscal revenue was raised to 50 million Han won.

In 1888, the total fiscal revenue exceeded 100 million won and reached 107 million won.

The total state revenue has increased several times in 20 years, and even military spending has increased several times.

The proportion of financial funds invested in military construction and industrial construction maintains a fragile balance, and if the proportion of military expenditure exceeds 30 percent of the total fiscal revenue at the current overall economic level of the Han State, then the continuous development of industry, education, and other industries in the Han Kingdom will also suffer a serious impact.

For the Han State, which had a weak background, every war was a decisive battle related to the fortunes of the country, and it was difficult to move ahead of the great powers such as Britain and the United States with the strength of the whole country, and to take advantage of the complex changes in the international situation to try to win the war to gain more chances of victory.

If the war is lost or a major setback suffers, on the one hand, it means that the upward momentum of the Han State is suppressed, the morale of the people is hit, and on the other hand, it also means that the possibility of expansion is stifled, and the Han State loses the opportunity to continue to expand, and then loses the autonomy to become a world power and control the destiny of the country independently.

People's ambitions always change with the growth of strength, and so is Li Mingyuan's ideal, from the initial rescue of Chinese workers in South America from fire and water, the establishment of an independent country belonging to the Chinese themselves, and then to lead the people to work hard and gradually lead the Han State to become a world power and power.

Li Mingyuan, who is accustomed to being a national of a big country, is unlikely to be satisfied with being the monarch of a small country at the mercy of the great powers, just as the citizens of small Western countries do not understand the will of the great powers in the East to unify and expand, Li Mingyuan cannot understand the thoughts of the leaders of those countries who have stagnated and have not made the slightest progress.

Of course, if you want to lead the country to rise through foreign wars, the process is not so easy for Li Mingyuan.

Increasing military spending is one aspect of increasing the chances of winning a war, and controlling the scale of a war and reducing the financial consumption brought about by a war is another important factor affecting the outcome of a war.

On February 13, 1889, the central departments of the Han State held a special meeting to formulate military expenditures for the war.

In the course of the meeting, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Auditing, and other departments jointly formulated three plans for the expenditure of war funds.

Plan 1 estimated a total military expenditure of 24 million won and a war duration of 2 to 3 months (excluding the cost of law and order warfare after the occupation).

Plan 2 estimated a total military expenditure of 50 million won and a war lasting 6 to 8 months.

Plan 3 estimated a total military expenditure of 130 million won and a war lasting 1 to 2 years.

Based on the local fiscal revenue of 107 million won at the end of 1888, the military expenditures of Plans 1 and 2 were within the scope of bearing, but if the scale of the war expanded and the war lasted for more than one year, the impact on the local economy would be very serious.

Considering the negative impact of the prolonged war, Li Mingyuan weighed for a moment and instructed Zhao Yan, the Minister of Finance, that "the Ministry of Finance should make a plan to deal with the war for more than three months, and prepare in advance the financial funds needed to expand the scale of the war." If the state does not have sufficient financial funds, it can also raise funds by issuing treasury bonds and encouraging people to donate. ”

"Your Majesty, the German Empire and Austria-Hungary have been in contact with the Imperial Court, and they are willing to provide a batch of loan funds to support the Paraguayan War on their own soil."

"Forget it, the excessive introduction of German and Austro-Hungarian capital is not conducive to the development of local national industries, and it may also cause dissatisfaction with British capital."

Li Mingyuan opened his mouth and said: "Tell me on behalf of Germany and Austria-Hungary that Han appreciates their kindness, but at present, the scale of the Paraguayan war is under control, and we have no need to borrow funds from foreign countries for the time being." ”…………