Zuo Zongtang directly echoed: "Your Majesty is wise! However, before the Sikh king Samit Kumar did not openly declare his hostility with our country, Wechen thought it would be better to wait and see what happened. Perhaps because of the strength of the British army, the Sikhs were forced to surrender. Between countries, there is no gratitude, only interests, not to mention that the Sikhs did not help the British army to attack us. Perhaps, when the British army in India is insufficient and empty, His Majesty will send someone to contact them, and they can become a surprise army, and they can also involve the British army. However, they should also be reminded that they must be on guard not only against Tsarist Russia, but also against the British and Sikhs. ”

Feng Yunshan came back to his senses, nodded, and said, "What Zuo Aiqing said is reasonable. Continue to maintain contact with the Sikhs. As for the British army pacifying India, two Aiqing, tell me, how to prevent them next, what I am most worried about is that they will send troops to attack? ”

Although Fan Ruzeng couldn't say anything, he could still analyze the movements of the British army after inquiring about the information, so he replied: "Your Majesty, at least in the near future, there should not be many troops. The British army had only just quelled the main rebel areas in India, and they certainly did not dare to withdraw their troops rashly, fearing a resurgence. Moreover, the northeastern part of the Bengal region has not been completely occupied by the British army, as well as Burma, which has sent troops to attack Calcutta and other places, and is close to the Bengal region, the British army will definitely attack Burma first. ”

Feng Yunshan thought for a moment: "It's really possible!" However, Zuo Aiqing, your General Staff Department must come up with a complete set of response plans. Although Singapore and Malacca are still under the control of the British, it is not good for us to occupy them directly, but we can use them as a free port, and it doesn't matter if our Nanyang Company builds its own docks there, you block all the docks, where to build a few more forts, just in case, as long as there is a war with the British, immediately occupy Singapore and Malacca, as well as the chicken coop, and send an army there in advance, and if there is any movement, immediately send troops to block the Strait of Malacca, even if the navy is not enough, At the very least, it is necessary to occupy all the supply points of the British army such as Penang, Malacca, and Singapore, so as to cause trouble to them and cut off the supply lines of the other side. ”

He said to Fan Ruzeng: "Fan Aiqing, your secret service department has recently increased its intelligence efforts in Europe, India, and the South Seas. Especially in Europe, if the British army really sends troops, it will inevitably send a powerful naval force, which is so powerful that it is difficult to conceal. You can provide information in advance so that the soldiers are on guard this morning. In addition to this, we try to bribe the British MPs as much as possible, get them to provide information, and support them against sending troops against us. The required funds should be withdrawn directly from the Ministry of Finance and Taxation. ”

Fan Ruzeng hurriedly nodded in agreement. In fact, as early as the year before last, he had already begun to prepare to directly use money to bribe some money-greedy British parliamentarians, and even support some agents to run for parliamentarians, influencing Britain's China policy, but most of those parliamentarians were from aristocratic backgrounds, and they themselves had a lot of financial resources. Now with the emperor's words, he can let go of his hands and feet, and if he can't use money to smash it, he will also smash a few Neiying.

Feng Yunshan asked Zuo Zongtang again: "Zuo Aiqing, didn't Li Kaifang lead a group on the Malay Peninsula, and how is it progressing now?" ”

"Your Majesty, Commander Li left behind a force of 10,000 men, who have taken control of the Malay Peninsula and emigrated tens of thousands from the country to reclaim the rainforest and grow crops, which have taken root in the local area. Except for a few strongholds occupied by the British, such as Penang, Malacca, and Singapore, the rest of the places have all been the territory of our Chinese Empire. He personally led the remaining 8,000 people to help the Burmese king quell the rebels in Burma, and is now stationed in the oil city of Ringanqiang in Burma. Recently, a civil war broke out in Burma over the throne, and the surrounding area of Ringanqiang Oil City was also affected. Zuo Zongtang replied.

"Another civil strife in Myanmar?" Feng Yunshan was a little speechless, he really wanted to pacify Burma directly, but he didn't think it was cost-effective, anyway, he was already a vassal state of the Chinese Empire, and it might be better to assimilate it slowly. After all, the Chinese Empire had just been founded, and when there was a crisis, it would all erupt. It's better to let it kill each other, anyway, the final victor will definitely come over to claim his vassal position, and when the time comes, a little pressure will be exerted, and the benefits obtained will be better than direct conquest.

"Your Majesty, as Your Majesty said, now that the British have pacified India, they will inevitably slow down and send troops against the Empire. Sooner or later, it's just that. But now our empire's military strength, especially the army, is as high as one million, and it is not afraid of Britain, but its naval power is still far behind it, and it cannot be directly engaged in a head-on battle. In response to the threat of the British, Wechen roughly thought about several strategies. Zuo Zongtang thought for a while, and finally spoke.

"First, starting from the Strait of Malacca, the main communication route to the South Seas, the construction of heavy batteries in the important ports along the coast, especially in port cities such as Batavia and Kuching, can not only use the batteries to continuously consume the sea power, but also lure them to land and force them to engage in land battles with our army. Second, tens of thousands of troops were stationed in Burma, Kokand, Bukhara and other places in western Xinjiang, and once the British invaded from the sea, they quickly sent troops to attack the British Indian colonies from the east and west, forcing them to return to the rescue. Of course, the agents of the Secret Service Department could be sent in advance to contact the princes and remnant rebel leaders in India, support them in launching a rebellion, attack the British army in India together, and most importantly persuade the Sikhs and Burmese to send troops to induce them to carve up the British Indian colonies with benefits, presumably they would be interested. Third, if they could not resist it, they would lure the enemy into depth, stretch the battle line of the British army, and consume its logistical supplies. Then send troops to attack and harass its supplies at any cost, so that it cannot be supplied nearby, forcing it to retreat. In general, as long as we lure them into a big army battle, like the Crimean War, desperately losing tens of thousands of our own soldiers, as long as the British army has more than 10,000 casualties, plus we let those bribed parliamentarians make trouble in their own country, they will naturally not be able to bear it, and no matter whether they win or lose, they will definitely retreat in embarrassment. ”

When Feng Yunshan heard Zuo Zongtang's strategy, he couldn't help but secretly praise him for being reasonable, and his heart was a little calm. Especially when I heard the last sentence of "domestic trouble", a flash of inspiration flashed in my mind, yes, instead of trying to resist the other party halfway, it is better to let it catch fire in the backyard!

Isn't there still that Carl McChas in London? There are many other unemployed people who have gone around looking for work after the Workers' Charter movement, and when they are secretly organized, they are a formidable force. Feng Yunshan was instilled with this history as early as junior high school, and of course, Feng Yunshan later learned that the so-called workers' charter movement in Britain was actually just a group of laid-off workers who were forced by society to have no place to live, bankrupt vagrant migrant workers, and low-income temporary workers. But the more this is the case, the more destructive it is, it's just that there is a lack of people to stand up and organize. Of course, this is not difficult for yourself.

So, Feng Yunshan smiled on his face and said to Fan Ruzeng: "Your secret service department still has an important task to do quickly, I hope it will not only give the empire that the sun never sets a headache." After speaking, they carefully explained their thoughts, Zuo Zongtang and Fan Ruzeng couldn't help but sigh when they heard it: "Your Majesty is far-sighted, and the ministers are obedient!" ”

"Not only that, but remember that there were quite a few Irish soldiers in our army who were surrendered and recruited. Pick some and send them back to Ireland, give them full support, let them build up their forces there, and when the time comes, join the British workers. Yes, if the British don't send troops to attack us, as long as they send troops, when the war is tight, start an uprising, it must be enough for Queen Victoria to drink a pot. Feng Yunshan laughed treacherously.

Unexpectedly, after the surrender of the British soldiers of Irish nationality who had been captured at the beginning, more retired Irish officers were recruited through them, and now there are hundreds of Irish in the army, especially in the navy. This time it can come in handy, but it must be carefully selected, so as not to leak secrets, but you don't have to worry about it, Fan Ruzeng has been in charge of the secret service department for many years, so he naturally has his own set of methods and means.

As for inciting the Irish to rebel and become independent from Britain, Feng Yunshan was still somewhat sure that he would succeed.