Democracy has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages.

In years of peace, democracy has been a source of merit. But during the war, democracy gets in the way.

After assessing the total GDP, the Chinese Empire overtook Britain, the United States and Japan by 31.6% by 29.5%, but if the potential enemies France and Tsarist Russia were included, the result was 31.6% to 45.1%.

Of course, there is another variable in this, that is, the German Empire and Austria-Hungary, once the Tsarist Empire and the French Empire are involved in the war, then the German Empire and Austria-Hungary will probably also enter the war.

Once that happens, it's the First World War.

It was only 1884, 30 years before 1914, and the First World War broke out 30 years earlier, which made Li Weiguo's heart flutter and flutter wildly.

To fight or not to fight?

Li Weiguo weighed the pros and cons in his heart, and his original plan was to continue the war against Britain and seize the last few British colonies in the Pacific, British New Zealand, the British Solomon Islands, and the Dutch East Indies were also targeted by Li Weiguo, because the Chinese Empire wanted to achieve complete control over the entire Pacific region.

If the British choose to back down, then the Chinese Empire can easily encroach on these colonies, but if the British do not back down, then it can only be resolved through war.

The question is how big the war will be, and what will happen if it ends up triggering World War I?

History has become distorted, and it is impossible for Li Weiguo to make decisions based on the original historical events, but it can assist in analyzing problems.

The First World War was triggered by the redistribution of colonies, when the colonies of the whole world were divided, so that the old and new imperialist countries broke out into war. But now, because of the strong rise of the Chinese Empire, the colonies of Britain, France, the United States, Russia and other Western powers in Asia have shrunk, which has stimulated them to speed up the plundering of African colonies, Britain and France have accelerated their invasion of Africa, and completed the complete partition of the whole of Africa last year.

And because the United States could not get a colony, it was forced to stretch out its butcher's knife to Spain, an old imperialist country, to fight for the island of Cuba, which was nearly 20 years earlier than the historical Spanish-American War, which shows that the war between the old and new imperialist powers is not far away, so the First World War is very likely to detonate in the near future.

If World War I breaks out, whether the German Empire and Austria-Hungary can hold back the British, French, and Russian coalition forces on the European battlefield is directly related to the core security interests of the Chinese Empire and must be highly valued.

"Your Majesty, can you find a way to divide and disintegrate the Triple Alliance of Britain, the United States and Japan, and even prevent France and Tsarist Russia from getting involved in the war?"

At this moment, Chen Jingnan, the secretary of the Ministry of Justice, who had not been silent, suddenly spoke.

"Do you have any good ideas?"

Li Weiguo hurriedly asked, he felt that Chen Jingnan already had a coping strategy.

Chen Jingnan smiled slightly and said: "Your Majesty, the current attitude of the British is not to go to war with the Empire, they even sent a special envoy to persuade the Imperial Government to believe that the Viking Regiments have nothing to do with the British Government, which shows that in the face of the possible outbreak of the Sixth Sino-British War, the British are not more confident than us to win, so that we can take advantage of the British do not want to go to war to make a fuss." ”

Li Weiguo agreed: "Tell me your opinion specifically!" ”

Chen Jingnan continued: "Now, our empire occupies the moral high ground, and we can use the Viking group to make a fuss and scare the British. We threatened war to force the British to transfer New Zealand and the Solomon Islands to the Empire, and we saved face for the British to acquire these two colonies by means of ransom. ”

Li Hongzao suddenly objected: "No! The dignified Chinese Empire, since it can be seized by force, why do you have to buy it peacefully? Isn't that a waste of money? ”

Chen Jingnan didn't get angry but laughed: "Master Li thinks this is a waste of money? Did you know that once it is solved by means of war, even if it costs three or five times as much money, it will not be able to stop military spending! ”

The civil and military officials nodded one after another, they understood what Chen Jingnan meant, and Li Hongzao was also stunned and silent.

Li Weiguo then said: "The Imperial Court can take this opportunity to test the reaction of the British!" ”

"Obey the order!" Zhang Peilun hurriedly replied.

Chen Jingnan continued: "Your Majesty, the British will definitely not give in easily, and they have to increase the pressure of public opinion from all sides, build momentum around the world, and hold on to the Viking group. If it can win the sympathy of the people of the world, it will inevitably influence the attitude of the Confederate States of America, and at least the Americans will have no excuse to intervene. Even if war is unavoidable, at least the Reich will not block the war budget! ”

A soldier who surrenders without a fight, this strategy is high!

Most importantly, creating public opinion would not only put pressure on the British, but would also make the people of the Reich see the sinister face of the British, so that it would be easier for Congress to pass a huge budget allocation for the war.

Kill more than one stone.

Li Weiguo immediately nodded in agreement, and asked the civil and military officials to act separately, and the Lifan Yuan began to build public opinion, put pressure on the British, and the military made war preparations, formulated a battle plan, and strived to let the Congress pass the war budget first.

As soon as Zhang Peilun returned to the Lifan Yuan and made arrangements for various tasks, he learned that the British envoy and the British ambassador to China had visited.

Just taking the opportunity to scare them first, Zhang Peilun made up his mind, so he met with Prion and Hammerbeck.

"I must solemnly inform you, and through you, inform your government that we have evidence that the Vikings were secretly manipulated and instructed by your government, and that your country's actions have seriously endangered the national security interests of the Chinese Empire, and caused huge losses to the Chinese Empire's economy, as well as the loss of more than 10,000 lives, and your country must give us an explanation, otherwise it is equivalent to declaring war on the Chinese Empire!"

Prien and Hambeck were taken aback, although they didn't believe that the Chinese Empire had the evidence, but they had a ghost in their hearts, what if the Chinese Empire really had evidence? Faced with the threat of war, the two appeared quite nervous.

"It can't be the government of the British Empire that instigates it, these damned pirates must be slandering us. They were dismissed from the military and dissatisfied with the British Empire, which is their reason for framing us. "Prien denied it, and he couldn't admit it even if he was killed!

"Well, I express my deep condolences for the tragic death of your citizens under the butcher's knives of the Viking Regiment, but it seems that so far, only 113 citizens of your country have been killed, how can it suddenly become more than 10,000?" Hambeck asked suspiciously, as he paid attention to this matter every day, counting the casualties and losses of the citizens of the Chinese Empire.

"The others are overseas Chinese! It wasn't in the Empire's stats before! Zhang Peilun prevaricated, obviously he was deliberately exaggerating the facts and losses, paving the way for the next reasonable conditions.

"This is the casualties and economic losses caused by the attack of the Viking group in the Chinese Empire, as well as the price paid by the Chinese Imperial Navy to exterminate the pirate group this time, we ask your government to compensate, this is our condition, I hope you will answer seriously, otherwise wait for our war revenge!"

Zhang Peilun wrote the terms, handed them to the two of Plion, and then sent them off directly. After all, there is nothing to talk about with Prien, all this is up to the Prime Minister of the British Empire.

When Prien and Hammerbeck took the terms, they turned pale and didn't know how they had returned to the British Embassy in Beijing.

The terms are as follows:

1. The Vikings are all disguised by retired soldiers of the British Navy, and the criminal and civil liabilities caused by them must be borne by the British government.

2. The refusal of the Imperial Chinese government to extradite the captured 1,213 members of the British pirates will be punished by the laws of the Imperial Chinese Empire.

3. The Chinese Empire suffered more than 10,000 casualties, lost 1,145 merchant ships of various types, and the value of goods was 230 million yuan, and the British government needed to bear the relevant civil liability for compensation, with a total of 360 million yuan in compensation, which needed to be paid in gold.

4. The Chinese Empire dispatched the navy to exterminate the Viking Pirate Regiment, which was to help the British Empire and maintain the face of the British Empire, so the military expenses of the Chinese Imperial Navy must be paid by the British Empire, a total of 30.12 million yuan, which needs to be paid in gold.

5. The Solomon Islands and New Zealand are the nests of the Viking group, and there are still remnants of piracy, and the British Empire needs to hand over the Solomon Islands and New Zealand to the Chinese Empire in order to better clear the pirates.

6. There is evidence that the Viking Regiments are supported by the government of the British Empire, and the British Empire must apologize to the Chinese Empire and the people of the Chinese Empire, and agree to the principle of compensation under the above terms, otherwise it is equivalent to declaring war on the Chinese Empire.

Prien and Hambeck grimaced, sending the terms to Downing Street in London, and then they sat still, waiting for Saul's wrath.

On Downing Street, Saul had just laid down to rest when he received an emergency call and had to get up again.

When he came to the office, after reading the contents of the telegram, he immediately flipped the table in anger.

Not long after, the main officials of various government departments arrived, and the entire conference room was in a haze.

"Damn it, look at what you're doing well in the Admiralty!"

"What's wrong with our Admiralty? At the beginning, this plan was approved by everyone's agreement! Why scold us Admiralty now! ”

"I'm just going to scold you Admiralty, what's wrong? Look at James's waste, it has only been less than half a year, and it has been wiped out by the Chinese Empire! ”

"That's right! Your Admiralty promised that the Vikings would plague the Chinese Empire for at least three or five years and bring down the Chinese Empire's maritime trade! ”

"You can't talk well? Who do you scold? ”

"What's wrong with scolding you!"

A group of officers immediately quarreled, and soon a fight broke out with the people of the Admiralty.

"Enough! Don't you think we're ashamed enough! ”

Thor was furious and immediately called the security guards to pull everyone away and prevent them from fighting.

"Now is not the time to hold us accountable, the Chinese Empire wants us to compensate, and if we don't compensate, we will go to war, what do you say?"

"What else can I do? With such a demanding request, it is clear that they want to start a war with us! Defense Secretary Cook suddenly said angrily.

"Not necessarily! If you really want to go to war with us, you won't put forward conditions! Foreign Secretary Aris had a vicious eye and could clearly see what he had seen in it.

Cook said angrily: "How can we agree to such a condition? ”

Aris smiled: "Negotiate, naturally you have to bargain." ”

Thor pondered, "What do you see? ”

Aris replied, "I think the true intentions of the Chinese Empire are in the last two! One is the Solomon Islands and New Zealand, which is the last colony of the British Empire in the Pacific, and if it is acquired by the Chinese Empire, the Chinese Empire will completely control the Pacific. One is to apologize and compensate, this is the Chinese Empire's explanation to the whole world, but also to the Chinese Empire's people, in fact, the Chinese Imperial Navy dispatched in time, and the Viking Pirate Regiment did not cause substantial damage to the Chinese Empire at all, and the loss was not much. ”

Saul nodded, agreeing with Aris's point of view, looking at the problem from a diplomatic point of view, it was indeed to the point.

Cook suddenly objected: "We can't give up the Solomon Islands and New Zealand, this is the last colony of our British Empire in the Pacific, once we give it up, we will no longer have an excuse to enter the Pacific Ocean, and our British Empire's Pacific Fleet should be revoked." ”

Aris snorted coldly and said, "If it weren't for your navy's bad plan to use pirates to severely damage the Chinese Empire, how could we be so passive? ”

Cook suddenly slapped the table and said angrily: "Isn't this strategy of our navy clever? Who was the first to approve in the first place, wasn't it you? ”

Seeing that he was about to fight again, Thor hurriedly said: "It's not that our strategy is not clever, it's just that the enemy is too cunning!" We didn't expect the Chinese Empire to react so quickly, and even quickly dispatch their main naval force, let alone James to be defeated so quickly, all because the Chinese Empire was too cunning. ”

At this time, Fisher came out to play a round and said: "That's true, our plan can be said to be seamless, and the problem lies with the Chinese Imperial Navy. How do they know everything about James? Both sides also sent reconnaissance ships, why did we get the news a week later than the Chinese Empire? ”

"Okay, that technical problem, you navy yourself think slowly, now our first problem is how to negotiate with the Chinese Empire!" Saul was not interested in hearing Fisher's analysis.

Fisher had no choice but to put aside the doubts in his heart for a while, and then find time to discuss.

"Aris, you can personally visit the Chinese Empire and negotiate with them!"

"Does the Prime Minister have any bottom line?"

That's right, you have to determine the bottom line of the negotiation first.

Saul thought for a moment and said, "If we can stop the war, we can consider making a certain amount of compensation, which cannot exceed ten million pounds." The Solomon Islands and New Zealand can be discussed, but the Chinese Empire must pay the price. If we can't stop the war, we must also delay as much time as possible, and we will have at least half a year to prepare. ”

Aris understood, and immediately began to prepare.

At the same time, the Chinese Empire has launched a public opinion offensive to expose the true face of Britain's support for the Viking Empire, smear the British Empire everywhere, and put the British Empire in a passive position of public opinion.

When Saul learned about it, he was so angry that he vomited blood, and prepared for the worst, actively preparing for war on the one hand, and communicating with the United States and Japan on the other hand, and preparing for war together. At the same time, Thor did not forget to contact France and the Russian Empire, hoping to win their support, and it would be better if they could form an alliance.

The whole world was suddenly in turmoil, the smell of war was getting stronger and stronger, and people all over the world were spending every day in tension. (To be continued.) )