PS: The second update is here! Ask for a subscription, ask for a monthly pass! Thank you for the tips from book friends Dear, Dalu, and the Eagle of the People's Liberation Army! Thank you for the glorious monthly pass of the book friend for a long time and the drums of war!

The dinner held at Xinhua Palace lasted until late at night. During the period, it can be regarded as a joy for both guests and hosts. After all, even if there were any more contradictions, there would be no conflicts at the banquet held by the Chinese emperor, and everyone remained polite.

After Chinese New Year's Eve, the imperial government and factories and enterprises will have a week's holiday, and the citizens of the empire can also use this time to visit relatives and friends. After a year of hard work, I was able to have a period of rest. With the exception of the service sector, almost all industries are on holiday. Of course, the military still has to be vigilant. As people's lives become richer and richer, the Spring Festival holiday is also conducive to stimulating consumption, which is very beneficial to the development of the empire's economy. At the same time, because the foundation of the railway network has been completed, it is more convenient for everyone to visit relatives and friends.

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, that is, on February 15, 1902, the government and enterprises began to work. On his first day on the job, Wang Yuze presided over a joint meeting of the cabinet and the military. Some requirements have been made for this year's plan.

"Your Majesty, the government will continue to lead the industrial upgrading of the country and further narrow the gap between us and the Western powers. Now, on an industrial scale, we are no longer inferior to the Western powers, but in some cutting-edge areas, we still lack them. However, in the military industry, we are already at the forefront of the world. In addition, the Ministry of Communications will continue to strengthen the construction of the domestic transportation network this year, and the Ministry of Communications expects to build railways and roads extending to Central Asia and the South Seas in the next three years, and strengthen the Empire's control over these newly incorporated territories. Prime Minister Yang Hua elaborated.

Wang Yuze nodded, and then said, "How are the several autonomous regions in Central Asia?" How are we doing with the infiltration of the five Central Asian ethnic groups? "At the beginning. During the war against Russia, China, in order to win over the five ethnic minorities in Central Asia, promised to allow them to establish a state after the war. However, the five ethnic groups of Central Asia are also relatively acquainted, and they did not become independent, but established autonomous regions, which are still closely linked to China. They all know that they have become a buffer zone between China and Russia, without China's support. They will not be able to resist Russia at all.

"After two years of development, the five autonomous regions of Central Asia have been completely kidnapped economically by the Empire. All the cattle, horses, and sheep they raised were sold to the empire, and at the same time they bought grain and industrial products from the empire. Other than that. The upper-level leaders of the five ethnic groups in Central Asia no longer have the determination to forge ahead before. After taking power, they began to enjoy life. If this continues, we will be able to easily annex these autonomous regions! Yang Hua said.

"The geographical location of Central Asia is very important, not only as a bridgehead against the threat from Russia and Europe, but also as a forward base for our advance into Europe. At the same time, it is also an important channel for us to enter the Middle East. Imperial Team. It is imperative to prepare for combat defense in this area. In addition, the Ministry of Communications was to do everything possible to build railways to Central Asia, on the one hand, to strengthen the empire's control over important things, and on the other. It can also be regarded as preparing for future wars! Wang Yuze put forward his own request.

Cabinet members and military leaders in charge of these aspects have received orders.

"What about the military's arrangements this year?" Wang Yuze asked. Although the empire is getting stronger and stronger, Wang Yuze is more concerned about the construction and development of the army. This was a guarantee of the Empire's victory in the future.

"陛xià. The Imperial Army, Navy and Air Force, which will continue to develop this year. The Army will further increase the number of trucks. Increase the mobility of troops. As for the Navy, the construction of newer warships will be accelerated. In terms of the Air Force, new warships are also being developed intensively. In order to ensure the strength of the imperial team, it can occupy the forefront in the world! Chief of the General Staff Xiong Wu replied.

"In the next few years, the army will strengthen mechanization. A few years ago, I observed the training of the Praetorian Guards. Overall, it's already pretty good. However, subject to the limitations of weapons, it needs to be further improved. As for the Air Force, the fighters developed have become more and more in line with the requirements of actual combat. It is estimated that in another two or three years, it will be able to meet the needs of the war. In the navy, battleships are still the most important combat force at present. However, the development of new weapons such as submarines also requires attention. In addition, once the performance of the fighter meets the requirements, the navy must also find a set of tactics for using the fighter in naval warfare! Wang Yuze reminded. The current naval battle is still a duel between battleships. However, Wang Yuze knew that in the end, the war on the sea would evolve into a war in the air. China is already ahead of the rest of the world in this regard, and once it achieves important results, it will make the Chinese Navy truly the most powerful navy in the world.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Xiong Wu, Chief of the General Staff, Cai Yun, Minister of the Army, Zhang Cheng, Minister of the Navy, and others all received orders one after another. They believe in Wang Yuze's vision, at a time when the navies of various countries are still attaching importance to the role of secondary guns, that is, rapid-fire guns in naval warfare, Wang Yuze took the lead in proposing to build a giant ship with a unified large-caliber main gun, which led to the birth of the 'Zhonghua-class' battleship, making the Chinese Navy one of the world's top navies.

"Your Majesty, with the increasing number of automobiles owned within the empire, especially the large number of equipped cars by the military. The navy and air force are also consuming more and more oil, and the oil fields in the empire can no longer meet our needs for oil. The exploitation of the empire's oil fields in the South Seas was relatively smooth. However, no large oil fields have been discovered so far. Therefore, a significant part of the oil that the empire needs now is imported from the United States. And the relationship between the empire and the United States is getting worse and worse, and if the United States stops exporting oil to our country, the military power of the empire will be greatly affected! Defense Minister Jiang Xingguo reminded. All warships of the Chinese Navy have been refitted, replacing the old coal-fired boilers with new oil-fired boilers, which makes the warships of the Imperial Navy more powerful and have a longer endurance. However, it also increased the empire's dependence on oil.

Wang Yuze frowned, this question is indeed very troublesome. China's oil reserves, although not very rich, are not small. It's just that China's oil fields are relatively deep. However, the current oil exploitation technology can only exploit oil with relatively shallow oil layers, and many domestic oil fields do not have the conditions for exploitation for the time being. Of course, if enough oil can be obtained from the outside, Wang Yuze would rather not exploit the domestic oil and use it as a reserve to be permanently mothballed.

"How's our preparation in the Persian Gulf? When will the House of Saud be able to counterattack the Kingdom of Najd? Wang Yuze asked. China's layout in the Persian Gulf is important in this regard. Oil in the Persian Gulf is very important to China. By occupying this place, China will no longer have to worry about running out of oil.

"Your Majesty, the current Saud family, father and son Abdul Rahman and Abdulaziz, have assembled an army of tens of thousands in the remote areas of Kuwait and the kingdom of Najd. At present, these troops are all trained by military instructors we have secretly dispatched, and all the weapons they use are the standard weapons of our army. It is expected that by the middle of this year, an attack on the Rashid family will be launched. As long as they defeat the Rashid family and regain the leadership of the kingdom of Najd, we will have a foothold in the Persian Gulf region. Then, according to the plan, you will be able to extract the oil there! Defense Minister Jiang Xingguo said.

"Well, increase support for the House of Saud, preferably in April, to support their attack on the Rashid family. Once they succeeded in seizing power, the empire immediately established diplomatic relations with them, and agreed to their request to send troops into the kingdom of Najd. The Imperial Ministry of Industry, be ready to explore, and once the oil field is discovered, it is best to be able to exploit it within this year. At the same time, build more large cruise ships to transport the extracted oil back to China for smelting! Wang Yuze arranged.

"Yes, Your Majesty! The General Staff will do its best to support the Saud family! Xiong Wu also said. If the Persian Gulf region really has such large oil reserves, then the empire must control the Persian Gulf at any cost.

"The Indian Ocean Fleet of the Navy, must be ready for war. When the time comes, maybe we will clash with the British and the French. Wang Yuze reminded. The Kingdom of Najd was a colony of France, while the rest of the Persian Gulf was a British colony. It is conceivably difficult for China to snatch a piece of fat from Britain and France alive.

"Yes, Your Majesty! This year, the Indian Ocean Fleet will focus on guarding the Persian Gulf region, and the Turkish Fleet will also be ready to support! Navy Minister Zhang Cheng said. The Pacific Fleet will continue to maintain pressure on the United States, so the heavy task of seizing the Persian Gulf falls on the Indian Ocean Fleet, and the Turkish Fleet will also support the Indian Ocean Fleet when necessary. It's just that before the 'Han-class' battleships were put into service, the strength of the Turkish fleet was relatively weak.

"Your Majesty, according to our agreement with Germany, your wedding to the seventh Bavarian princess, Helmchud, will take place this spring. Count the time, it's time for us to send out a welcoming party! Foreign Minister Ng Dinh Fong reminded.

"The Cabinet has full authority to deal with this matter. Isn't my cruise ship, the 'Oriental Emperor', built? Let the Navy send warships to escort the 'Emperor of the East' to Germany to welcome your family! Wang Yuze said.

"Your Majesty, the officers and men sent by the German Navy have already received the four 'Nassau-class' battleships we have built for them, and they will return to Germany with our flotilla!" Minister of the Navy Zhang Cheng said.

"Okay, I got it!" Wang Yuze nodded.