Imperial Palace, in Wu Haoxuan's study. Foreign Minister Tang Shaoyi is briefing Wu Haoxuan on the outcome of the meeting.

"Your Majesty, the Japanese are so shameless, they actually beat a rake, put the blame on the Empire, and go to the Empire to compensate them for their losses of 200 million pounds, and stop the blockade of Japan." Tang Shaoyi said.

"Well, Japanese people have always been like to daydream, and I've known that for a long time." Wu Haoxuan said. In modern times, Japan has pursued the policy of secession from Asia and integration into Europe. Although this has made Japan's national strength continue to increase, it has also made the Japanese government's style of acting more and more Westernized, especially learning the brazenness of the Western powers to the fullest.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I don't think those little Japan have figured out the situation at all, and they still want the empire to compensate them, they simply don't know whether they are alive or dead. Marshal Shi Tianhan, Chief of the General Staff, said.

"Your Majesty, I then made several imperial demands to the Japanese side. However, I raised the war reparations from £500 million to £1 billion, giving the Japanese room for bargaining. However, the Japanese directly rejected our proposal, claiming that they would not accede to the Empire's demands. Britain, France, and the United States also support Japan in a clear-cut manner. Tang Shaoyi continued.

"Well, the sky-high price is paid back. We shouted an asking price of a billion pounds, and if we could get five billion pounds from little Japan, it would be about the same. However, since little Japan does not agree, it is better to continue the lockdown, and I will see how long they can hold out. As for Britain, France, and the United States, there is no need to worry that they will not really go to war with the empire for the sake of little Japan. Wu Haoxuan said very firmly.

Blockading Japan and watching it collapse is undoubtedly the Empire's weakening of Japan at the lowest cost. If Japan refuses to bow down, the losses caused by the severance of overseas trade routes alone will be enough to collapse them. Maybe. After Japan's strength was extremely weakened, the empire was able to destroy Japan at a very small cost and solve this threat.

"Your Majesty, Britain and France are focused on the war in Europe and will not be at a stalemate with the Empire at this juncture. However, Americans may be different. The Americans have already felt the imperial threat to them. That's why we spare no effort to support Japan. This time, if Japan dares to launch a provocation against us, the Americans will definitely be behind it. The Americans will not sit idly by and watch the empire excessively weaken Japan, or destroy Japan. They're definitely looking for an opportunity to intervene. Imperial Prime Minister Yang Du said with some concern.

"Your Excellency Prime Minister is right, there has been news from the Military Intelligence Agency that the U.S. Navy's fleet on the west coast has disappeared. The General Staff predicted that the fleet of the US Navy would most likely come to the Far East. Of course. Another possibility is to go back to the East Coast. However, this is very unlikely. Marshal Shi Tianhan said.

"Your Majesty, the navy of the Americans came to the Far East, and this must be to support the Japanese. No wonder the Japanese dared to refuse our demands! Will this bring us some trouble to blackmail Japan? Tang Shaoyi was a little worried.

"Americans are nothing more than paper tigers. Even if their fleet came to the Far East, it would be just for show. The Imperial Navy had just defeated the Japanese Navy, and morale was at its peak. The U.S. Navy will not come to the Empire's mold at this time. Not to mention, even if the main forces of the US Navy arrive. The Imperial Navy also has the strength to take them out in one fell swoop. At that time, after the United States loses its navy, it will not even be able to guarantee its national security, let alone contain the empire. Wu Haoxuan said.

The strength of the Imperial Navy, if not counting the former dreadnoughts, is already stronger than the US Navy. Of course. The U.S. Navy still has one more pre-dreadnought available. And the Imperial Navy, the former dreadnoughts are only the two ships of the South Ocean Fleet.

In addition, Wu Haoxuan also believes that even if the United States wants to support Japan, it will never risk going to war with the empire. The U.S. Navy crossed the entire Pacific Ocean to fight the Chinese Navy. The Chinese Navy can completely sit back and eat them in one fell swoop. Americans are not stupid and will not do this. Although separated by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the U.S. mainland is safe. But that would also require the United States to have a strong navy. If the main forces of the Navy are not annihilated, the consequences are serious.

"Your Majesty, with the current strength of the Imperial Navy, it is completely capable of fighting the Americans. If the Americans dare to really intervene in the situation in the Far East, the Imperial Navy will be able to leave the American Navy behind, as long as His Majesty orders it. Navy Minister Sa Zhenbing said confidently.

Wu Haoxuan nodded with satisfaction, it was not easy, and now the empire can finally not look at the faces of the Americans. I think that at the beginning, when the forces he led had just begun to rise, in order to obtain funds and equipment for development, they could only look at the United States with their eyes on it, hoping to get the support of the United States. He did not hesitate to become a pawn of the United States to contain Japan. But now, the empire has finally developed and dared to confront the United States head-on.

Of course, with the current strength of the empire, it is not realistic to defeat the United States. If there is a war with the United States now, it will not be cost-effective. The war in Europe had just begun, and it was the time when the empire was making a windfall, how could the empire be plunged into a protracted war? In addition, to cross the entire Pacific Ocean to defeat the United States, the empire does not have the strength to do so.

"At this stage, the Empire is not fit to go to war with the United States. However, the empire does not need to be afraid of the United States either. On the issue of dealing with the Japanese, the empire still had to insist on what it should have insisted on. Even if the Americans are tough, the empire doesn't have to pay attention. The Empire does not want to go to war with the United States, and the United States will not want to go to war with the Empire at this time. Wu Haoxuan advised.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The ministers nodded their heads.

As the navy of the Chinese Empire began to cruise the coastal waters of Japan, the remaining warships of the Japanese navy could only shrink into a few ports. Among them, the Sasebo Naval Base and the Yokohama Naval Base became the two military ports with the largest concentration of remnants of warships of the Japanese Navy. The main forces of the Imperial Navy were also mainly deployed in these two sea areas, forcing all the remaining warships of the Japanese Navy in military ports and not daring to go out.

The Imperial Navy's heavy cruisers, light cruisers, and destroyers began to search the waters around Japan for Japanese merchant ships, transport ships, and even fishing boats. Once the fishing boat was found, it was directly hit and sunk, and the Japanese fishermen on the boat directly asked them to go to the sea to feed the fish. As for those merchant ships and transport ships, they should be captured as much as they can. After all, these merchant ships and transport ships can be used. In the last war, the Imperial Navy captured many Japanese transports and merchant ships. Greatly improved the Empire's ocean capacity.

It's just that Japan's coastline is so long that it's almost impossible to completely block it down. Many Japanese ships took advantage of the loopholes in the blockade line to secretly escape back to Japan. However, the blockade of the Imperial Navy still caused huge losses to Japan. Factories in Japan began to close down one by one, and a large number of workers lost their jobs. The price of grain in Japan has also begun to rise, and even some grain stores have run out of grain to sell, and the Imperial Navy's attacks on Japanese fishing boats have exacerbated the food shortage in Japan. Japan lacks arable land, and seafood has always been an important source of food. Nowadays, even going to sea to fish has become a luxury, which naturally makes Japan's food problem a big problem for them.

However, Britain, France, and the United States have also begun to fulfill their promises to Japan. Merchant ships from the South Seas, flying the flags of Britain and France, defied the blockade of the Imperial Navy and sailed into Japanese ports. Merchant ships from the United States also arrived in Japan in large numbers. This made the imperial blockade of Japan seem to be a virtual reality.

Marshal Cheng Biguang, commander of the Imperial Navy, personally went to the Imperial Palace to meet Wu Haoxuan and report the situation to him.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Navy has discovered many consignments of merchant ships from Britain, France, and the United States transporting grain, steel, oil, and machinery and equipment to Japan. These three countries are blatant in their support for Japan. This would make the Empire's blockade of Japan a joke. It is undoubtedly unlikely that the empire would want to force Japan to compromise through the blockade. Marshal Cheng Biguang said.

Wu Haoxuan nodded, this has indeed become a problem.

"What if our navy intercepts the merchant ships of other countries?" Wu Haoxuan asked. Only in this way can Japan be completely blocked.

"Your Majesty, there is no problem. However, will this cause a serious backlash from Britain, France and the United States? Marshal Cheng Biguang asked.

After all, there was no declaration of war between China and Japan. China also does not have the right to restrict the entry of ships from other countries into Japan. If this is done, it will certainly cause serious protests from Britain, France, and the United States.

"I can't care so much about it. The first problem before the empire was to solve Little Japan. As for Britain, France, and the United States, it is impossible for them to tear their faces with the empire. Wu Haoxuan said.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Marshal Cheng Biguang nodded. Although he is the commander of the navy, he is more of an executor. Wu Haoxuan asked to do it, and he did it.

In this way, the Navy issued a proclamation that, in view of the conflict between China and Japan, the coast of Japan had become a no-sail zone, and ships of any country were not allowed to sail into this area of sea without the permission of the Empire. Violators will be detained by the Imperial Navy. If you force your way in, the Empire has the right to sink it. Wu Haoxuan said.

"No-sail zone? Yes, Your Majesty. The Imperial Navy immediately made such an announcement. Marshal Cheng Biguang said. (To be continued.) )

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