Since the Opium War, the Western powers have been plundering Chinese cultural relics and various treasures, the British Empire Museum in the United Kingdom, the Louvre Museum in France, etc., have displayed a large number of Chinese cultural relics. Especially in 1900, when the Eight-Nation Coalition invaded China, Yanjing was captured, and a large number of cultural relics and treasures were plundered by foreign devils.

Emperor Wu Haoxuan hoped that one day he would be able to recapture these relics and treasures. Of course, in the current international environment, it is not easy to exchange war materials for these cultural relics and treasures. As for Wu Haoxuan's ultimate goal, all the cultural relics and other treasures of these Western powers were plundered and displayed in Chinese museums. Of course, there is still a long way to go to get to this point.

The British and French governments agreed to the proposal of the Chinese Empire to exchange cultural relics for war materials after careful consideration. For them, these cultural relics are basically of little use, at most they are just used to show their national honor. It would be better to be able to exchange these artifacts for war materials than to leave them unattended. After all, even if it is a loan, it needs to be repaid. Not only that, but there is also a high interest rate to pay. This war has almost hollowed out the foundations of Britain and France, and if you can save a little bit, you can owe a little less foreign debt, and if you can owe a little less, the pressure after the war will not be so great.

Subsequently, the Chinese Empire and Britain and France began to exchange cultural relics for war materials. British and French merchant ships transported the antiquities to China in exchange for shiploads of arms or other war materials. The Chinese Empire used this method to recover a large number of cultural relics that had been lost overseas.

This made those intellectuals in the empire respect Wu Haoxuan even more. Even those rotten Confucians left over from the previous dynasty praised the empire. Of course, these are all things that Wu Haoxuan did not expect. At first, he just didn't want the empire's artifacts to be lost overseas.

Exchange war materials for these artifacts. For Wu Haoxuan, it is not a miracle. At this moment, his eyes have been set elsewhere.

"Your Majesty, the 9th Army of the Imperial Army has arrived in Kuwait in full force. At the moment, we are ready for battle. It is possible to cross the Kuwaiti border and enter Iraqi territory at any time. Marshal Shi Tianhan, chief of the General Staff, said to Wu Haoxuan.

The acquisition of Kuwait from the British was only the first step in the Empire's Middle East strategy. The Empire's aim was to use Kuwait as a foothold for the Empire's expansion in the Middle East. What is now Iraq was a colony of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. The Ottoman Empire, on the other hand, was a member of the Central Powers. Now that the Ottoman Empire has joined the Entente, the Ottoman Turkish Empire is undoubtedly an enemy of the Empire.

Of course, Britain was not unaware of the aims of the Empire. It's just that the British are focused on Europe. For them. Europe is fundamental. As for the sandy Middle East, it doesn't matter at all. Since the Chinese Empire wants the Middle East, then let it be better for them. As long as the Chinese Empire can help them defeat the Allies, then everything is easy to say.

What Wu Haoxuan wants to see now is what will become of the British once the empire extracts oil on a large scale in the Middle East. Only then will they know that the Middle East, which they regard as a barren land with no grass, has so many treasures. When the time comes. The British must be able to regret that even their bowels are green. Of course, this will also make the British extremely hostile to the Empire. They think it's the Empire that is trapping them.

Wu Haoxuan didn't care about this at all. After the attrition of the world war, although the British retained their position as the world hegemon, they were already a foreign power. The Chinese Empire, on the other hand, has grown into a real power in the world. Even if the British wanted to make trouble with the Chinese Empire, they would probably have to weigh it carefully. So what are the consequences of doing it. At that time, the Chinese Empire could not be bullied by them.

"What about the Ottoman Turkish Empire? How many troops do they have in Iraq? Wu Haoxuan asked. The Ottoman Turkish Empire had long since declined, and it was no longer the powerful empire that swept across Europe, spanning Asia, Europe and Africa. In the Russo-Turkish war with the Russians, there were more losses than victories. This led to a further decline in the power of the Ottoman Empire. Now that the Ottoman Turks have joined the Allies in the war, it is the perfect opportunity for the Empire to strike at them hard.

"Your Majesty, the Ottoman Turkish Empire has more than 100,000 troops in Iraq, led by the Ottoman Turkish Empire's Governor General in Baghdad. In addition, there are more than 100,000 troops recruited from Iraq. According to the information we have received, the combat effectiveness of these armies is relatively poor, and there is no cause for concern at all. The only thing that worries us is the weather in Iraq and the transportation facilities in Iraq. Marshal Shi Tianhan said.

The climate in the Middle East is arid and hot, and it is difficult for the average person to adapt there. In addition, the economy is poor and the transportation facilities are very backward, which will seriously limit the military power of the empire there.

Wu Haoxuan nodded: "As much as possible, after defeating the army of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, let's use the locals as a pro-imperial force." The Empire could not really rule there, at most it would be a colony. ”

The people of the Green Religion have always believed in more extreme doctrines. Wu Haoxuan didn't want the empire to become the target of these terrorists in the future. If a puppet can be propped up in Iraq, the empire will only need to be behind it.

"Your Majesty, we have screened some people. After our final judgment, the Faisal family is more suitable. They also expressed their submission to us and offered to help us defeat the Ottoman Empire and take control there. General Chen Xudong, director of the Military Intelligence Bureau, said.

"The Hussein family? Well, let's choose this family. As long as they are finally empired, they will be the kings of Iraq from now on. Wu Haoxuan said. He knew that this family was very powerful in Iraq. After the British seized Iraq from the Ottoman Turkish Empire, it was this family that controlled Iraq.

Wu Haoxuan values Iraq's oil, and in addition, this country full of yellow sand has nothing he cares about.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Admiral Chen Xudong nodded.

"The capture of Iraq is the most important step in the empire's expansion in the Middle East. This step is very important, and there is no room for mistakes. After taking control of Iraq, the empire will continue to expand with the help of Iraq. Iran to the east and Russia to the back are both directions of imperial expansion. Wu Haoxuan said.

Although, southern Iran is in the hands of the British, and it is Iran's main oil producer. However, northern Iran is also rich in mineral resources. What's more, starting from the north of Iran, you can directly attack the southern Caucasus Mountains, where the Baku oil field is a world-famous large oil field. Now Russia's main oil is extracted from the Baku oil fields. As long as China occupies this place, it will be impossible for the Russians to take back the Baku oil fields. Perhaps, the empire will be able to take the whole of Transcaucasia in one fell swoop and form a kingdom of Transcaucasia under the control of the empire. This will further enhance the Empire's power in the Middle East.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Marshal Shi Tianhan, Chief of the General Staff, nodded. The Middle East is indeed the direction of the empire's expansion for a long time to come. The oil here will be related to the energy security of the empire.

On October 1, 4615 (17), the advance of the 9th Army of the Imperial Army set out from Baghdad and marched into Iraq. At Basra, the Imperial Army's 9th Army, with more than 50,000 men in three infantry divisions, faced the 100,000 Ottoman Imperial Army. The Ottoman Imperial Army, which was poorly equipped, was no match for the Imperial Army at all. In this battle, the Ottoman Turks lost more than 60,000 men. Its troops stationed in Iraq were crippled in one fell swoop.

Subsequently, the 9th Army of the Imperial Army marched along the Euphrates River towards Baghdad. Along the way, the Ottoman Imperial Turkish Army was simply unable to resist. Even before the Imperial Army arrived, they fled ahead of schedule. It can be described as fleeing from the wind.

Seeing that the imperial army was unstoppable, the local forces in Iraq abandoned the Ottoman Turkish Empire and turned to the arms of the empire. They sent people to act as guides for the Imperial Army, transporting war materials for the Imperial Army. In the desert, water is undoubtedly the most important thing. Naturally, the locals are better suited to the environment than the Imperial Army. They were always able to find the best water source for the Empire, and avoided a lot of problems for the Imperial Army.

On 28 October, the Imperial Army marched under the city of Baghdad. Tens of thousands of remnants of the Imperial Ottoman Turkish Army, as well as native Iraqis, were stationed here. However, under the leadership of the local Iraqi forces, the army composed of the local Iraqis took the initiative to sneak attack the imperial army and cede the defense area. Not only that, but they also turned their guns and opened fire on the Ottoman Imperial Army, which further made it easier for the Imperial Army to capture Baghdad.

Two days later, Baghdad was occupied by the Imperial Army. As for the Ottoman Turkish Governor-General in Baghdad, he set himself on fire.

A month later, all of Iraq fell under imperial control. With the support of the empire, the Hussein family also became the royal family of Iraq, and Faisal ibn Hussein succeeded him as the king of Iraq. The first decree he signed after his accession to the throne was that the Chinese Empire was the suzerainty of the Kingdom of Iraq, and that the Chinese Empire had the right to exploit any mineral resources in Iraq. (To be continued.) )

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