The summer of 704 seemed a bit sultry. Although this weather was quite favorable for autumn crops, the rain that was not an outburst was intense but short-lived. The empire-wide overhaul of water conservancy facilities that began in 702 played a very good role. The empire's Several major granaries, from Wuhu County to De'an County in southern India, from Yuejing County to Wa County, Xiaochun ushered in a rare bumper harvest, and seeing that the Dachun grain harvest was about to usher in another big bumper harvest, the entire empire They were all immersed in an unspeakable joy.
It has been more than a year since the war ceased, and the empire finally got a chance to breathe. Both the people, merchants and courtiers and gentry are looking forward to this peaceful development lasting longer, although in the Liberia region and Machi Khan There are still some dissatisfied forces operating secretly in the region, but the open rebellion activities have been put out. As for the secret activities, they are the matter of the Imperial Security Bureau. The Imperial Security Bureau has listed these two places as key control areas. A large number of All the elite forces of the Imperial Security Bureau worked in these two areas. Even later, all novices of the Imperial Security Bureau used this place as a training ground to improve their abilities, so that almost all the important senior officials of the Imperial Security Bureau later. Having experience working in the Liberia region or the Machikhan region has become a very honorable qualification for entering the upper echelons of the Imperial Security Bureau.
On the contrary, the Japanese who were finally pacified seemed much calmer. After a large number of captured Japanese soldiers were forcibly deported, the Japanese rebel forces suffered a heavy blow and lost their basic support. The Japanese rebel forces were quickly eliminated by the Imperial Security Bureau and several other pro-imperial family forces. The establishment of the Japanese army marked that this overseas enclave finally came under the wings of the empire.
In addition to continuously improving its laws, the empire also actively promoted economic development and foreign trade. In early 704, the empire formally signed a peace, friendship and cooperation agreement with the Triple Alliance and the Nanyang Alliance. At the same time as this political agreement, another This agreement establishes the Eastern Continent Free Trade Area. This agreement stipulates that the three parties will gradually reduce their respective tariffs within ten years. To facilitate the free circulation of goods from the three parties, the economies of the three parties can establish closer ties.
At the same time, the empire also signed a peace armistice agreement with the Western Peninsula Alliance, stipulating that the two sides will have an unconditional and unrestricted ceasefire on the current line of actual control, and will promptly negotiate the determination of the border line and the positioning of diplomatic relations between the two sides to maintain this In order to maintain peace and stability in the region, this negotiation has also received active promotion and support from the Kingdom of West Orland.
Wu Feng thoughtfully put his hand under his chin and slowly fiddled with the documents on the imperial case. Documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were especially frequent during this period. The negotiations with the Western Peninsula Alliance have entered a substantive stage. Regarding the West Sikkim The issue of the sovereignty of a deserted island 550 nautical miles away has always been a focus of debate between the two parties, although it has never been developed before. However, due to the increasing importance of the New World land.
This island was originally a disputed island between Sikkim and the Western Peninsula Alliance. It is important to the Western Peninsula Alliance, but it is even more indispensable to the empire. This island with an area of nearly 60 square kilometers hangs alone in the The most important thing about the central Latin Ocean is that it is not only rich in forest resources, but also has quite abundant fresh water resources. The springs originating from the mountains in the middle of the island even formed a huge freshwater lake, which was simply a natural supply station for the empire on its route to the New World.
From Sikkim to Mangadishu and Assab and Lilac Islands further south, this island can be used as a relay station and supply station, although it is not on the way to Assab, Lilac Islands and Mangadishu in the central and southern part of the New World. On a straight route, but in the middle of two routes, both routes can pass here. The detour is not far, and access to supplies here can greatly reduce the risk and stress of a long voyage. Both commercially and militarily. For the empire, this island far exceeds any island currently controlled by the empire in the Southern Ocean and the Latin Ocean. Therefore, the empire will never relent on the sovereignty of this island when negotiating with the Western Peninsula Alliance, and is even willing to claim it on land. made considerable concessions.
Due to this marathon negotiation, the Western Peninsula Alliance was finally forced to make concessions under pressure from the Kingdom of West Orland, and eventually the ownership of the island fell to the Empire. This was a very important gain for the Empire in the history of diplomacy. It ensured that the empire could have a relatively stable and safe route to the New World. For this reason, Wufeng even specifically suppressed Cui Wenxiu's plan to conquer South Meili. He was unwilling to offend Xioran at this time. , resulting in the failure of this negotiation.
The victory in this diplomatic negotiation made Wu Feng very satisfied with the effectiveness of the diplomatic department. However, the further intensification of the struggle in the New World ruined Wu Feng's good mood.
"What, the Famini people can't hold on anymore?" The faint smile on the corner of Wu Feng's mouth always makes people puzzled. In the past few years, everyone in His Highness has almost watched Wu Feng transform from a person who just waited for the throne. The novice who was still a little at a loss has turned into a mature and prudent imperial master. With his increasing majesty, Wu Feng's former amiable image is gradually fading. This is the aura of imperial power. When he steps up to the altar, everyone will subconsciously He became deified and accepted his pressure consciously or unconsciously.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Famini people haven't reacted much yet, but the special envoys of the foreign affairs department from various countries have sent back the news. This time the Leeds people are determined to force the Famini people to withdraw from the agreement signed with us. They even did not hesitate to use some regional interests in the new world as bait to lure the Barotse and Augsburg people to take the bait. The small city republics along the Adriatic Sea were also pulled on board by them. The Famini people They may not be able to withstand such huge pressure, not to mention that the people of Leeds have given them equally generous wishes."
Wang Liao's face looked ugly. Winning and dividing the powerful powers in the Western Continent has always been a key task of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and it has indeed achieved quite good results in the early stage. The Famini people have been successfully divided. Due to their interests and status in the Western Continent, the Famini people have always been highly vigilant against the Leeds people's attempts to get involved and influence the strategic pattern of the Western Continent. The Hansen Alliance is the Leeds people's Potential allies, and now the Barotse seem to be trying to reconcile with the Leeds.
It stands to reason that the Famini people are unlikely to form an alliance with the Leeds people, but this time the Leeds people seem to have the upper hand among the faction that demands an alliance with the Famini people against the Empire. Most of this group is Leeds's domestic interests in the New World. The vested one. The rich mineral resources in the New World are enough to bring endless wealth to the kingdom, which is increasingly scarce in domestic resources. A series of gold mines discovered in the coastal areas have fully proved this. Local products such as ivory, rhinoceros horn, agate amber, etc. have also triggered a wave of interest on the Western Highway. There was a frenzy of consumption of luxury goods. There were treasures everywhere in the New World, especially gold mines and slave trade, which attracted a large number of privileged aristocratic merchants in Leeds. Their navigation trade and slave trade had become a major part of their economic income. Facing the vast hinterland of the New World, they were eager to participate in the carving up of this region.
This operation is still difficult for the Leeds people, whose land strength was originally inferior to their sea strength. It is a last resort to bring the Famini Empire, the most powerful land power, into the camp. Otherwise, they can only rely on the Barotse people. The two countries are simply not enough to shake the Tang Empire's position on this land, and the Augsburg people are obviously still entangled with the Hansen Alliance, trying to reconcile the mood between the Augsburg and Hansen Alliance The battle will take some time, not to mention that the Augsburg people also have a huge appetite in the New World. Although their strength is not as strong as the Famini people, due to the rapid development of the domestic economy, their demand for land, markets and resources is even greater. The rapid progress has caused Leeds people a huge headache.
But even if the Leeds people are willing to compromise in this regard, time is no longer on the Leeds people's side. The Leeds people can't wait any longer. If the delay continues, I am afraid that the Tang Empire will not leave much strategic development space for Leeds. After completing the circumnavigation of the New World, the Tang people quickly launched an expansion offensive in the southern part of the New World. They expanded crazily inland along the two colonial strongholds in the southern part of the New World and a stronghold in the southwest. This made the people of Leeds anxious.
When the Leeds people successfully sailed around the New World for the first time, they discovered that the entire eastern part of the New World was completely under the control of the Tang Empire. A series of colonial towns dotted the east coast of the New World like pearls, while there were not many in the southern Latin Ocean. The basic and important islands have become the naval bases of the Tang Empire. The Golden Roc flags on the ships of the Tang Dynasty are like red-hot iron drills, piercing the battered hearts of the people of Leeds at any time. And now the southern part of the New World is gradually becoming a colony of the Tang Empire. If we don't catch up, when the power of the Tang Empire penetrates into the interior of the New World, there will be no chance for other forces to intervene.
It was this series of circumnavigations of the Leeds people that greatly stimulated the ambition and fanaticism of the Leeds people. Seeing the Tang Empire pouring into the New World in large numbers, new colonial points gradually evolved into colonial towns, with superior geographical location and good conditions. Colonial towns are actively developing into colonial cities, and the people of Leeds are under great pressure to sleep restlessly.