The Southern Emirates were the first to respond to the Sonyans' peace initiative with great enthusiasm.
When sending a peace proposal to Japan, the Sonyans talked to Prime Minister Ashikaga and sent an envoy to personally discuss the peace plan with Prime Minister Ashikaga.
Although Prime Minister Ashikaga invited the Regent to join the talks, there is no doubt that in the Sonyans' plan, Japan can become a force to contain and balance the Northern Kingdom, and it will also take a stance to win over the Ashikaga government.
The Sonyans extended an even bigger olive branch to the neutral states.
After all, it is not so easy to enter the Eastern Alliance, so the neutral states can also enter the imperial framework as members of a small confederation.
The difference between a large confederation and a small confederation is mainly reflected in the allocation of seats in the Imperial Parliament.
According to the initial concept of the continent-wide peace initiative, the United Kingdom of Sonia and Sigrifenni will have 100 seats in the Imperial Parliament, and the Eastern Economic Union will have 50 seats.
From population to territory, Sonya and the United Kingdom of Sigrifenni are several times larger than the Eastern Alliance region. The allocation of quotas can be said to give the Eastern Economic Alliance a very important position.
The Kingdom of East Greffenni has 30 members, and the Kingdom of Tianhan has 20 members.
Southern Brave Chiefs Assembly, 20 members.
Kingdom of Japan, 5 members.
Other autonomous states and small confederations each have one member.
There were originally more than twenty such neutral autonomous states, but several states voluntarily merged into the United Kingdom of Sonia and Sigrifenni, and there are now fifteen neutral autonomous states.
Including Hanzhou and Antigua, from the perspective of political status, they are actually neutral autonomous states.
It’s just that these two states have signed the Montenegro Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation and are members of the Montenegro Treaty Organization.
…
Office of the Commander, Kottman Military Base.
General Wollman paced back and forth, his face full of helplessness.
The trend towards peace seemed irreversible, and war hawks like him became so out of place.
People from all over the empire were marching, cheering the coming of peace.
Over the years, war-weariness has spread across the continent.
Glancing at Lu Ming who was sitting next to him, Walman sighed deeply, "It seems that this is the only way, but I think that in ten years, the empire will be renamed the Holy Sonia Empire, and East Griffinni will no longer exist."
Lu Ming smiled and said, "The Sonya people have given you a very generous offer, right?"
Walman nodded slightly.
There are three states in the Northern Defense Zone, but Bailton State, where the Bailton Bridge is located, is one of the four states claimed by the Sonyans.
In a secret letter written by Henry II, he promised Wollman that if he successfully transferred the State of Byrne to the United Kingdom, Henry II would recognize Wollman as the military and political leader of the two northern states, and even the two northern states could break away from the Kingdom of East Griffinia and join the imperial framework in the form of a united autonomous state, giving them three seats as members of parliament.
Walman pondered and said, "I won't agree. I can hand over the state of Bailton, but I will not secede from the kingdom, which will lead to the demise of the kingdom sooner. Moreover, I am just a soldier. The public opinion here will not agree with me being a military and political leader. Henry II's staff are very insidious. They are just digging a hole for me, a thorn in their side." He looked at Lu Ming, "However, I will always remember the friendship of the Kingdom of Han."
The 7 divisions of volunteers from the Tianhan Kingdom actually entered the northern defense zone, and it was obvious that they were really preparing to go to war with the Sonyans.
Lu Ming looked at Walman and said, "I think that if you become independent, you may be able to better preserve the legacy of Griffinni. Prince John is indecisive and has no prestige. King William must be possessed by an evil spirit and is being controlled by someone. There is no hope for him."
Walman sighed deeply, but still shook his head.
Lu Ming then picked up the teacup and sipped the tea slowly.
In fact, if a full-scale war really breaks out with the Sonyans, he is not ready, especially when the military and political system of Griffinni is already in chaos.
There is no doubt that if a peace agreement is reached today, the Sonyans will be the biggest winners, because they have almost achieved all their strategic goals and will dominate the imperial order from now on.
Moreover, Henry II, who ended the civil strife in the empire, would reach his peak in popularity among citizens of the entire empire, especially Westerners.
Perhaps it is because of this that it actually extended an olive branch to me.
For example, for the two oil fields in Thoroston, the Sonyans began to pay for them, and at normal market prices.
Recognize the West Black Mountain Fort area as the legal territory of the Tianhan Kingdom.
The ban on trade between the Northern Territory and Sonia was also lifted.
As for the fact that the Tianhan Kingdom only received 20 seats as parliamentarians, it is actually an extension of the deep-rooted traditional thinking. The population of the Northern Territory is just so worthless.
The total economic output of the Northern Territory is probably less than one-fifth of that of the United Kingdom of Sonia.
The Sonyans didn't think that would be a problem either.
From the Northern Territory, it is indeed in a period of rapid development with various investments coming in, and it should have developed peacefully.
Moreover, if he insisted on going to war with the Sonyans now, he would be regarded as a warmonger in the eyes of all the citizens of the empire.
In fact, the Sonyans broke the tradition of autonomy of various ethnic groups in the West, which will inevitably lead to many conflicts in the future.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a bad thing if peace could continue like this.
The sphere of influence that I can influence has basically extended to all traditional Central Plains gathering areas, so it would be a good idea to develop the economy next.
Moreover, as far as conflicts and contradictions are concerned, the neutral autonomous states and the Eastern Alliance region will be the first to bear the brunt in the future.
On the contrary, if the current economic situation of the Northern Region is maintained, the Sonyans will not be interested at all.
The Sonyans are salivating over the extremely wealthy Eastern Union region and will certainly try to annex it in the future.
However, most of the leaders of the Eastern Alliance members have an appeasement mentality and believe that peace is hard to come by. After several years of intermittent civil wars, the empire finally has hope for peace.
Even his close friends among the alliance leaders think in this way.
Then we can only walk slowly and see.
…
Han Palace.
It was a very elegant study room, with legal books on the bookshelves. Han Annie was looking around curiously. Lu Ming followed her and said with a smile, "Do you like it? It's all decorated in your style."
This is the study room of "Zhuang Feiyuan".
"Empress Zhuang?!" Han Annie snorted, "You really know how to reverse history! I don't know how you will be scolded in the future!"
Lu Ming coughed, but he had a clear conscience. In fact, when he thought about it, the biggest help that helped him get to where he is today were all mysterious things, including time travel, the help left by his ancestors, the Baozhu Palace, the Liuli Palace, and the Qing'e and Hong Ling. Everything now seems to be taken for granted.
Han Annie sighed again: "But, I have also become your accomplice."
Han Anni was finally persuaded to come to Xinjing, but she put forward a condition, that is, her good friend Xue Zihan had to come along.
Nowadays, Han Anni was given the title of Concubine Zhuang, and Xue Zihan was given the title of Concubine An.
Lu Ming didn't want to continue the topic and remained silent.
"But is peace really going to come?" Han Annie blinked her big watery eyes, full of anticipation.
Most senior intellectuals, like Han Annie, are full of hope for this peace.
Lu Ming smiled and said, "Yes, public opinion is overwhelming. As a warmongerer, I can only lay down my arms and wait and see!"
Han Annie stared at Lu Ming, "But you are really amazing."
That’s right. The first time I saw him, he was a suspect who was almost sentenced to death. In less than ten years, he had become one of the highest-ranking people in the Empire Continent.
In terms of imperial political status, this guy is already the ruler of the kingdom on par with King Henry II of the United Kingdom.
Lu Ming smiled and said, "It was just luck. It was the right time, the right place, and the right people."
I also feel that I have been very lucky along the way. Maybe this is fate. However, it is indeed as Jintian Guanxing said, the western stars have revived, and the Sonya people have become more powerful. In the past, I could still divide and reap the benefits, but gradually, I have to face these things.