Empire Conquest
Chapter 282 - 278: Outwardly Strong but Inwardly Weak

Chapter 282: Chapter 278: Outwardly Strong but Inwardly Weak

Before dawn arrived, around four o’clock in the morning, the secretary of Xue Yuanzheng delivered the telegram.

Although it was Liu Xiangdong who represented the Empire in the negotiations and later conducted secret consultations with the Bulan representatives, the negotiations were managed by the Cabinet and were directly responsible to the Grand Secretary.

Even the Minister of Foreign Affairs had no authority to inquire, let alone the Navy Commander.

The secret consultations did not meet all expectations, but they were not a disaster.

The Kingdom of Bulan would still implement a strategic embargo against both warring parties, the Liangxia Empire and the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom, starting at 0 hours on March 1st, Luntai time.

However, there was still room for negotiation concerning the embargoed materials and the method of enforcement.

The first phase of the embargo included materials with a clear military purpose that could be directly applied to the war, including but not limited to oil, iron ore, copper ore, electrolytic aluminum, armored steel, scrap iron, various industrial acids and saltpeter, natural rubber, and petrochemical products.

Strategic materials with significant civilian value, primarily used for civilian purposes and directly related to people’s livelihoods, such as food and medicine, were not included in the embargo.

The key was actually the method of embargo.

It prohibited the export of embargoed commodities to the warring parties from both the country and its overseas colonies.

It prohibited commercial cooperation related to the export of embargoed commodities between the country’s enterprises and the warring parties.

It prohibited the country’s banks from providing financial support and services to the warring parties for the purchase of embargoed commodities.

It prohibited the country’s citizens and overseas residents from participating in the transport of embargoed materials to the warring parties.

This was also known as the "Four Bans."

The crux of the matter was that the Bulan Kingdom’s embargo measures did not target third parties.

Clearly, this backdoor was left too wide open.

For instance, natural rubber from Mala could first be exported to the Damman Kingdom and then resold to the Liangxia Empire. If it were transit trade, it wouldn’t even be necessary to transport the goods to the Damman Kingdom; after clearing customs in Mala, the cargo ship could directly head to a Liangxia Empire port to unload after going through the entry and exit formalities in the Damman Kingdom and the Liangxia Empire. All that was needed was to set up a trading company in the Damman Kingdom.

The same went for oil, which could be sold to a third party and then resold to the Liangxia Empire.

Furthermore, the Kingdom of Bulan guaranteed that it would not blockade sea routes under the pretext of the embargo and would keep open, including but not limited to, the Xifan Canal, the Kissa Strait, and the Throat Strait, which were vital for the Liangxia Empire’s import of strategic materials and were sea passages that the Bulan Kingdom effectively controlled.

Before the last great war ended, to consolidate its rule over the Fanluo region, the Kingdom of Bulan seized control of nearly all the sea passages leading into and out of the Fan Flame Ocean. At that time, the entire Kingdom of Bulan was cheering for joy. Little did they know that now these passages had become a hot potato they couldn’t drop.

In response, the Liangxia Empire assured that it would not deploy troops to attack and occupy these sea routes.

With these assurances, the strategic embargo became empty talk.

If there was any regret, it was the lack of a specified duration for the embargo.

Nobody, including Bai Zhizhan, was surprised by this result.

Although many people liked to describe the declining Kingdom of Bulan with the saying "a centipede dies but never falls down," Bai Zhizhan felt that "mighty on the outside, but hollow on the inside" was more appropriate.

Eight years earlier, in New Calendar Year 82, the year Rofuss was first elected as the President, the Imperial Intelligence Agency managed to obtain the strategic plan of the Bulan Royal Navy.

It explicitly mentioned that after a war broke out again, the Bulan Royal Navy would adopt a defensive strategy, setting up defenses in colonies such as Mala and Lion Spring City, and attempting to block the Liangxia Navy in stages to significantly slow down its advance, thereby gaining more time for mobilization.

The war plan that was later rolled out was almost identical to the one from the last great war.

Fall back to Jibu Fortress and conduct the final battle there.

Retreat further, and it would be the Xifan Canal and the Land Heart Sea.

Crucially, when necessary, the Fanluo region could be abandoned.

The Fanluo region, with its population exceeding two hundred million, was a heavy burden for any Empire.

If the proper methods were employed, such as the "scorched earth" defensive strategy, the Fanluo region would become the graveyard where Empires went to die!

From this strategic plan, it was evident that the Royal Navy of Bulan Kingdom lacked initiative and harbored no hope of defeating the Liangxia Navy in the coming war.

Although afterwards, especially when Rofuss moved into the Grey Palace, and the Newland Federation raised the flag of Western civilization, Bulan Kingdom’s Conservatives seized power and fundamentally adjusted their strategy, strengthening relations with the Newland Federation and displaying an aggressive stance on international issues. Fundamentally, though, Bulan Kingdom’s overall strategy remained conservative, or rather, was primarily focused on defending acquired interests.

Rekindle their fighting spirit under the support of the Newland Federation?

The Bulan Kingdom has regained its spirit, so should the Newland Federation go whistle in the Northwest wind?

The Newland Federation was actually the gravedigger of Bulan Kingdom!

Without the Newland Federation, even in decline, Bulan Kingdom would still be the standard-bearer of the Western Powers, representing many Western strongholds, including the Locke Republic.

In its most glorious days, the descendants of the Queen of Bulan were scattered throughout the Western royal families.

During that era, Bulan Kingdom was the spiritual leader of the Western world!

With the rise of the Newland Federation, Bulan Kingdom, no matter how powerful, could no longer be the standard-bearer.

If the Newland Federation wanted to stand out in the world, it needed overseas interests, even with considerable domestic strength.

Not to mention that plundering overseas profits was a justification for external expansion in itself.

If not for the benefit of its own citizens, was the expansion meant to help primitive tribes in barbaric lands live a blissful life?

Rofuss wouldn’t, and his supporting electorate wouldn’t agree either.

This was precisely why "isolationism" was prevalent—the people of Newland hadn’t tasted the fruits of expansion and felt instead that they were saving those forlorn kingdoms on the West Continent.

Before developing and growing stronger, the Newland Federation on its expansionist path would certainly not provoke Liangxia Empire.

Firstly, it had to replace Bulan Kingdom to become the leader of the Western world!

The Newland Federation aimed to take more than just the title of Western hegemon from Bulan Kingdom; it targeted tangible benefits as well.

This was the most explicit and active foreign policy strategy the Newland Federation displayed in interactions with Bulan Kingdom after Rofuss took office.

Simply put, it was to gradually replace and supersede Bulan Kingdom across the globe and in various international organizations.

The most representative cases were Ao Country, located Southwest in the East Ocean, and its northern neighbor, Red Maple Country.

Through years of infiltration, or accurately, with the active support of the Newland Federation, Ao Country and Red Maple Country had essentially achieved independence. They were no longer overseas colonies of Bulan Kingdom, having gained full sovereignty, including military and diplomatic rights, and they followed the basic policies of aligning with the Newland Federation.

It was precisely by taking over the mantle from Bulan Kingdom that the Newland Federation rapidly developed and grew in these few years.

Without its overseas colonies and having lost its status as leader of the Western world, Bulan Kingdom was left as nothing more than an empty husk, hardly worth even a rotten hide.

If judged by a nation’s potential for warfare, Bulan Kingdom was at best second-rate, still falling below Tiaoman Empire and the Luosha Federation.

They were slightly stronger than the crippled Locke Republic at most.

What could such a Bulan Kingdom achieve?

Even if pressured by Newland Federation, Bulan Kingdom had no choice but to avoid involvement and implement strategic embargoes on the warring parties—it didn’t mean they were willing to pull chestnuts out of the fire for the Newland Federation.

Regardless, following this great war, the global dominator would not be Bulan Kingdom.

If Newland Federation wouldn’t dare to confront Liangxia Empire head-on, why should Bulan Kingdom stick its neck out?

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