Iron Dynasty Chapter 1077

“Not a single copper coin will be missing from your pocket.”

Xiao Ming glared at Cui Shang’an. If it were in the past, he would not have dared to boast about expanding the army to six hundred thousand men.

After all, a modern army was not akin to a feudal cold-weapons army that subsisted on meager rations. The rigorous training of soldiers, the procurement of essential equipment, daily sustenance, and the soldiers’ wages constituted a colossal expenditure.

Furthermore, the Empire’s army exhibited a significant generational disparity in weaponry compared to other nations, rendering its three to four hundred thousand men across the six major military regions more than sufficient for existing needs.

However, the conflict in Southeast Asia compelled him to reconsider army expansion. This was because, despite the Empire’s seemingly vast military numbers, the soldiers remaining after garrisons and border defenses were deployed left precious few available for offensive operations.

Should the European powers decide to engage in a protracted conflict, his current troop strength would prove woefully inadequate. Intelligence indicated that Europe was also making significant technological strides, and should they secure a few more years, their weaponry would likely undergo substantial upgrades, thereby intensifying future battles.

Although Xiao Ming harbored ambitions of subjugating Europe, launching an oceanic invasion faced considerable logistical hurdles. Foremost among these was the Empire’s insufficient troop transport capacity, as an assault on Europe would necessitate an deployment of at least four to five hundred thousand soldiers.

Such a massive undertaking, coupled with the requisite supply lines, presented an epic and daunting challenge.

Consequently, to preempt any future counteroffensives from European nations, expanding the army in advance was imperative. He wished to avoid a reactive stance when future problems inevitably arose.

And the most crucial factor was the Empire’s steadily increasing tax revenue, which provided him with the financial resources to sustain a larger military force. The bullets and cannonballs expended in current conflicts represented tangible wealth, making financial backing indispensable.

“If that is the case, then this presents no obstacle. There remain numerous youths within the Empire eager to enlist,” Cui Shang’an remarked.

After a brief pause, Cui Shang’an recalled a pertinent detail. “Does Your Majesty recall the foreign legions you sanctioned for establishment?”

“Are you referring to the foreign legions from Goryeo and Japan?”

“Precisely. These foreign legions have now been assembled and have undergone training, numbering approximately twenty thousand strong. Ye Qingyun has dispatched a telegram inquiring whether they can be deployed to the Siberian front at this juncture?” Cui Shang’an queried. “Conversely, if Your Majesty does not intend to conquer Siberia immediately, this foreign legion could be dispatched to the Indian front.”

“Dispatch them to Siberia. At present, the sole land-based threat to the Empire remains Tsarist Russia. We must not afford them any opportunity for growth and must endeavor to push them west of the Ural Mountains with all due haste,” Xiao Ming declared.

Cui Shang’an acknowledged the directive. While the Southeast Army bore the brunt of this year’s military engagements, the other military regions had remained active. Ye Qingyun had been tirelessly preparing for the campaign to seize Siberia. Qi Guangyi, meanwhile, had concentrated his efforts on Central Asia.

Luo Xin had been meticulously planning for the southern campaign, having already formulated a comprehensive offensive strategy which he submitted to the General Staff.

The sole military region from which the General Staff had not yet received updates was Zhu Sansi’s Eastern Military Region. Following the conscription and training of the initial contingent of eight thousand soldiers, Zhu Sansi had embarked for Alaska in the latter half of the preceding year, yet no subsequent reports had been received.

However, Cui Shang’an understood the implications of this delay. Alaska, being an arctic expanse, presented considerable challenges for landing operations and the establishment of the Empire’s inaugural settlement in that territory. Moreover, the logistical demands of travel to and from the region were substantial.

Following their discussion of the foreign legions, Xiao Ming’s thoughts drifted to the civil unrest within Japan. Last year, his focus had been consumed by the conflict in Southeast Asia, leaving him uninformed about the progress of Wang Xuan’s arrangements in Japan.

Yet, this thought merely flickered across his mind, as a matter of far greater importance now commanded his attention: petroleum.

The conquest of India could be deferred for the present, but the procurement of petroleum from the Middle East demanded immediate prioritization. With the recent technological breakthroughs in internal combustion engines, petroleum was the sole missing component.

However, securing petroleum from the Middle East was not a simple transaction. Despite the widespread notion that oil could be extracted with minimal effort in the region, the Middle East at that time possessed no conceptual understanding of petroleum.

Securing petroleum required a two-pronged approach: first, deploying an exploration team to pinpoint oil field locations, and second, guaranteeing the team's safety. Achieving this necessitated fostering positive relations with either the Ottoman Empire or Persia.

Consequently, he resolved to dispatch two delegations simultaneously, one to the Ottoman Empire and another to Persia. His strategy always involved hedging his bets, ensuring that if one avenue proved unviable, the other could still be pursued.

…

Istanbul.

This opulent city served as the capital of the Ottoman Empire and the esteemed residence of Suleiman III.

As was his tradition each leisurely morning, Suleiman III, the reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, awoke to the gentle caress of sunlight filtering into his chambers.

However, just as he concluded his ablutions and prepared to savor his morning repast, the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire arrived unannounced.

“Salid, what brings you to my palace at such an hour?” Suleiman inquired, a hint of surprise coloring his tone.

Bowing his head in deference, Salid conveyed, “Magnificent Sultan, an envoy from France has just arrived. They have formally requested an audience with Your Majesty, stating they bear a matter of utmost urgency.”

“France!” Suleiman’s brow furrowed upon hearing the name. “Are the French unaware they are unwelcome here? Not unless they consent to return the Peloponnese Peninsula to our dominion.”

A knowing smile touched Salid’s lips. “Great Sultan,” he replied, “the French envoys indicated that their purpose is precisely to negotiate this very issue. Furthermore, they have secured Britain’s endorsement for this visit and are acting in conjunction with Britain’s interests.”

Suleiman paused, momentarily taken aback. “Could this be a ruse?” he mused aloud, his voice laced with suspicion. “These accursed Europeans have already seized far too much of our ancestral lands.”

Images flashed through his mind, and Suleiman’s teeth clenched in seething resentment. Centuries ago, the Ottoman Empire had stood as a colossal dominion, its reach stretching across three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Yet, with the ascendance of European technological prowess, the Ottoman Empire had suffered repeated defeats at the hands of European powers, consequently ceding substantial territories in both Africa and Europe.

This continuous territorial erosion had inflicted a profound sense of humiliation upon the once-dominant empire. The relentless string of military losses had unfortunately fueled internal dissent, with voices rising against his leadership.

These dissenters alleged that his reign was to blame for the Ottoman Empire’s stagnant technological standing, which remained on par with that of centuries past. But Suleiman felt deeply wronged; he had only presided over the empire for a mere twenty years, not several hundred.

“I suspect their intentions are sincere this time. It is whispered that both the British and the French have recently suffered setbacks in Asia at the hands of the former Great Yu Empire. Now, they find themselves compelled to seek our aid.”

“The Great Yu Empire? The very nation that was nearly extinguished by the Golden Tent Khanate?” Suleiman questioned, a flicker of remembrance in his eyes.

“Precisely, that is the one,” Salid affirmed.

Suleiman grew even more astonished. In truth, due to the empire’s insular geography and his own complacency regarding external affairs, he seldom paid heed to nations beyond the European sphere.

Salid’s revelations came as a genuine shock, opening his eyes to a world beyond his immediate perception.