Realm of Power

At the base camp of the Strand Sea Kingdom Fleet, Biluland Island, the morning light dyed the sky into a faint red cloud. Among the red clouds, there were several white clouds gently floating by, and thousands of rays of rays of light reflected the 'exciting' The swaying sea water exudes a faint halo, and everything seems so comfortable and quiet.

"Giggle"

The wheels rolled over the island's exclusive road paved with smooth turquoise. A carriage with a navy logo on the door was escorted by thirty cavalry guards in blue and black uniforms through the noisy training ground in front of the courtyard. , turned around the warehouse filled with supplies, and followed the wide road straight to a six-story gray-white building at the very back.

"Creak" the carriage stopped in front of the steps, the door opened,

An elegant-looking middle-aged man got off the carriage, wearing a navy uniform, blond curls, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. Compared with the fierce escort cavalry beside him. He is more like a scholar, but it can be seen from the expressions on the faces of the cavalry guards surrounding him. How much they were in awe of this elegant-looking middle-aged man.

"Salute!" The guards on the steps stood at attention and saluted hurriedly, but the middle-aged man seemed as motionless as a petrified sculpture. The adjutant who followed him quietly took out the folder from the carriage and handed it to the middle-aged man.

"Your Highness, I didn't expect you to come to the base camp in person!" A naval adjutant hurriedly ran out, sweating profusely with a smiling face. This menacing middle-aged nobleman was Prince Anji of the Sea Kingdom. When he saw the prince Everyone in the Navy Department subconsciously chose to avoid that extremely stinky face.

There's nothing I can do about it. It would be weird if the other party was smiling at this time!

Some time ago, the Sea Kingdom's strategy underwent a major adjustment, and the relationship between the Sea Kingdom and the Falcon Empire turned from alliance to hostility. Among them, Prince Anji, who once advocated the alliance between the Sea Kingdom and the Falcon Empire. Because of this incident, he was deprived of his position as commander of the Sea Kingdom's Second Fleet and was temporarily appointed as the titular deputy speaker of the Sea Kingdom's Upper Council.

The Sea Kingdom and the Gangfei Empire are cooperating. In order to show their sincerity in cooperation, the Gangfei side is willing to let His Majesty the Emperor marry a princess from the Sea Kingdom.

Although the Gangfei Empire is no longer what it used to be, and half of its territory was cut off by the Istani, but for a maritime country where most of the country's land is islands and the total is no more than one province, the Gangfei Empire is still very large.

Moreover, Gangfei's army still has 200,000 troops, controlling nine southern provinces. It still has a deterrent effect on the surrounding inland sea countries. The alliance with Gangfei will make the next emperor of Gangfei a pro-sea country and maintain its own power against the sea countries. The dominance in the inland sea area is of great significance.

After screening, the upper and lower councils of the sea country finally selected Princess Anji, the daughter of Prince Anji, who was the most suitable candidate for this marriage.

Princess Anjini is 15 years old this year. Young and energetic, with a sense of honor for the sea country, Emperor Gangfei is only seven years old this year, and it is said that he is not yet able to fully rule. The married princess of Haiguo is almost the leader of the Gangfei Empire. She can firmly seize a big country like Gangfei without spending too many means. This is an opportunity that Haiguo must not let go. . As for the princess's father, Prince Anji's identity seems a bit embarrassing. The Navy Ministry has agreed to restore his identity as the commander of the Second Fleet. However, the appointment letter has not yet been issued.

It is also difficult for Parliament to enforce the Admiralty's procrastinating attitude.

The Strand people founded their country with a navy, and the Navy Department has always had a superior status. Moreover, the Navy Department has the authority to decide when to announce a decision based on changes in the situation.

But Prince Anji obviously couldn't wait any longer. He was inexplicably pulled from his seat as commander of the Second Fleet of the Navy, and then he was told to send his daughter to Ganfei. Now he is holding back his appointment and delaying it. , any man who has experienced all this will become furious and lose his cool.

In the Commander's Office at the Navy Base Camp, Prince Anji said angrily, "Although I have been transferred from the Navy Department, at least I am still the prince of the Maritime Kingdom. Isn't Minister Bapra not even in the mood to come out to meet him?"

"Don't get me wrong, Your Highness, Minister Bapura is holding an emergency meeting about the war, so..." The navy adjutant looked nervous and there were beads of sweat on his forehead, and he wiped it off again and again.

"Emergency meeting?"

Prince Anji raised his head and glanced at the window in the direction of the conference room. The lamp was indeed lit. The prince frowned slightly. Although he was transferred away from the core of the navy, he also heard some secrets about the Haiguo fleet's early departure from the port half a month ago. , the force mobilized by Haiguo this time was unprecedented. All three main fleets were dispatched, with a total of 211 warships and 30,000 sailors. The remaining people, this is already a large gathering of sea power, and their target is the Falcon Empire Navy fleet that is about to enter the southern waters of Congo. Within the Strand Navy, there are also many people talking about the conflict with the Falcon Empire Navy Is it worth fighting? One is the overlord of the outer sea, and the other is the overlord of the inland sea. Is it necessary to distinguish between life and death? Even the prince himself did not understand whether Navy Minister Bapra's approach was correct, but it was just incomprehension, not doubt.

Navy Minister Bapra is sixty-one years old this year. He boarded the ship at the age of fourteen. He became the commander of the First Fleet of the Strand Navy at the age of thirty-one. He became the Minister of the Strand Navy at the age of forty-nine. He has made brilliant achievements in his life and led The fleet of the Sea Kingdom travels across the inland sea, and is regarded as the protector of Strand Sea Kingdom.

Bapra never married and focused all his energy on the navy. Although the Strand Sea Kingdom is known as the overlord of the inland sea, it has truly formed control over the inland sea. It relies on ports in various places to form a large communication network, and an island alliance has become the inland sea. region, a powerful United Kingdom that no one dares to underestimate. The Secretary of the Navy deserves a lot of credit

"Okay, you go down, I'll wait here!"

Prince Anji waved his hand to the adjutant, and quietly came to the map placed on the table. It was a map full of scribbles, and several arrows marked by Navy Minister Bapra could be seen on it. The first one was The location of the arrow is the most important place on the southern coast of Congo, Barola Port.

This is the gateway to the southern coast of Congo. Whoever occupies Barola is equivalent to tearing open the door to the southern coast of Congo. On the map, Barora's position has been circled with a red pen, and such a circle, There are four or five on the entire map. They are all ports on the southern coast of Congo,

"Is this... a battle plan?"

Prince Anji looked at the map and took a breath of air.

According to his understanding of Minister Bapra for many years, these red circles represent giving up. The entire curved southern coast of Congo is like a huge fishhook, and these red circles are like a series of huge baits, with the entire Just off the southern coast is the bait. What a big fish to catch in Bapra!

at the same time. On the first floor of the naval base camp building, a handsome young naval admiral walked into the hall. He was a man in his twenties, tall and tall, with curly brown hair and pure eyes that seemed to be smiling forever. Compared with the naval admiral on his shoulder, his age is too young. Even Minister Bapra, who is known as the protector of the Sea Kingdom, was thirty-one years old when he became the admiral of the Sea Kingdom fleet. At that time, he was already the youngest among the admirals of the Sea Kingdom, and the man in front of him walked into the hall. Admiral of the Navy. Even younger than the original Bapra

However, no one dared to despise him. This young duke of the sea country definitely did not become an admiral in charge of the fleet through personal connections. As a leader among young generals, his reputation is not much worse than that of other admirals. Just a few lieutenants in the hall. He was an admirer of the duke, young, kind, though not very handsome. But clean and gentle. He has the title of Duke, his own island and property, but he is unwilling to sleep in the shadow of his ancestors. Instead, he spent ten years to become a naval admiral by accumulating military merit. Such a man is a treasure in the eyes of any woman. From the way a female adjutant stood not far away and bullied her chest, we could know how lethal this duke was to women.

After the meeting, Navy Minister Bapra pushed the door open with his exhausted body. When he saw Prince Anji, who was looking at the nautical chart, he frowned slightly.

"Minister Bapra!" Prince Anji stood at attention. In front of the protector of the sea country, even the prince did not dare to be presumptuous.

"His Royal Highness, why are you here? As far as I know, today is the day when the Parliament will discuss the Maritime Salvage Compensation Bill, and I heard that this bill was proposed by His Highness the Prince." Bapra called the sentry at the door. With a gesture, the sentry sent two glasses of wine in and walked towards the prince with the wine in his hand.

"Your Excellency Bapra, I am here because I really want to know when my appointment will be issued? If I continue to wait like this, I will almost become the laughing stock of others! This is a matter of concern to the face of the royal family!" Prince Anji He took the wine glass with a normal expression. The relationship between the two It's not that the rumors from the outside are bad. When the prince was appointed as the commander of the Second Fleet of the Sea Kingdom, it was with the strong support of Bapura. Bapura is a loyal person. He may not please the royal family, but he doesn't either. It will embarrass the royal family. The two have already formed a tacit understanding.

"Don't worry, Your Excellency's appointment will be issued when it is most needed!" Bapra's face looked a little solemn, and he took a sip of wine and said, "In fact, I prefer that this appointment will not be issued, because the prince at that time Your Excellency, you definitely don’t want to see it!”

"When you need it most?" Prince Anji held the wine glass with a look of astonishment on his face.

"Restoring His Highness to his position is actually just a kind of advance preparation!" Bapra walked to the window, looked at the white beach under the impact of the waves in the distance, and said slowly, "I believe that His Highness the Prince has already known the news that the main force of the Navy has left the port. The outcome of this battle between the Sea Kingdom and the Falcon Empire is uncertain. If he wins, his appointment will be cancelled. If he fails, his appointment will be announced. Only then can we quickly repair the relationship between the two countries!”

"What does this mean?"

Prince Anji's face changed after hearing this, and anger suddenly surged in his heart. The long-suppressed emotions finally broke out. He glared at Bapra and said sternly, "Since you are not sure of defeating the Falcon Empire, why do you want to defeat the Falcon Empire?" Pushing the country onto this war path, I have always believed that this war is simply unnecessary. We can definitely live in peace with the Falcon Empire. As for the more powerful non-alliance, you really think that it is a waste for us. A blessing?"

"Live in peace?" Bapra turned around from the window, raised his eyebrows, and his eyes shone with cold light. "Does His Highness really think we can live in peace with the Falcon Empire?"

"Why not? From the beginning, the Falcon Empire had no intention of fighting us. They just wanted to enter the inland sea and start trade!" Prince Anji looked serious. "And in the three months since we joined forces with the Falcon Empire, we have gained nothing. The trade income has increased by 30%. If we had not chosen to provoke the war, I believe that our cooperation with the Falcon Empire would definitely bring the development of the Sea Country to a higher level. If we join forces, the entire country will be affected. .

"That's enough, Anji! Why are you still so naive!" Bapura looked at the prince with bright eyes, waved his hand to interrupt the prince's words, took out a report from the drawer, and handed it to the generous Prince Anji. Ningsheng said, "Look at this first. This is the report for the three-month cooperation period. Your eyes should not only focus on the benefits, but on what truly represents Haiguo."

"Yes, we have gained a lot. We have also opened up the connection point between the inner sea and the outer sea, but you should also know that a child and a giant may become good friends without knowing each other. Once the giant knows the allies in front of him, It's just a child. What do you think will happen to them? The giant will tear the child apart without hesitation.

It's a pity that Falcon Empire is the giant and we are the children!

Just three months. The number of Falcon Empire's merchant ships entering the inland sea is 2,000, and according to our informant reports in the Putao area, this is less than one-fifth of the total number of Falcon Empire's merchant ships. The number of merchant ships in our sea country is only this. number. In October, when we fell out with the Falcon Empire, the Falcon Empire had gathered 7,000 merchant ships in the Putao area.

"Seven thousand ships," Bapra's eyes flashed, and he murmured, "Sea country! Sea country! Once these merchant fleets like locusts flood into the inland sea. Our trade lines will be the first to collapse in the impact, and the inland sea will The country will find that cooperating with the Falcon Empire is a hundred times more cost-effective than cooperating with our sea country. At that time, will we still be called the sea country? Without the sea, there will be no sea country!"

"this......"

Prince Anji heard beads of sweat oozing out from his forehead, and the hand holding the report felt like holding a soldering iron.

He had never thought about it like this before. Indeed, there were too many merchant fleets in the Falcon Empire, so many that they could submerge the entire inland sea trade line. Thinking of tens of thousands of merchant fleets flying the Falcon Empire's naval flag, crowding the inland sea. various ports, that is definitely Strand, which is a country based on the sea. The disaster of the Special people, the influx of this large number of merchant fleets into the inland sea, and the growing power and prestige of the Falcon Empire. Within a few years, the Strand Sea Kingdom spent countless efforts to build an attraction in the inland sea area. The huge network of contacts that we are proud of will be shattered into pieces.

The Inland Sea countries are famous for their snobbery. Whoever can bring them wealth will be on their side without hesitation. On top of this, the financial and material resources of the Falcon Empire are like an incomparable giant. Strand Haiguo has no qualifications to compete with it! , the inland sea system led by the Strand Sea Kingdom will completely collapse, and will be replaced by the inland sea system led by the Falcon Empire. This can be known from the rise of the Falcon Empire's commercial giant in the northern region. This is by no means an alarmist statement.

"I'm sorry, sacrificing your love and the Gangfei alliance this time was actually not my original intention. I just hope to delay the Falcon Empire's penetration into the inland sea! This agreement will not be implemented until the outcome of the war is known!" Pula glanced at him and said, "The same is true for the navy's main force, which devoted all its strength to the decisive battle with the Falcon Empire Navy. The Falcon Navy defeated the two empires of Gaul and Congo." The powerful opponent of the army, everything is destroyed under the Falcon Thunder God, so we only have one chance to fight with it, and we cannot afford to fail. If we win, this battle should be able to block the Falcon Navy from entering the inland sea for five years, and the sea country There is still a chance to take a breath and re-adjust the strategic plan. When the time comes, your love will take over the Gangfei Empire, and the adjustment of the strategic direction of Haiguo will be greatly helped!"

"If it fails, the Sea Kingdom will lose the qualification to be the overlord of the inland sea, the door to the inland sea will be completely opened, and the Falcon Empire will inevitably attack us. At that time, your letter of appointment will be issued, and I will be dismissed and convicted, my dear. There is no need to go to Gangfei, so that you can at least have an excuse to calm down the anger of the Falcon Empire, and then you will take over my position and become the general person in charge of the navy of the sea country."

"This may be the last meeting between you and me." Bapra smiled bitterly and put the report back in the drawer. "Go back and make the preparations you should. Soldiers have their responsibilities as soldiers, and royals have their responsibilities." Responsibility, we are actually all fighting for the sea country , No matter victory or failure! The dream of Haiguo always needs people to continue! I am old, and life and death are no longer worth it. I just hope you know what a terrifying beast you will face. The future is not as easy as you think! ""

"I'm sorry. It was all a misunderstanding before. I didn't expect that your thoughts are so profound." Prince Anji lowered his head in shame. This old man has dedicated his life to the sea country, and now he is ready to sacrifice his life at any time.

"My lord, the Duke of Love Harley has arrived!"

The adjutant's voice sounded outside the door, and a young man wearing a dark green admiral's navy uniform appeared at the door of the office. A precious tube-shaped velvet bag hung on his waist, and he held the navy admiral's collar under his arm. Duke Harley, Haiguo Lord of the United Islands, Admiral of the Fifth Squadron of the Sea Kingdom, (To be continued...)