Realm of Power

After coming out of Wuhuang Tower, the fat man boarded the carriage waiting outside.

The carriage shook slightly, and the wheels began to move slowly along the street. His Majesty Falcon was so angry that the captain of the guards dressed as the carriage driver did not dare to ask questions. A dozen black-armored guards waiting in the distance came around the corner. Come over and quietly follow the carriage. Such a team is natural.

The fat man rubbed his temples, leaned on the sofa in the carriage and closed his eyes to rest. The anger on his face dissipated a lot, and he secretly wondered why he suddenly lost his temper. The other party kept saying something about Yipin Tang Sect, which reminded the fat man of The country from the previous life, Although he has the most splendid civilization inheritance, he always likes to fight within himself and always wants to appear superior to others in front of his own people. However, when he goes outside, he doesn’t even have the most basic confidence and is arrogant in front of his own people. Face, and condescending attitude towards outsiders

Just like Tang Ruyue, as the liaison officer of the Zhongbia Empire, she needs to rely on performances to attract the empire's attention. There should be many people in Zhongbia who secretly work to tear down the corners of their own country. The situation of the building is about to collapse. irreparable,

Fatty recalled in his mind what he had learned from Qianyun about the power framework of the Zhongbia Empire. In the Zhongbia Empire, nobles were divided into nine ranks, among which the above three ranks were the most glorious, followed by the middle third rank and the lower third rank. The nobles among the lower ranks are three trenches that cannot be crossed. , the first-class wealthy families have powerful power in the Zhongbia Empire, and are called clans. The clans follow a hereditary system. Many children of wealthy families already have titles and official positions from the moment they are born, and if they are ordinary people and low-level Nobles will never have the chance to enter the upper echelons of the empire in this life.

Comparison of arrogance and extravagance is common among upper-class and third-class wealthy families. Qianyun once mentioned a kind of "meat screen" that is most hated by women. To put it bluntly, it is just for comparison. The owner of the wealthy family makes more than ten or twenty beauties take off their clothes and stand side by side. Together, it is like a white flesh screen welcoming guests in front. Completely ignoring the frozen corpses in the howling cold wind, some wealthy children have never walked on the ground in their lives, and are carried on the backs of servants. When they see the horses neighing, they are scared to death. As for there are some perverted and cruel customs , it was already hard for Qian Yun to talk about it, but Fatty had probably heard it from some Central and Bian businessmen,

"The Zhongbia Empire has rotted so much. I don't know if there is any need to support it!" The fat man said to himself and stretched out his hand from the carriage window. Shouting "Stop, I want to get off!" The carriage stopped on the side of the road. An accompanying captain of the Guards came over and opened the door with a respectful expression. The fat man stepped down and glanced at the pier in front of him. Unknowingly, The carriage has entered the port area. There are only a few sailors in the originally large number. Only a few merchant ships with different flags can be seen at the dock. They are ships of the German and Italian Kingdom of the Inland Sea!

Scenes like this are not uncommon in Lisbon. As the empire expands into the inland sea, ships from the inland sea forces begin to appear in Lisbon.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed by Turrit Korin is also busy signing port lease agreements with coastal countries! Although all parties behind the scenes spent their own money and construction. However, as an agreement between countries, it must be personally recognized by the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is also necessary for the Empire to check and balance the control of inland sea forces, otherwise some commercial forces will dominate. One day, it will choose to break away from the control of the empire and become an independent force just like some commercial cities. This is something the empire does not want to see. Although this possibility will take at least thirty-four years, or even a century, to appear, the empire must reduce the danger in the bud as much as possible. No one can predict the final direction. What the fat man can do is to reduce the risk from the beginning.

The fat man stood at the pier, looking at a foreign merchant ship that was slowly docking at the pier. He was already thinking about a power structure spanning two continents. The seat of the center of power, which was the Kyoto of the empire, continued to be placed in Zhivadin. It seems a bit out of date. The population of the empire has has exceeded 150 million, while the population of Ikadiva is only 60 million. More people and resources are in the Obaro region, southwest and northwest, and its economic development has completely surpassed Ikadiva. region, currently, Dahai City in the northwest has the advantage of becoming the new imperial capital.

In terms of environment, Dahai City in the northwest is the port that the empire spends the most energy on. In order to build Dahai City into a super port that can handle massive supplies from both continents, the land network line spread from the long wall in the north to Xiannan District, crossing the northern coastline. , it is also the seaway hub between the continent of Obarro and the continent of Ikadiva.

After several years of construction and development, coupled with Lidakus’ hard work, Dahai City has become a super-large city with a population of 800,000. Militarily, Dahai City can mobilize sufficient military power during wartime and is far away from war zones. No matter whether the war breaks out in the south or the north, no matter how chaotic the Wu Lun Obaro side is, it will not matter. In a short period of time, the French invaded the sea city where the imperial navy was stationed. In this regard, Fatty actually admired the Gauls' arrangement in Kyoto. The founding emperor who established the Gallic Empire was indeed the emperor who had fought for a lifetime. , when setting Kyoto, the goal of Kyoto as a logistics center was already set.

The advantage of this setting is that even if you are gone, even if the empire's army is not as powerful as before, and even if your descendants are rookies who don't know how to fight, they can still suppress the empire's enemies with their huge logistics and mobilization power. The defense line was defended layer by layer. The Gauls mobilized millions of troops and countless supplies. The ordinary enemy had long been defeated. Part of the manpower and material resources came from the Gaul and Kyoto areas. If I were not lucky enough and the opponent fell out of the way, I took advantage of the winter opportunity to strategically complete the encirclement from the northwest and completely cut off the enemy. Without the supply line of Gaul Kyoto, Gaul Kyoto, an invincible little strongman, is estimated to be able to equip two to three hundred thousand Gallic troops to fight with itself.

"Stop, who is it!" Suddenly, a guard shouted from behind, interrupting the fat man's thoughts.

"Don't get me wrong, I don't mean any harm. I'm actually here to save you!" A somewhat panicked female voice came from behind,

"Save me?" The tone mixed with a Chinese and Bian tone made the fat man turn around and was stunned for a moment. This was it. . . Be a woman.

I saw two slender figures in front of me in the afterglow of the setting sun. One of the two handsome boys was wearing a gray-white robe, and the other was wearing a purple dress. They looked elegant and flawless. The one who spoke was the boy in purple, with bright eyes. Looking at him with a bit of nervousness and curiosity, the boy in white next to him was nervously pulling the clothes of the boy in purple with his hands, and whispered something in Central Bian in an anxious tone.

"How did you save me?" the fat man asked curiously. Octavia's hearing naturally picked up the other party's conversation.

"Miss, you are too hasty. He just came out of the Tang Clan. Although our Song Clan has a good relationship with the Tang Clan, in this place thousands of miles away, who dares to say that the Tang Clan will not become angry in shame. , kill us like the Li clan! We’d better leave immediately! We’re going back to China anyway, there’s no need for this.”

"It's no problem, don't worry. It's said that the face comes from the heart. Look at his honest appearance and simple eyes. He is easy to deceive at first glance. And even if this kind of person is a bad person, he can't be very bad! The boy in purple is busy comforting him. Looking at his companion next to him, he pretended to be calm and whispered, "I just want to give it a try before returning to China. If it succeeds, I will have face when I go back!"

"But Miss, it's too dangerous for you to do this. How do you know that his relationship with the Tang Clan has broken down? What if he has a close relationship with the Tang Clan?"

"Nonsense, I'm the most famous piano tuner in the south. I just heard a sound of breaking strings from the Tang people. Judging from the tone, it should be Tang Ruyue's most famous moonlight. That woman's love for that piano The piano has always been loved like a treasure, but I don’t know what happened to break the strings. "The girl in purple raised her mouth slightly, "I'm quite happy to see it." Except that the negotiation has not been concluded. I can't think of any other possibility! This is our opportunity. That woman Tang Ruyue has put so much effort into it, it must be about the iron ore! Don't hurry up and take a good look at it now , take the first step. If the people from the Zhang family also say it, then their group of people will take away all the good things."

"What does it mean to look honest and honest, have pure eyes, and what is it to be easy to deceive..." The fat man suddenly rolled his eyes when he heard the two women whispering. Where did these two living treasures come from?

He understood part of the Central Bian language, and he could see that these two handsome young men were naturally girls disguised as men. The words of the girl opposite who thought she was a girl in purple almost made him laugh out loud. People like him also Called a good person, then there really is no justice in this world!

"Tell me, how can you save me?" The fat man waved his hand to the guard standing in the middle. He had probably already figured out the identity of the other party. The only "Song" among the four wealthy families in Central and Eastern Asia who has not yet appeared is really An unexpected surprise, mixed up by these two little girls, the unhappiness just now disappeared.

The girl in purple didn't know that even her trump card had been seen through, and she was still pretending. She put her white hand on her chin, looked at the fat man up and down with a deep look, and said with a very helpless look, "I don't know what you are like with the Tang people." How is the relationship, but I think it’s better to remind you.”

"The Tang clan is the first-class noble family in the southwest region of our Zhongbia Empire. This woman, Tang Ruyue, is even more famous for her ruthlessness. If you provoke her this time, you will probably get yourself into trouble! Since you see Tang Ruyue, then... I must have seen that little maid. That little maid is a killer and kills without blinking an eye. But I can save you. As long as you sign an agreement with us and sell us iron ore, from now on, I, the Song Clan, will protect you! "

The fat man smiled lightly and said nothing.

"What, you don't believe it?" The purple-clothed boy was a little anxious. She originally thought that the other party was a simple and honest guy who was afraid of death. It was best to lie to such a person. He would fall to her side at the slightest fright. Who knew that the other party was completely like this? The unresponsive expression is so embarrassing. How could I meet such a fool?

."If there is nothing practical, there is no need for us to continue talking!" the fat man said,

"What do you mean by actual things?" The boy in purple asked nervously,

"The Tang clan can give me what I need. Tang Ruyue is not that good. He has good kung fu and a good figure. What about you? What can you give me?" The fat man grinned slightly and looked at the girl in purple, looking up and down. After taking care of it, it looks like a wolf that has fallen in love with Little Red Riding Hood.

"You, shameless!" Under the fat man's aggressive eyes, the purple-clothed girl's pretty face turned red with aggrievedness. She clenched her fingers together and repeated what she just said: "Even if such a person is a bad person, he can't be bad." The attributive phrase "Go there" was shattered on the ground. Looking at her angry look, if there wasn't a guard standing between the fat man and her, they might have been ready to rush over and beat her.

"Sure enough, she is still too young. Just one sentence can do this. How could a delicate girl like you be sent out? No wonder there has been no news about the Song Clan. I see, it seems that the Song Clan is even more disappointing than the Tang Clan. !" The fat man's eyes were as deep as lightning, he shook his head and sighed, "Go back, the conditions offered by the Tang Clan are beyond your reach. , I know that your Song clan is the largest clan in southern Zhongbia, but it is not peaceful for the empire's business groups. Not only are the various ethnic groups mixed, but rebellions often break out. Now that the Dongting army is moving south, Zhongbia is moving southward. , soon, your Song region will be under tremendous pressure, and it is not an area that can be managed well!"

"You know I'm from the Song clan!"

The girl in purple stood there blankly, not knowing why. She suddenly felt that the honest and silly fat man in front of her suddenly became more sophisticated. She had been in the Falcon Empire for more than a month. Along the Gallic route, which was once a war zone, she saw cities that looked like military fortresses. Thick city walls, densely packed gun holes, huge trebuchets, terrifying crossbows, like a woodland army, here is a world dominated by iron and blood. War seems to have no signs of stopping. Until she entered the Southwest District, the prosperity of the Southwest District gave her a great shock.

"Not only do I know that you are from the Song clan, but I also know that your Song clan's current status is very bad." The fat man glanced at the purple-clothed girl indifferently. After a slow voice, he said, "The reason why the people sent by you Song clan seem a little negative this time is because the predicament of the Song clan is far more terrifying than the lack of iron.

For the other three tribes. This is a great opportunity that only occurs in hundreds of years. Chaos is coming and the building is about to be destroyed. Whoever can get the iron ore can seize this opportunity of rapid rise. But you Song people are different. A wealthy family that has lasted for thousands of years, the history of the Song family is relatively The history of the founding of Zhongbia is much longer. The Song people themselves originated from the barbarians in the south, so they have a good relationship with the marginalized peoples in the south. When Zhongbia was founded, because of the power of the barbarians in the south, the Song people were also named one. A wealthy family, in order to stabilize the south,

Now that Dongting is moving south with heavy troops, the Zhongbia Empire has chosen to move the center of the empire south to avoid the edge. For the Song people whose sphere of influence is mainly in the south, this is simply a disaster. The Wang surnamed Wu people will replace the Song people and become the leader of the south. The largest clan, and the other three clans will also move south, breaking the previous pattern of the four clans joining forces to fight against the royal clan. The Song family will fight alone against all the forces that moved south with the royal family."

"You...how do you know!" The girl in purple trembled slightly, her eyes full of disbelief.

Who is this person? Thousands of miles away, he can be so clear about the domestic situation in China and Bia. Moreover, his clear and clear analysis tells the dilemma of the clan in one sentence. The implication is that he does not want to negotiate with him. It is said that the situation of the Song clan is not optimistic. In fact, news has been sent to the clan, and then With the arrival of the southward migration of the Central Biya royal family, the Song clan, a powerful family that has been entrenched in southern Central Biya for thousands of years, had to choose to shrink their sphere of influence this time and move all their industries to the southern mountains. In other words , the Song people have decided to choose a closed-door policy and decided to return to the mountains.

"Go back. If you go fast enough, you might be able to catch up before the imperial capital of Central Asia moves south." The fat man waved his hand to the girl in purple, turned around and looked at the sea in the distance, but what came to his mind was "Big After Jiangdong has gone to waste everything, even a thousand-year-old wealthy family will decline. "It is not difficult to understand why the Song clan sent such a rookie here, because there is no hope at all!

"You are looking down on me!" The purple-clothed girl angrily chopped her foot and said unwillingly, "Who said that the Song clan will be in trouble soon? Who said that we have no capital to operate? We, the Song clan, are entrenched in the south. Thousands of years, several kings With the change of dynasties, the north has become a mess. Only the area of ​​the Song people is as stable as a rock and the people are as iron as iron. This is the capital of management. Moreover, the Song people have the sea at their back and a mountain in front. .

"Wait a minute." The fat man turned around and suddenly interrupted her with a voice, "What did you just say? Your Song clan is backed by the sea?"

"Yes, don't be the only one who has the sea here. We also have the sea in China and Bia. The Longquan Port controlled by our Song people is the largest seaport in China and Bia!" The girl in purple puffed up her chest proudly and said very He said proudly, "And my Song fleet has been as far as Feilinhaiwan, which is a peninsula on the coast of the Southern Sea. It is said that the other end of the peninsula is the South European Barrow area!"

"Okay, no need to say anything else, I'll sign an agreement with you!"

Fatty made a decisive decision. A Central Asian power with a seaport is more worthy of investment than an inland country. Moreover, judging from the current situation, helping the other three companies can only obtain access rights, which is of little significance to the expansion of the empire's power.

And if you help the Song people in times of difficulty, you can not only get a harbor docking station, but also the right of passage and trade rights for the various ethnic groups in southern China.

As long as it can get the support of the Song people, it is entirely possible for the empire to use the Song people's Longquanli Port as a stronghold and extend the sea area to the southern seas of Central and South Africa.

Eventually, these seas will be connected to the seas controlled by the Empire. This is a century-long strategy! (To be continued...)