Chapter 644: Exploitation

"It is a pleasure to meet you, General Watanabe. My name is Aierxun, and I currently serve as the Special Envoy of the Sam Country to the Dongtu."

The Sam Country man in a black tailcoat took off his hat, bowed to Watanabe, and began to introduce himself.

Raising his head, he looked up and down at this supreme ruler of Dongying, feeling smug in his heart.

It was precisely due to his insistence that the Sam Country fleet, composed of four sailing warships, decided to blast open the gates of Dongying with cannons, forcing Dongying to establish trade relations with the Sam Country.

This was the mission given to him by the current president of the Sam Country, Sullivan.

Ever since the Sam Country gained independence from the rule of the British through the War of Independence.

After half a century of development, the industry in the Sam Country's homeland had flourished.

In order to find new markets for the industrial products of the Sam Country, President Sullivan chose to support a strategy of eastward expansion, joining the colonial tide of the Western Lands.

It was just that the colonies in the New Continent had been carved up by the old-established Europe nations.

They could only head east, toward this region of the Dongtu that had not yet been colonized.

After successively occupying numerous islands in the eastern ocean.

They established supply points on these islands, and subsequently, their merchant ships arrived in Dongying first.

However, their contact with Dongying ultimately ended in failure.

Thus, they continued to travel east and made contact with the Liang Family of Da Song.

This Da Song family, which specialized in maritime trade for Da Song, began trading with them.

It was just that they had not given up on the Dongying market.

Gradually losing patience, this time they decided to resolve it by force.

The effect was immediate; the Dongying Shogunate immediately decided to discuss trade with him.

"Should have used this method to deal with these natives long ago," a voice echoed in Aierxun's heart.

"So it is Mr. Aierxun." Watanabe reached out to signal Aierxun to sit opposite him, and then had a Dongying maid pour a cup of tea for Aierxun.

Because of decades of dealings with the British, Watanabe had learned quite a bit of the British language from interpreters when he was young.

He was able to understand what Aierxun was saying.

Pausing, he said: "It is a pity to meet in such a way, but after weighing it, I believe that indeed we should no longer refuse trade with the Sam Country."

Aierxun revealed a smile; he simply thought that Watanabe had been frightened by them, which was why he decided to accept trade.

Saying it this way was merely for the sake of face.

So he did not point it out, but instead said: "This is truly a wise decision. Since that is the case, please, Great General, sign this treaty."

As he spoke, he took a document out of the bag he was carrying.

Watanabe flipped through the document and frowned slightly.

Basically, the preferential treatment in trade that Dongying gave to the British, the Sam Country wanted as well.

They also wanted Dongying to open the two ports of Shimoda and Guanyong, specifically for trade with the Sam Country.

However, thinking that there was already a precedent,

it seemed there was no reason to refuse the Sam Country.

Now the most important thing was still to profit between the British and the Sam Country.

So he said: "I can agree, but you must, like the British, help our Dongying build eighteen sailing warships."

Aierxun was stunned for a moment, then he nodded, "I need to return to the warship to discuss this matter with Major Mari."

Watanabe said: "Coincidentally, I also need to discuss this treaty with the officials of Dongying."

Aierxun stood up, "I will return very soon."

Watanabe sent Aierxun out of the Shogunate and first ordered someone to lead Aierxun to visit the warships currently under construction.

He then summoned officials to discuss the treaty.

But this was merely going through the motions; in Dongying, his power was as supreme as that of the Da Song emperor.

One hour later, Aierxun returned.

"Major Mari has agreed to this matter." Aierxun took out the trade treaty again, "Please sign."

Having obtained the result he wanted, Watanabe signed the treaty without a moment's hesitation.

Now, he would spare no cost to make Dongying strong.

Leiting Wharf.

At the moment Watanabe concluded the treaty with the Sam Country.

Zhou Yi returned from Jinghai, and subsequently, following Zhao Xu's orders, he summoned eight thousand Marine Corps.

Commanding six warships, sixteen troop transport ships, and eighteen supply ships, they headed toward Yizhou in a mighty force.

After leaving the Yanzhou sea area, they passed through the Qizhou sea area.

Looking at the transport ships behind the warships, Zhou Yi frowned deeply.

If they had supply points along the coast, why would they need to carry so many supply ships?

Therefore, if the problem of supplies along the route could not be solved, it would limit Yanzhou's operations in the southern sea area.

After all, besides hunger, there was another point.

Staying on warships for a long time would make the crew members go crazy.

It was necessary to let the crew go ashore to relax every so often.

This was also a very urgent problem.

"Once the matter of Yizhou is over, I must report this problem to Yan Wang," Zhou Yi thought to himself.

Next, he summoned the Marine Corps generals to discuss the matter of Marka City together.

Ten days passed.

The fleet arrived smoothly at the south of Yizhou.

Six Sailing Warships appeared near the port of Malka City, and the news immediately reached the ears of Steven.

In what was once the office of Fei Wen, Shi Diwen was now lying in a chair with his two feet propped up on the desk.

Upon hearing the report from the Frankish soldier, he nearly fell out of his chair.

"What did you say? Six Sailing Warships of Yan Wang?" Shi Diwen could not believe his ears, and he grabbed the soldier by the collar to ask.

"Yes, Commander." The poor soldier could barely catch his breath.

Having confirmed the news, Shi Diwen's brows furrowed tightly.

The Yan Wang Warships that had come to negotiate with Fei Wen had just left, and now another six warships had arrived.

He could not determine the purpose of these warships' arrival.

Therefore, he took an interpreter and arrived at the port, wanting to understand their purpose.

Although there were two Sailing Warships docked at the port of Malka City this time.

The number of the opposing warships was three times greater than theirs.

Even if the Frankish people's technique for operating warships was certainly more mature than that of the Yan Wang soldiers, it did not necessarily mean they could win.

Arriving at the port, he immediately had the interpreter board a small boat to approach the Yan Wang warships.

In less than an hour, the interpreter returned with a pale face.

After coming ashore, he said to Shi Diwen:

"Commander, they demand that you surrender and release Governor Fei Wen, otherwise they will attack Malka City."

Upon hearing this, Steven was suddenly enraged, "These lowly Dongtu natives actually dare to threaten me; now let the noble white men show them what war is."

After speaking, he looked toward the sea, counted the number of Troop Transport Ships, and roughly estimated the number of enemy soldiers.

This type of Troop Transport Ship from Yan Wang was similar to the Troop Transport Ships of Dongying, and in his view, each ship could carry at most five hundred soldiers.

Yet Malka City possessed eight thousand Frankish soldiers.

He believed he could defeat this Yan King Army.

However, to avoid having his warships sunk, he ordered the warships to flee the port, rendezvous with the other two warships, and then return to the port to wait for an opportunity to fight.

He would defeat the Yan King Army head-on beneath the walls of Malka City.