Chapter 697: Strategy on the Sea

"So that's how it is. Forming an Anti-Yan Coalition wasn't enough, and now they actually want to form some 'Eastern Land Alliance.' Your Highness, why is this Dongying always targeting us? They really are asking for a beating, damn it!"

Zhao Xu explained the situation to everyone, and Lv Chang's eyes widened until they were perfectly round, looking as if he wanted to kill someone.

Chang Wei was extremely furious in his heart, but as the highest-ranking commander of the Prince's Personal Army, he was much more composed. "In that case, they are doing this to stall for time, so as to facilitate this bullshit Eastern Land Alliance."

"Correct," Zhao Xu nodded.

"Liang Kai has always held himself in high regard; would he go along with Dongying's wishes? Furthermore, Liang Kai has always been dissatisfied with Dongying," Chang Wei said, pondering.

"In this world, there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. In order to oppose this Prince, this possibility is not small," Zhao Xu looked toward the south.

Dongying's plan was to make the Han Family, the Wang Family, and the Xie Family resist him step by step.

By facilitating an alliance, they would bring the three Shizu families together and have them defect to Wu.

This was equivalent to twisting the Shizu of the Great Song into a single rope to deal with him.

According to the information revealed by the Eastern Japanese, this idea was not just Watanabe's; the Sam Country and the British Consul were also involved.

In this world, a troublemaker remains a troublemaker.

In the contemporary eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, in order to curb the rise of powerful nations on the European continent, Britain had always pursued an offshore balancing strategy of pulling one side to strike another.

To deal with Spain, Britain allied with France.

To deal with Napoleon, the British formed the Anti-French Alliance.

To prevent the Russians from gaining access to the sea, they allied with France to defeat the Russians in Kelimia.

And now, the Eastern Land villain Dongying, the great troublemaker Britain, and the future troublemaker Sam Country have mixed together and reached their dark hands toward the Great Song.

"I will make you understand that in the face of absolute strength, a group of trash added together is still trash," Zhao Xu thought to himself.

He then said to Chang Wei: "The subsequent battles will be left to you. Coordinate with Ma Han to take the territory north of Jiujiang as soon as possible and unify the North Territory of the Great Song. If conditions permit, then cross the river to the south."

He did not know when this so-called Eastern Land Alliance would be established.

But once this alliance was established, it would inevitably affect his strategy.

Therefore, before this alliance was established and took action, he had to take as much territory and as many people as possible.

Just as Chang Wei said, it was not without reason that Liang Kai held himself in high regard.

Currently, the population of the Great Song was greater in the south than in the north.

According to officials from the Ministry of Revenue of the Imperial Court who had fled to Yancheng.

The current total population of the Great Song on the books was over ninety-six million.

Among them, sixty-five million were gathered south of Jiujiang.

The north had only over thirty million people.

Of course, Zhao Xu would not believe this figure entirely.

Because in ancient times, due to the limitations of conditions, the statistics of household registration were very imperfect, and there would be many unregistered people.

It would be reasonable for the population of the Great Song to be at least twenty million more.

However, even so, the northern population would still not exceed forty million.

After all, the north had been in constant war for years, and truly, many people had died.

Especially in places like Ningjin Dusi, Jinzhou, Qinzhou, and Yongzhou.

The number of his soldiers who sacrificed could be counted, but the common people who died at the hands of the Northern Di during the war could not be counted.

And population meant labor, meant market consumption power, and was also a part of the composition of national strength.

Regardless of whether this Eastern Land Alliance would be established, taking the north was the first step in his plan.

In this way, he would be able to rule over about forty million people, and supplemented by industry, no one would be able to stop his rise.

By then, any alliance in front of him would be nothing but floating clouds.

"Is Your Highness returning to Yancheng?" Chang Wei asked.

He was somewhat reluctant; following Yan Wang to fight, he could learn quite a few things.

Zhao Xu nodded. "The Anti-Yan Alliance is falling apart, and the remaining Shizu Army are like stray dogs. The subsequent battles are just boring city sieges, so this Prince will not participate."

Looking toward the east, he continued, "Returning to Yancheng, this Prince still has a major matter to attend to."

Dongying was sparing no effort to deal with him, so he had to return the favor.

How could there be a reason to be beaten without hitting back?

After destroying the Dongying Navy, the Yanzhou Navy was now invincible on the sea.

He wanted to take advantage of this time to seize the islands that Dongying had occupied in the Eastern Land seas over the years, including the Ryukyu Kingdom and Yizhou.

Moreover, according to the intelligence provided by Fei Wen, the steamship technology of the Western Lands was already mature.

If this Eastern Land Alliance were established, the British would use steamships to tow their sailing warships, and together with the warships of the Sam Country and the Eastern Japanese, they would confront his navy in the Eastern Land seas and interfere with his struggle for the islands.

It would then be difficult for him to take these two places.

After all, according to the Eastern Japanese intelligence, the main purpose of the establishment of this Eastern Land Alliance was to curb him.

Then they would prevent any action that was favorable to him.

Of course, once his own steamships were launched, he would no longer worry about their warships.

But that would require waiting for some time.

Therefore, it was better to take these places while he had a comprehensive advantage and station troops there.

He believed that with the strength of the Prince's Personal Army, they would never be able to take them back.

Having decided this matter, he let Chang Wei continue to advance toward Lu City, while he himself headed toward Yancheng.

Three days later, he returned to Yancheng.

Then, he ordered someone to summon Zhou Yi from Jinghai.

There was also another person, the Crown Prince of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

Having stated his purpose, the Ryukyu Kingdom's Crown Prince Shang Bin immediately trembled with excitement.

He fell to his knees with a thud and wailed, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your great grace! Thank you, Your Highness, for your great grace! It has been thirty years, and the Ryukyu Kingdom is finally going to be restored."

As he spoke, he kowtowed to Zhao Xu repeatedly.

Zhao Xu helped him up and said with a smile, "I once promised you, so I will naturally fulfill it. However, do not forget your own promise."

Shang Bin nodded, "Your Highness, rest assured. The Ryukyu Kingdom will be loyal to you forever. Once I return to Ryukyu, I will surely present the most beautiful Ryukyu women to you every year."

"Ahem, that is unnecessary. My Great Song is rich in natural resources and treasures; it has never lacked Beauty," Zhao Xu said. "After defeating the Dongying soldiers stationed in Ryukyu, you must cooperate with the Yanzhou Navy to establish a supply point and provide all necessary support. That will be enough."

For Zhao Xu, his ambition was to turn Ryukyu into the territory of the Great Song.

After all, the time had not yet entered the modern era.

If Ryukyu were an independent kingdom, it might one day become a maritime fortress contested by external powers.

After all, no one could guarantee whether the next King of Ryukyu would maintain loyalty to the Great Song.

However, for the moment, he did not want to act as an outsider and come into direct conflict with the people of the Ryukyu Kingdom like Dongying did.

Supporting Shang Bin to restore the country was still the most convenient and effective way.

Later, he would have Shang Bin formally incorporate the Ryukyu Kingdom into the Great Song by announcing its accession to the Great Song.