Chapter 867: Refusal

"Very good, everything is flourishing." Zhao Xu looked toward the two of them and couldn't help but exclaim.

Liu Fu and Yang Feng exchanged a glance, both revealing smiles.

At this moment, thinking of the war in Jiangnan, Yang Feng said, "Your Highness, now that you have returned, will you be going back?"

Liu Fu also cast an inquisitive look at Zhao Xu.

"After I meet with the Diplomatic Minister of Ross, I will go to Jiameng Pass to strive to wipe out the remaining powerful clans as soon as possible." The smile on Zhao Xu's face faded, and a trace of gloom surged in his eyes.

Returning from the war-torn Jiangnan to the pastoral-like Jiangbei, he felt as if a lifetime had passed.

It was precisely because of the contrast between the two that he became even more firm in one idea.

That was, after resolving the internal strife, he would absolutely never let the homeland of Da Song suffer the flames of war again.

For any enemy who wanted to bring the flames of war to Da Song's territory again, he would certainly make them pay a heavy price.

"To pacify these rebels, Your Highness has truly worked hard." Yang Feng felt some heartache for Zhao Xu.

At this moment, he was not a subject, but a grandfather-in-law looking at his granddaughter's husband.

Yan Wang was so young, yet he shouldered the heavy responsibility of revitalizing Da Song.

By comparison, they, as subjects, all seemed like useless people.

"Indeed, but it will be soon," Liu Fu said. "The powerful clans are merely gasping their last breaths."

Thinking of something, he added with a worried expression, "It is just that annihilating the powerful clans is likely not the end of the war, but the beginning..."

Yang Feng felt even more heartache for Zhao Xu; he understood what Liu Fu was about to say.

The Northern Di had not yet been destroyed, and now there was the Ross country in the North Territory.

In the south, there were still Westerners like those from Britain and Frank.

On the eastern sea, Watanabe of Dongying was still putting up a desperate resistance, and there was also a nation called Sam Country, eyeing them covetously.

They truly still had many battles to fight.

"Hahaha... you do not need to worry. The wheels of history have already tilted in our favor; I am merely disgusted by these flies." Zhao Xu's demeanor was relaxed.

Next, his goal was very clear: to lead the Da Song army to conquer a vast territory.

To make Da Song the top developed nation of this era.

After discussing some more matters regarding government and military affairs, the two departed.

Zhao Xu calculated the days and spent another three leisurely days in Yancheng, keeping Mi Fei and Yang Susu company.

On the third day, he took a steam locomotive from Yancheng toward Yanguan.

Although the Yanjin Railway was not yet finished, some sections were already open to traffic.

For example, the route from Yancheng to Yanguan.

In just half a day's time, he arrived at Yanguan from Yancheng.

At this time, the Diplomatic Minister of Ross, Qiefusi, was already waiting at Yanguan.

After Zhao Xu arrived, he met Qiefusi at the Yanguan General's Mansion.

This was a tall and sturdy middle-aged man; light flickered in his small eyes, making him appear very shrewd.

"Your Highness Yan Wang, our Emperor Nikolai asked me to convey his greetings to you." He was led by soldiers into the main hall of the General's Mansion.

Seeing Zhao Xu sitting upright above the steps, Qiefusi bowed to pay his respects.

On the second day after the British Diplomatic Minister arrived in Ross, Emperor Nikolai ordered him to head to Da Song.

After two months of trekking, he arrived a step ahead.

The subsequent thirty thousand Ross troops would be late due to issues with the baggage train.

Zhao Xu looked toward Qiefusi and said, "Is his way of conveying greetings to intervene in Da Song's internal strife alongside the Northern Di?"

His tone of voice was very calm, but Qiefusi could feel a sense of chilling coldness.

"Your Highness Yan Wang, this was Ivan's personal decision. Under the circumstances at the time, he could only make the decision most favorable to Ross. I believe that even if it were your subjects, they would do the same," Qiefusi said.

"You are right, so out of consideration for our own interests, we will make you pay the price for your actions; this is fair and reasonable," Zhao Xu said indifferently.

Qiefusi was silent for a short while.

He was thinking.

Clearly, this Yan Wang was an extremely tough person who would not allow himself to suffer even the slightest loss.

He feared that this meeting between him and Yan Wang would end on a sour note.

But he had come carrying the will of Emperor Nikolai and had to carry out his mission.

So he said, "Your Highness, you may not be aware of what is happening. Your annihilation of the British Fleet has angered the British Queen Ashley. She has dispatched diplomatic ministers to all the nations of the Western Lands. Now, I fear the important Western nations have reached a consensus; before long, the Coalition and fleets of the Western Lands will arrive."

"Is that so?" Zhao Xu narrowed his eyes.

He had always had this suspicion; after all, in the contemporary era, Britain had colluded with other nations to do the same thing.

Here, they could naturally do it as well.

Qiefusi's answer merely confirmed the answer in his heart; it did not make him feel surprised.

Zhao Xu was not surprised, but Qiefusi was surprised instead.

He had imagined that Yan Wang would surely be afraid and fearful.

In that way, they could take the opportunity to put forward their own conditions and extract the maximum benefit.

With Yan Wang being so calm, he actually did not know what to do.

"Your Highness Yan Wang, do you understand the Western Lands?" Qiefusi hesitated for a moment and asked.

To him, someone who could be indifferent to this matter was either completely ignorant of the Western Lands or a megalomaniac.

"I understand them very well," Zhao Xu said. "So what? Do you think I will be afraid? Hmph, I have been waiting to deal with them."

Qiefusi opened his mouth wide; he began to believe that this Yan Wang was a megalomaniac.

According to his understanding, the Jiangbei controlled by this Yan Wang was far inferior to the Western Lands in the scale of its steam industry.

The reason they could win was merely their innovation in muskets.

But this kind of innovation was not enough to maintain his advantage.

Because they could imitate everything they were currently using in terms of firearms.

"It seems I must make this Yan Wang recognize reality," Qiefusi thought to himself.

He did not believe he could reach any agreement with Yan Wang now, not until Yan Wang suffered a loss at the hands of the Coalition in the Western Lands.

Only then would he be able to seriously consider the proposal from the Ross nation.

As he was thinking this, he suddenly heard Zhao Xu's words, "Let's get straight to the point; what exactly do you want?"

Regaining his composure, Qiefusi said, "What we want is very simple—as long as Your Highness agrees to hand over Gaoli and the North Territory of Dongying to the control of the Ross nation, commit no offense against the Beidi, and acknowledge the territories we have acquired from the Beidi, we will, together with Britain, launch an attack on Da Song."

Although he already believed that no agreement could be reached, he still had to put the conditions on the table.

Perhaps one day, when Yan Wang recognized the reality, he would accept these conditions.

"Your appetites are truly not small," Zhao Xu suddenly sneered.

He finally understood the purpose of Qiefusi coming here.

Nikolai only wanted to exchange a single "I won't hit you" for massive geopolitical interests.

It was truly a case of empty-handed wolf-snatching.

However, this was also as he had expected; the Ross nation of this era could not reach any mutually beneficial cooperation with him.

So he said, "This Prince can tell you now: the Beidi, this Prince will certainly annihilate, and the territory of the Beidi will also belong to Da Song."

Qiefusi was both shocked and angry, and he said, "Since that is the case, then we shall wait and see."

Having said this, he turned and left.

This time, he would fully support the Beidi to teach Yan Wang a harsh lesson in Yizhou.

To make him understand his own weight.

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