Chapter 1044: Resisting External Threats and Pacifying Internal Affairs

Yue Cheng said with a cold face: "Do you think this Peter the Great of Tsarist Russia is that simple?"

He looked around the circle: "Is all he wants just Kuye Island?"

This single sentence made everyone's expression change drastically.

Could it be that this Peter the Great...

Has his sights set on the entire Longyan?

If that is the case...

Then things are getting serious... What level is this Tsarist Russia? A superpower, with millions of troops alone!

Could it be...

That this vanguard force is just here to scout the path?

Suddenly, these people in Liaodong Prefecture looked at each other, and no one dared to speak.

There were actually not many military talents here.

Because Liaodong had a hundred industries waiting to be revived, most were talents familiar with internal affairs, agriculture, and industry and commerce.

However, despite this, they were still very well-informed about the situation in the entire Longyan.

If Peter the Great really wanted to get his hands on the entire Longyan this time, then this matter would truly be serious.

"Then we..."

"If this is the case..."

"Sir..."

A thought popped into everyone's mind at the same time.

Liaodong Port!

Their army of fifty thousand really could not go to reinforce Niu Chaofeng, because they had to guard Liaodong Port!

If Tsarist Russia launched an attack on Liaodong Port at this time, then the entire Liaodong Economic Special Zone would be finished.

Thinking of this, Yue Cheng paced back and forth in anxiety.

Fifty thousand...

Not enough.

Not nearly enough.

Niu Chaofeng was under immense pressure over there, facing the danger of collapse at any moment. To support, or not to support?

Survival and death.

That is the question.

It is too difficult.

"Cannons, no matter what, transport the cannons over first! Remember, at the fastest speed, use the Train! No... cannot use the Train, anything other than the Train can be used, at the fastest speed!"

Yue Cheng still decided not to provide reinforcements for the time being.

However.

Weaponry and Equipment, cannons, and provisions—this support still needed to arrive as soon as possible.

"Resist the Russians!"

"Fight them!"

"Protect our home and country!"

"Good men, go to war!"

"Absolutely no compromise!"

"Cannot let them go back alive!"

In fact, over these past few days, the anti-war sentiment throughout Longyan had risen. Countless commoners were filled with anger after hearing the news that Tsarist Russia had suddenly invaded Longyan.

The entire Longyan society began to donate money and goods to support the war effort. The entire Longyan society began to enlist enthusiastically, and the common people also voluntarily joined the teams transporting provisions and military supplies to the front lines.

The scholars of Longyan brought forth article after article condemning the bullying behavior of Tsarist Russia.

The intensity of the rhetoric and the vehemence of the emotion made readers weep and listeners go mad.

Tsarist imperialism is too much!

They must be driven out of Longyan's territory!

Every province, yes, every province, was almost in this atmosphere.

Actually, this is also normal. The traditional culture of Huaxia civilization has always prioritized the home and country, with the individual coming second. Longyan has not suffered such an invasion war for thousands of years! That's right, the actions of Tsarist Russia at this time are purely an invasion war! Therefore, the unity of the Longyan people at this time is imaginable.

The streets were deserted as everyone went out.

The streets were gathered with patriots.

All kinds of speeches.

All kinds of support.

All kinds of actions...

Xie Tianyao had just experienced a bout of severe pain.

Always sitting in the dragon carriage, his condition was not particularly good.

His mind was chaotic...

His body was in severe pain.

He felt that his body's mechanisms were failing more and more.

How many days could there even be left?

How many days left?

He suddenly began to ask himself.

What Son of Heaven, what Emperor—what use is it? Birth, illness, death; there is still no way to escape it.

He suddenly felt that this Tsarist Russia invasion was not entirely a bad thing. At the very least, the Longyan of this moment had united as never before. At the very least, the troops of these Feudatory Kings could be controlled under the imperial decree. At the very least, at this time, anyone who dared to rebel in Longyan would absolutely become the target of everyone's arrows.

It is just that.

He also knew of the might of Tsarist Russia.

But for some reason, he just felt that Longyan would not lose.

This was not baseless confidence; it seemed to be that he believed Longyan had Liu Zheng... Longyan had Liu Zheng, so it would not easily lose this war.

Liu Zheng.

It is Liu Zheng again...

Xie Tianyao gave a bitter laugh; it seems this Vice Minister Liu still cannot die...

And furthermore.

It seems that, more and more, he cannot die.

Tomorrow...

Tomorrow everyone will arrive at Lishan; should all of this come to an end as well?

A sharp glint suddenly flashed in Xie Tianyao's eyes.

He had a premonition.

He himself, he feared, would not last until the end of this war.

Even...

A few days.

He only hoped that Heaven could grant him a few more days of time.

To straighten out this mess of Longyan, to straighten it out a little more.

Yet at this moment.

He looked around, and apart from Yuan Qingming, apart from Grand Eunuch Zhou, there was not a single person he could use by his side, not a single person he could trust... A sense of desolation suddenly surged in his heart; he had played the art of checks and balances his entire life, only to turn everyone who could truly hold up the situation into people who feared him.

Desolation.

Sorrow.

Tragedy.

"Quick, quick, quick, call Vice Minister Liu here, call Vice Minister Liu here!"

Xie Tianyao had another fit of violent coughing, and a pool of black blood was vomited out by him.

"Your Majesty..."

"Your Majesty!"

Tsarist Russia.

Liu Zheng, at this moment, actually felt his heart becoming tense as well.

The timing chosen by Tsarist Russia was indeed somewhat profound.

He also knew what kind of person Peter the Great was. This monarch was ambitious; since Longyan had already attracted his attention, then it should not be simply wanting a Kuye Island and Balkhash Lake.

Yes.

What he wanted was the entirety of Longyan!

Liu Zheng was more certain of this than Yue Cheng.

The entire Longyan...

If that were the case, then this war would definitely last a long time. It would even be a war that would shake the foundations for Longyan, or for Tsarist Russia.

Following this, his eyelids twitched.

If this were the case...

Then this battle was not only unavoidable, but... it also seemed to be a heaven-sent opportunity for Longyan.

It is just that...

Liu Zheng felt a headache when thinking about the current situation in Longyan.

Xie Tianyao's intention to have Xie Ming inherit the throne was already set. Looking at Xie Tianyao again, he also did not have many days left to live. If a new Emperor ascended the throne at this time, although the invasion of Tsarist Russia had caused a large number of troops to rush to the battlefield, what about internally?

What about Jinghua?

If they wanted to cause chaos, they could still cause chaos.

To repel external aggression, one must first ensure internal stability.

Applying this to the Longyan of this moment was certainly correct.

Hold.

One could only first let the two battlefields at this time hold their ground.

First, resolve the matter of the new Emperor's ascension.

Just at this moment.

Suddenly.

Several more urgent military reports were delivered.

Liu Zheng opened them to look, and his expression changed drastically at once: "What?"