Chapter 423: The False Easterners

He looked around at everyone, speaking slowly: "Gentlemen, this was not built by Deguo. Given Deguo's current resource situation and shipbuilding capacity, they could not produce a ship like this. Even if they could, they could not complete two such vessels within a year without us noticing."

"Who built it?" Ge Lei asked, though he had already guessed the answer.

Bei Er Fu pulled out several photographs from his briefcase. The photos were clearly taken surreptitiously, with tricky angles, but it could be seen they were taken at an Eastern port. In the photos, two massive ships almost identical to the two at William Port were being fitted out, except the bow names were in Chinese characters.

In the close‑up of the first ship's bow, two Chinese characters were clearly legible: Yangtze.

Second: Yellow River.

"Lanfang Republic Navy, Bismarck Class battleship, 'Yangtze' and 'Yellow River'." Bei Er Fu's voice sounded like he was reading a verdict. "Our intelligence shows that these two ships set sail from Dubai Port on June 26, flying a special neutral flag, rounding the Cape of Good Hope into the Atlantic, then approaching Deguo from the northwest. And the 'Bismarck' and 'Tirpitz' that appeared at William Port, from silhouette to dimensions, match the 'Yangtze' and 'Yellow River' exactly."

He paused, then added the final, most fatal sentence: "According to reports from Military Intelligence Section Six transmitted from the Far East, Lanfang Minister of Industry Liu Yongfu boasted at an internal meeting last year—'Our Bismarck Class, a single ship can take on three Yingguo dreadnoughts.'"

Dead silence.

A dead silence that lasted a minute. Only the continuous rain outside the window and the ticking of the gold‑plated clock on the fireplace mantle could be heard.

At last, Lord Ji Qina let out a hoarse, almost beast‑like low growl: "So… the Sakura Nation rents its army to Deguo, killing our soldiers on land. Lanfang sells battleships to Deguo, preparing to kill our sailors at sea. And we, we the Yingguo Empire, are still buying rubber, tin, oil from Lanfang, funding them with gold and silver to build more warships to fight us?"

He sprang to his feet, both hands braced on the table, body leaning forward like an enraged old lion: "What is this? The greatest irony? Or have we become that foolish?"

"Sit down, Ji Qina," Asu Qius's voice carried deep fatigue, "Throwing a tantrum won't solve anything."

"Then what will solve it?" Ji Qina roared, "Continue to play deaf? Continue to let Chen Feng, that yellow‑skinned monkey, treat the Empire like a fool?"

"Ji Qina!" Ge Lei interrupted sharply, "Watch your language!"

"My language?" Ji Qina sneered, "My soldiers are dying! Dying under Deguo's guns, dying under Sakura Nation's bayonets, and the guns and bayonets they use may have been forged with the money we spent on rubber! And you tell me to watch my language?"

Asu Qius rubbed his temples hard. A headache, a severe headache. This war had entered its third year; domestic discontent was accumulating, Faguo's pressure was increasing, America's ambiguous stance made people anxious, and now the Far‑East's double‑crosses added to it.

"Gentlemen," the Prime Minister finally spoke, his voice regaining the composure a politician should have, "let us clarify the current situation. First, the Sakura Nation has violated the alliance spirit, materially assisting Deguo in the war—this is an established fact. Second, Lanfang has supplied Deguo with advanced warships—also an established fact. Third—"

He scanned the room: "—How should we respond?"

"Declare war on the Sakura Nation!" the Deputy Minister of the Army blurted out, "Immediately! This is naked betrayal!"

"And then?" Ge Lei asked coldly, "Do we have enough forces in the Far East to attack the Sakura Nation's homeland? The Royal Navy's main fleet is in the North Sea and the Atlantic; can they be spared? Even if they can, should we open a third front in the Far East? When Faguo is suffering tens of thousands of casualties daily?"

"At least break off relations! Recall the ambassador! Freeze all assets!"

"How much does the Sakura Nation have in assets in London?" Finance Minister Mai Ken Na chuckled wryly, "Less than one million pounds. And our investments in the Sakura Nation? Over twenty million. Who loses more by breaking off relations?"

The conference room fell back into debate. Some advocated hardline, some advocated caution, some cursed the Easterners as untrustworthy, some complained the Empire's front was stretched too thin.

Asu Qius listened, observed. As the Prime Minister who had led Yingguo through its darkest war years, he knew the predicament all too well. The Empire's resources were not infinite, nor was its patience. Every decision had to find a balance between anger and reason.

"Silence," he tapped the table.

The argument gradually subsided. Everyone looked at the Prime Minister.

Asu Qius rose slowly, walked to the massive world map on the wall. His finger traced the British Isles, crossed over Faguo's trenches, swept the North Sea, and finally stopped at the Far East.

"Gentlemen, let us state a few facts clearly." The Prime Minister's voice was low but authoritative, "First, the Sakura Nation's actions are outrageous and must be punished. But punishment need not be war. Second, Lanfang's actions… are even more complex."

He turned to face the cabinet: "Lanfang is not our ally, nor have they ever pledged to us. Legally, they have the right to sell products to any country. In fact, they sell not only to Deguo but also to us—rubber, tin, oil."

Bei Er Fu interjected: "Prime Minister, that is the crux of the matter. Chen Feng is playing a balancing game. He sells weapons to both sides, letting them wear each other out, while Lanfang reaps the profit. This is the most despicable speculation!"

"But it is also the most brilliant strategy," Asu Qius said calmly, "If we now turn against Lanfang, what happens? First, we lose the steady supply of rubber and tin; our armaments factories would shut down within three months. Second, if Lanfang intervenes in Europe!!! What then!"

He paused, his tone deepening: "—The worst case is we push Lanfang completely toward Deguo. Imagine if Lanfang not only sells warships to Deguo but also joins the fight directly? Their navy, though modest in Scale, the four Bismarck Class ships could shift the balance of power in the North Sea. Their army… reportedly already equipped to the teeth."

Lord Ji Qina said gloomily, "So we just swallow our anger? Let Chen Feng continue to toy with the Yingguo Empire?"

"No," Asu Qius shook his head, "We will divide and rule. Hard on the Sakura Nation, dialogue with Lanfang…"

He returned to his seat, both hands on the table: "My decision is as follows: First, in the name of the Foreign Office, send the most severe formal note to the Sakura Nation government, demanding an immediate explanation and the recall of their forces. The wording must be hard, so they feel the Empire's wrath."