Chapter 433: Cairo Conference 6

"You know very well," Sir Ge Lei interjected, his tone edged with sharpness, "Then do you also know that these 'mercenaries' have caused at least 15,000 casualties among Yingguo and Imperial soldiers in the past month? That includes 3,000 Australians, 2,000 Canadians, 1,000 New Zealanders, and... 9,000 lads from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland?"

Chen Feng lifted the napkin and gently wiped the corner of his mouth. The movement was slow, carrying a deliberately composed air.

"Sir Ge Lei, I express regret for all who have lost their lives in the war," he said calmly, "but allow me to point out a fact: war itself causes casualties. No matter who the opponent is, no matter what uniform they wear, or which country they come from."

"This is not war, it is betrayal!" the Admiral could not help but roar, "Sakura Nation is Yingguo's ally! They signed a mutual pact in 1902, and in 1905 we helped them defeat Russia! Now they have turned their heads, renting their army to the Germans to kill our soldiers! What is that?"

Chen Feng looked at the angry old general, his gaze containing no judgment, only a near‑cold understanding.

"General, before answering your question, I would like to tell an ancient Far‑East fable," he said, setting the napkin down, his hands clasped on the table, "perhaps it can help you understand Sakura Nation's actions."

All eyes focused on him. Candlelight cast flickering shadows on Chen Feng's face, making his expression appear deep and inscrutable.

"Long ago, the Far‑East continent suffered a famine that lasted several years," Chen Feng began, his voice low yet clear, "In a village lived a single household. The father had died early, the mother was frail, and they had five young children. The last of their stored grain ran out three months ago; the children wailed day and night from hunger, and the mother could only boil bark and grass roots to fill them."

He paused, scanning the Yingguo delegation: "One day, a passing merchant arrived at the village. Seeing the family's misery, he took a cloth sack from his wagon. Inside were white, plump rice grains. He said to the mother, 'I can give you this rice, but on one condition—your eldest son must go with me and work for me for five years.'"

"The mother looked at the emaciated children, at her eldest son's eyes, which had lost their spark from hunger. She knew the merchant had a bad reputation, knew he might abuse her son, knew this departure could be a permanent farewell. But—"

Chen Feng lowered his voice, as if recounting a secret: "—When she turned and saw the other four children on the brink of death, she reached out and took the sack of rice. The next day, the eldest son left with the merchant. No one knew where he went or what he experienced. All that was known was that the household survived."

The hall fell into silence. The band had completely ceased playing. The waiters stood at the walls, holding their breath.

"Your Majesty, distinguished guests," Chen Feng's gaze swept from Qiao Zhi Wu Shi's face to Sir Ge Lei and then to the Admiral, "when a person, or a nation, is in extreme hunger, concepts such as morality, reputation, alliances… become blurred. The instinct to survive overwhelms all rational thought. That mother would not ask the merchant what work her son would do, would not worry whether the son would be abused. She only knew that without that sack of rice, the whole family would die."

He leaned forward slightly: "What was the state of Sakura Nation in 1914? The Battle of the East Sea saw the entire United Fleet annihilated. War reparations crushed the treasury, heavy‑industry foundations were destroyed, foreign trade was almost cut off. Domestic rice prices skyrocketed, unemployment exceeded thirty percent, and people starved to death daily on the streets of Tokyo. That country was that hungry mother."

Qiao Zhi Wu Shi furrowed his brow. He wanted to rebut, but Chen Feng's words were like a cold scalpel, cutting open an uncomfortable yet possibly true reality.

"So when the Germans offered the 'sack of rice'—" Chen Feng continued, "—eight million pounds in cash, Ke Lu Bo's cannon‑steel technology, Siemens's electrical patents, and post‑war support promises. The Sakura Nation government, or rather the Army Ministry that controlled the government, made the same choice as that mother. They took the rice and handed over their sons. As for where those 'sons' would go, what they would do, for whom they would fight… in the face of a survival crisis, none of that mattered."

Sir Ge Lei inhaled deeply: "President, you mean that Sakura Nation's actions can be forgiven? Because they are 'hungry'?"

"No," Chen Feng shook his head, "I did not say it can be forgiven. I am merely explaining the logic of the behavior. Understanding does not equal forgiveness. Yet if we do not understand the logic behind the actions, we cannot find a true solution."

He looked at Qiao Zhi Wu Shi: "Your Majesty, you can punish a person who stole bread out of hunger by imprisoning them. Does that solve the problem? No. Because their children are still starving, and tomorrow another, a third person will steal bread. The real solution is not punishment, but giving them bread—or teaching them how to bake their own bread."

Qiao Zhi Wu Shi's fingers tapped lightly on his scepter, a motion that revealed his inner turmoil.

"What are you implying, President?" the king asked, his voice low.

"I am stating a fact," Chen Feng leaned back in his chair, "what Sakura Nation needs now is not condemnation, but opportunities for economic development, space to recover vitality, a state of no longer being 'hungry'. As long as they remain in a survival crisis, they will continue to make unconventional choices. Today they can fight for Deguo, tomorrow they can fight for anyone—so long as the price is right."

The Admiral's face turned ashen: "So we should fund them? Reward their betrayal?"

"No," Chen Feng denied again, "but we could consider… guidance. A person who is fed will begin to think about whether their food source is safe, will begin to value long‑term relationships over short‑term deals, will begin to regain reason and dignity."

He paused, letting the interpreter fully render the passage, then continued: "Your Majesty, what are the British Empire's interests in the Far East? A stable, predictable East Asia, or a turbulent, desperate Sakura Nation that could at any moment take crazy actions for survival?"

The question left the Yingguo delegation deep in thought.

Qiao Zhi Wu Shi exchanged a glance with Sir Ge Lei. The foreign minister gave a slight nod, indicating that although Chen Feng's words were harsh, they struck at the core issue.

"President," the king began slowly, "you seem to have a deep understanding of Sakura Nation's situation. So, in your view, how should we 'guide' them?"