Chapter 435: Return Voyage

The battleship "Huaihe" on its return voyage, 4 a. m. on August 14, 1916.

The eastern horizon turned a pale fish‑belly white, the Mediterranean shifted from deep black to indigo, then took on the first hint of orange‑red. The "Huaihe" steamed east at 28 knots, its bow cutting through the spray that glimmered like pearls in the dawn light. The engine's low rumble resonated through the steel hull, steady and powerful, like the heartbeat of this leviathan.

In the officers' conference room beneath the bridge, Chen Feng, Li Te and Wang Wenwu sat around the chart table. Spread on the table were maps of the eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, marked in red and blue pencil with routes, estimated times and possible risk points.

"At the current speed, we'll reach Dubai by tomorrow noon," Li's finger traced across the map, "then stay twelve hours to refuel and resupply, and set off immediately for Istanbul."

Chen Feng nodded, his gaze never leaving the chart. His finger rested on Istanbul, the strategic choke point linking Europe and Asia and controlling the Black Sea strait.

"Has the Ottoman side confirmed?" he asked.

Wang Wenwu opened the folder: "We received an encrypted reply from Enweier Pasha early this morning. The envoy of the Emperor of Deguo Wilhelm II — Chief of Staff General Fa Jinhan — has arrived in Istanbul. Ottoman Sultan Muhammad V has, in principle, agreed to a three‑way conference, but he put forward a condition."

"What condition?"

"The talks must be strictly confidential; no agreement may be made public before the war ends. Otherwise the Ottomans cannot face domestic opinion and… pressure from the Holy Land."

Chen Feng chuckled lightly: "The Sultan is indeed cautious. Agree to his condition. Reply: Lanfang respects Ottoman sovereignty and religious sentiment; all conference contents will be handled as top secret."

"Understood," Wang recorded, "also, Enweier Pasha privately conveyed that he wishes to learn the specific parameters of the 'new equipment' we will showcase. He worries… the Deguo may try to drive the price down."

"Tell him that once he sees the actual hardware, he'll grasp its value." Chen Feng turned to Li, "Have the Type‑1 prototype and the Type‑2 improved model both been loaded onto the ship?"

"They've already been loaded onto the transport 'Dongtinghu', which set out a day before us and should now have crossed the Red Sea," Li replied, "accompanying us is a fifteen‑person technical team led personally by Minister Liu Yongfu, including pilots, mechanics and tactical instructors."

"Good." Chen Feng finally lifted his eyes from the chart, looking toward the brightening sky beyond the porthole, "The key to the Istanbul talks isn't the tank itself, but the possibilities it represents— the chance to break the stalemate on the Western Front. Fa Jinhan will understand what that means."

Wang Wenwu closed the folder, hesitated, then asked, "President, regarding last night's conversation with the King of Yingguo… I have a few points I don't quite understand."

"Go ahead."

"First, why did you compare the Sakura Nation to 'a starving person'? Could that make the Yingguo think we're making excuses for the Sakura Nation?"

Chen Feng didn't answer directly but asked back, "Minister Wang, what do you think George V was thinking after hearing that story?"

Wang Wenwu thought for a moment, "Anger? Confusion? Or perhaps… beginning to rethink the strategy toward the Sakura Nation?"

"All of those, but the most important is the last point." Chen Feng stood, walked to the coffee machine and poured himself a cup of black coffee, "The story's purpose isn't to excuse the Sakura Nation, but to shift how the Yingguo think about the issue—from 'how to punish the traitor' to 'how to address the root cause of the betrayal'."

He carried the coffee back to the table: "Once the mindset changes, the solutions will change with it. Punitive measures—sanctions, severing diplomatic ties, military threats—are simple but often ineffective, even counterproductive. Constructive measures—economic aid, technical cooperation, strategic understanding—are complex, require patience and foresight, but may truly solve the problem."

Li Te, thoughtful, said, "So you're laying the groundwork… to prepare Lanfang's post‑war involvement in the Sakura Nation issue?"

"More than just groundwork." Chen Feng took a sip of coffee, the bitterness sharpening his mind, "I'm telling the Yingguo: first, I understand the logic behind the Sakura Nation's actions; second, I have a plan to resolve the issue; third, if you're willing, we can cooperate to solve it. But the prerequisite is that you move beyond simple anger and see the longer‑term benefits."

Wang Wenwu's eyes widened in realization: "So when George V asked what role Lanfang would play, you said 'we welcome any effort that stabilizes East Asia'…"

"That was a deliberate ambiguity," Chen Feng smiled, "neither confirming nor denying our involvement. Keep it vague, stay proactive. When the time is right—say, after the war when the Sakura Nation is fully in trouble—we'll decide then whether to act alone or cooperate with the Yingguo."

He paused, then added, "And I'm certain George V caught the subtext. That's why he asked me that question at the end. He wants to know whether Lanfang intends to be a player or merely a spectator."

"Then are we players?" Li asked.

Chen Feng looked at the Admiral, his gaze deep, "General Li, from the moment we built the first Bismarck Class ship, from the moment we decided to sell weapons to both Deguo and Yingguo, we have been players. The difference lies only in how big we want to play and how much we aim to win."

The conference room fell silent. Only the engine's roar and the soft clink of a coffee cup being set back on the table could be heard.

Outside, the sun burst fully over the horizon, golden light instantly flooding the sea. The deep‑gray hull of the "Huaihe" was bathed in warm gold, and the towering bridge cast a long shadow in the dawn.

"Second matter," Wang Wenwu continued, "the line you gave George V at the end—'History is often written by those who can rise above present anger and see long‑term benefit.' Was that a compliment, or…?"

"It's both a reminder and a test." Chen Feng looked east, where the sun rose inexorably, "I'm testing whether George V is such a monarch. If he is, he'll calm down after his anger, reassess the Sakura Nation strategy, and may even proactively seek cooperation with us. If not… that's fine. We've already secured a battleship order, established a technical‑cooperation framework. The basic interests are already guaranteed."

Li Te suddenly recalled something: "Speaking of battleships, the morale of the crews of the 'Fuxing' and the Restoration Ship is reported stable by Minister Liu Yongfu's telegram. Your proposals—inscribing names on monuments, naming new ships, promotions with salary raises—have worked well. Most veterans are willing to transfer to 'Dingyuan', 'Zhenyuan', or teach at the naval academy."