Chapter 467: You Can Use Cao County People

Chen Feng lifts his tea cup but does not drink, just watches the tea leaves drifting: "Prime Minister, you just said 'Empire soldiers'. But have you considered—those soldiers, must they all be Sakura Nation people?"

Xi Yuan Si is stunned: "What do you mean?"

"Deguo wants 250,000 'combat‑experienced personnel'." Chen Feng puts down the cup, "They didn't say they have to be native Sakura Nation troops. Yingguo wants 'soldiers who can shoulder a rifle in the trenches', also without specifying origin."

He looks into Xi Yuan Si's eyes, each word deliberate: "Prime Minister seems to have forgotten that Cao County… is still in your hands."

Boom—

Like a flash of lightning striking the mind.

Xi Yuan Si freezes completely. Cao County! Yes, Cao County!

After the 1894–95 Sino‑Japanese War, the Sakura Nation controlled the Cao County Peninsula, formally annexing it in 1910. It has nearly twenty million people, with at least three million males of fighting age. If we use Cao County people…

"But," he says with difficulty, "Cao County people… their combat effectiveness is probably…"

"Just train them a bit." Chen Feng says lightly, "Deguo now urgently needs line‑filling troops; as long as they can fire a gun, dig trenches, and charge under artillery, that's enough. Yingguo is even simpler—at the Somme River battle they want cannon fodder, to waste Degjun ammunition and create conditions for the next offensive."

He leans forward, lowering his voice: "Recruit part of the soldiers from Cao County. Equip them entirely with weapons supplied by Lanfang—we have stockpiled rifles that need to be dealt with. Transport will be handled by the Lanfang fleet; we know the routes and how to avoid submarines."

Xi Yuan Si's breathing quickens. This plan… is too cold‑hearted, yet so tempting.

Use Cao County lives to exchange Sakura Nation's money and survival space. After the war, even if it earns a bad reputation, it can be blamed on "local conscription", saying "it was the voluntary action of Cao County volunteers".

"Then… how is the payment divided?" he asks the crucial question.

Chen Feng smiles, knowing the other side is already swayed: "Four‑to‑six split. Lanfang takes forty percent—twenty percent for transport costs, twenty percent for weapons and equipment. Sakura Nation takes sixty percent—your side handles recruitment, training, command, and bears the political risk."

He pauses, adding: "Moreover, for the 250,000 Deguo wants, I suggest… they should still be native Sakura Nation soldiers, because Deguo has seen the 'quality' of Sakura Nation troops; if we give them sub‑par ones, Deguo will deem them worthless. Only then will Deguo think the goods are 'genuine'. For the 100,000 Yingguo wants, they can be all Cao County people."

Xi Yuan Si quickly calculates: 350,000 people, at a "market price" of 200 pounds each (the unit price quoted by Deguo), total 70 million pounds. Lanfang gets 28 million, Sakura Nation gets 42 million. After deducting conscription and training costs, net profit is at least 35 million pounds.

More importantly, this 35 million is cash, which can immediately buy food, machines, and stabilize the domestic situation.

"What about… post‑war compensation for Cao County people?" he hesitates a bit.

"That's a Sakura Nation government matter," Chen Feng says lightly, "Or we could deduct a portion from their wages as insurance—if they survive to return, we give it back; if they don't, it becomes compensation." (During the anti‑war period, the little lives of Cao County soldiers were ruthless to the Huaxia people!)

Cold to the extreme.

Xi Yuan Si looks at Chen Feng's calm face and suddenly feels a chill. This man has calculated everything, from the price of a life to transport profit, from battlefield consumption to post‑war evasion. In his eyes, war is business, human lives are commodities.

But… Sakura Nation needs this business.

"I need to go back and discuss with the cabinet," he finally says.

"Of course." Chen Feng stands, "But please hurry. Deguo is pressing hard, and Yingguo… I heard their Prime Minister has already returned from Dubai to London, and will soon formally present his request to you."

Chen Feng knows Yingguo's telegram has already been placed on Xi Yuan Si's desk!

The two walk out of the pavilion and return to the edge of the rice fields. The setting sun descends, golden rice ears sway in the evening breeze, beautiful as a painting.

Yet Xi Yuan Si knows that beneath this scenery lie 350,000 lives about to be sent to the slaughterhouse.

"Prime Minister," Chen Feng suddenly says, his tone a little softer, "I know this decision is hard. But sometimes, for the majority to survive, a minority must be sacrificed. That is the fate of a politician."

Xi Yuan Si gives no answer. He only gazes at the rice fields, at the plump rice ears, thinking of the starving children on the streets of Tokyo.

After a while, he whispers: "President, after the war… how will history judge us?"

Chen Feng also looks into the distance: "History is written by the victors. If you can keep Sakura Nation alive, and make it thrive, then today's decision is necessary and wise. If you fail… the judgment doesn't matter, because you'll both be gone."

Harsh, but true.

Xi Yuan Si takes a deep breath, turns, and bows deeply to Chen Feng: "Thank you, President, for guiding us through the maze. The Empire… will seriously consider this plan."

Chen Feng supports him: "No need for formalities. We are neighbors, partners. Lanfang is willing to help a friend through the difficulty."

The two shake hands. The sunset stretches their shadows long, intertwining in the rice fields like some metaphor.

When Xi Yuan Si departs, Chen Feng escorts him to the car. Just before boarding, the elder suddenly turns back: "President, may I ask a question?"

"Please, go ahead."

"Do you… feel uneasy when you do these things?"

Chen Feng is silent for a few seconds. The evening wind lifts his coat hem, his face blurred in the dusk.

"Prime Minister, have you ever heard a story?" he begins slowly, "Long ago there was a general ordered to defend a city. Inside lived 100,000 civilians; outside stood 300,000 enemy troops. The general knew he could not hold, yet he defended. In the end the city fell, the 100,000 were slaughtered, and the general committed suicide. Later generations called him a foolishly loyal man who doomed 100,000 people."

He pauses: "But if the general opened the gates and surrendered? The 100,000 could live, but the city would belong to the enemy, the nation in danger. Later generations would call him cowardly, a traitor seeking glory."

He looks at Xi Yuan Si: "So there is no perfect choice. Only… what seems the least bad at the moment."

Xi Yuan Si nods and gets into the car.

The convoy leaves Wangbei Tower, heading for Kun Field dock. There, a Sakura Nation warship waits, ready to take him back to Tokyo, to carry out that 'least‑bad' choice.

Chen Feng stands still, watching the convoy vanish into dusk. He mutters under his breath, "Damned, after all this effort to find a way to bleed your population, letting Shenhe comrades stay out of it, you think I'll let you off!"

Wang Wenwu walks up from behind, whispering: "Will he agree?"

"He will." Chen Feng turns, walking toward the garden's depths, "Because he has no better option. Sakura Nation is like a drowning person; they'll cling to any straw, even if that straw is soaked in blood."

"Those 350,000 Cao County people…"

"They will die." Chen Feng's voice is calm, "Most will die in Faguo's trenches, a few on transport ships, a handful may survive but wounded. That's war. But what does that have to do with us? I only care about the damn money; saving the world? That's someone else's business!"

Wang Wenwu falls silent. He is a diplomat, has seen much darkness, yet the coldness of this plan still startles him.