Munitions Empire

In the hall, representatives from various countries were discussing the possibility of achieving peace with Tang Country. They all knew that with time progressing, the war truly could not continue.

Maritime trade had completely collapsed due to endless interdiction battles, and the nations incurred significant daily losses in both transport ships and resources due to the sea battles.

The halted trade was also causing stagnation in these countries' commercial activities, and emperors with no tax revenues even had started to cut their expenditures.

No one could, or rather, no one was willing to endure such circumstances. Who would persist in a war that offered no benefits and no visibility of victory?

Soon, diplomats from the Great Tang Kingdom entered the room, bringing with them the conditions from Tang Country, which the emissaries from various empires on the eastern continent were very eager to learn.

However, upon seeing the terms, they were all terrified by the stringent conditions, so much so that their faces turned pale. They could not accept the terms, yet they did not have the courage to refuse and were left frozen in place.

At this time, the wisdom and martial prowess of the Suthers Empire became apparent: they were the first to approach the Marquis of Bailu, thus their price had already been set.

The Suthers Empire, not having participated in the naval battles, suffered no losses. They were only affected by the war economically, which led to a downturn.

Therefore, their losses were minor, and they had not inflicted any substantial damage on Tang Country, which meant they did not need to pay much in the way of war reparations.

Moreover, showing sincerity, they had revealed the approximate location of the joint fleet. Consequently, they were nominally to pay 1.5 million in war reparations, but in reality, they only needed to pay 150,000 Gold Coins.

This was as if nothing had happened at all. The Suthers Empire could immediately resume trade with Tang Country upon the arrival of peace and could even purchase some of Great Tang Group's advanced weapons and equipment.

As for the other countries, their situation was severe: Dorne, Gobur, Laines, Poplar, the Ice Cold Empire, and Mirage Country, all took part in the campaign against Tang Country's maritime shipping lines.

Therefore, although Great Tang Kingdom's submarines and destroyers had sunk a large number of their transport ships, these countries still had to compensate Tang Country for the massive losses.

After all, if they wished to restore peace and end this war with no hope of victory, they would need to first admit defeat. This was the bottom line insisted upon by Tang Country, and many nations were considering whether to compromise.

Tang Country even hoped Suthers would be the first domino to fall. If the Suthers Empire accepted, willing to be the first to admit defeat and backstab the other countries by signing a treaty, Tang Country would even waive the 150,000 Gold Coins for Suthers.

Additionally, Tang Country would also cancel the penalty fee for Suthers, which was the overdue payment for the purchase of aircraft technology due to the war.

Together with the penalty fee, this amount roughly equated to several million Gold Coins. If waived, it would undoubtedly be a major benefit for the economy of Suthers.

To put it frankly, Suthers was tempted. They began to discuss privately with other countries, conveying their hopes to surrender at the earliest, urging other nations to understand their choice.

This attitude naturally upset many nations, but those nations did not dare to provoke the Suthers Empire too sharply. After all, being a landlocked nation, it had not caused any harm to Tang Country; their relatively small compensation was a foregone conclusion.

Yet for the other countries, the situation was not so easy, for the war indemnities they had to present to Tang Country were astronomical.

After calculation, each country involved in strangling Tang Country's maritime shipping line was to compensate 50 million Gold Coins to Tang Country! This figure essentially renewed the debt each country had from previously purchasing airplanes.

In other words, it was as if the countries had made two years of payments for aircraft technology purchases, only to see them wiped out. Essentially, they still owed Tang Country 100 million Gold Coins, needing to be paid in full over the next two years.

If including overdue fines and other charges, the amount would likely need to be a bit more: while expecting the war to mean no need to pay the debt, they ended up owing even more due to the conflict.

Of course, for the countries that only needed to pay the reparations, they could manage with money, however bitter it might be.

The truly tragic ones were the Dahua Empire and Chu Country. Both had lost their territories in the war, and it appeared these lands were almost certain not to be recovered.

In fact, to avoid losing even more, they had to quickly sign a peace treaty with the Great Tang Kingdom, finalizing their borders, lest Tang Country push further.

This was not mere speculation; it was a real threat. If peace did not arrive before the end of winter, Tang Army could very likely continue their assault from the direction of Fengjiang, bypassing the natural defense of Hidden Sword Gorge, and penetrating deep into the heartland of the Dahua Empire.

By then, the Dahua Empire might face the risk of national collapse.

It should be noted that Qin Country had officially signed a memorandum of understanding with Tang Country through diplomatic channels, declaring its intent to withdraw from the war before winter. Shu Country had done the same, each compensating Tang Country with 10 million Gold Coins, paying tuition fees, so to speak, for an acquaintance made through conflict.

If Dahua Empire and Chu Country did not sort things out with Tang Country before the withdrawal plans of the two countries began, they might end up paying a far greater price on the battlefield.

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Hence, Chu Country was the first to make a decision: since the Dahua Empire had already lost and they no longer shared any borders with the Dahua Empire, they might as well kneel down and acknowledge a new "father."

After all, being a small and weak nation, recognizing a father was not disgraceful. Therefore, the offer Chu Country made to the Tang Kingdom was: the tributes I paid to the Dahua Empire before, I will give them to you now! From now on, I'm your little brother, and you are my suzerain!

This bold maneuver was something the Tang Kingdom's diplomats had not anticipated; they had never imagined that after defeating the Dahua Empire, Chu Country would immediately kneel in submission.

Moreover, Chu Country had other bargaining chips: they were willing to sell their oil production, asking only that Great Tang spare them as if they were a dog.

Upon learning this news, the Dahua Empire immediately proposed a more generous plan: since Chu Country had knelt, I formally sever ties with Chu Country, acknowledging that Chu Country is no longer a vassal of the Dahua Empire and recognizes the vassal relationship between Chu Country and the Tang Kingdom.

Additionally, the Dahua Empire formally acknowledges the status of the Tang Kingdom, and if the Tang Kingdom wishes to become an Empire, the Dahua Empire is willing to accept.

These were just the additional terms; the real surrender terms were not few: the Dahua Empire was willing to compensate the Tang Kingdom with one billion Gold Coins, officially ceding southern oil fields, South Wind Pass, Tengyun, and Wangchun City to the Tang Kingdom.

At the same time, the Dahua Empire promised to renegotiate tariffs with the Tang Kingdom, opening Fengjiang City as a port for trade, establishing a Tang Kingdom goods trade zone, and promoting free trade and commercial exchanges between the two countries.

For this purpose, the Dahua Empire will spend an additional 5 million Gold Coins to buy back parts of the western side of Fengjiang City, with both parties occupying half of Fengjiang City for more convenient bilateral trade.

The Tang Kingdom promised that the 5 million Gold Coins paid by the Dahua Empire for redeeming half of Fengjiang City would be used for the reconstruction of Fengjiang, building train stations and airports, establishing normal ports, restoring prosperity to the region, and maintaining stability in the area.

As the negotiations continued, terms become clear, and everything seemed inevitable. The previously oppressive atmosphere turned lively, and during the evening banquet, with the exception of the envoy from the Dahua Empire, the envoys from various countries were toasting each other as if they had all fulfilled their missions.

However, the treaty had not been signed yet, and the war continued; the lights and wines of Chang'an City did not reach those still under a barrage of fire.

Strauss was still gathering the fleeing refugees from Chu Country in the southern front of the Tang Kingdom, still busy with repairing riverbanks and building roads, thoroughly enjoying the work.

Bolton was still expanding his positions on the outskirts of Fengjiang City, almost encircling the city that had already been brought to the negotiation table.

Deep in the ocean, Tang Kingdom's submarines were still searching for the joint fleets of various countries, ready to teach these hiding foes a lesson.

And on the outskirts of the southern oil fields, rows of anti-aircraft guns stretched as far as the eye could see, the light beams of nighttime searchlights incessantly waving, resembling a captivating light show.

The steady Tagg was arranging troops in Hidden Sword Gorge, exerting unprecedented pressure on Zhao Chen. The southern defense line of the Dahua Empire, soon to lose Shu Country's support, was once again becoming less secure.

The thunderous Redman had already led his troops northward, stationed in the southern region of Fengjiang City, like a sharp knife pressed against the throat of the Dahua Empire.

In a factory covered with tarpaulins, the twenty-meter-long missile had been fully tuned, awaiting more experimental data before it could be filled with launch fuel and aimed at a target over 1600 kilometers away.

Sadly, Zhao Kai, His Majesty The Emperor of the Dahua Empire, was unaware that his throne had been targeted by a new type of weapon previously unseen.

It was a foregone conclusion that the Tang Kingdom had emerged as the complete victor of this war; it was just a matter of when those envoys from afar would be willing to bow their heads in acknowledgment of their errors.

Glasses clinked, music echoed, and Great Tang's beautiful girl group performed energetically on stage, showcasing fiery dances and songs.

The envoys, who had never seen such a spectacle, seemed to glimpse another splendid Brunas. They applauded and cheered, savoring the once-inaccessible fine wines.

As he looked back at the entrance to the former Royal Palace of Zheng Country, the Dahua Empire's envoy sighed helplessly.

The previous owner of this palace was once a vassal of the Dahua Empire, yet now it had become a place for other countries to feast their guests. The Dahua Empire had taken a fall, but who would be next?

"Today, you have not fulfilled your promises, you have not kept your commitments, and tomorrow... who will help you against this... flourishing Great Tang?" he muttered before getting into the car that his subordinate had opened for him.

He needed to return and telegram the Imperial City, seeking the Emperor's guidance on whether the Empire could accept such peace terms.

The car gradually disappeared into the distance, blending into a sea of lights. It mingled with the long stream of traffic and vanished without a trace.

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Today there are two updates... which amount to 6000 words...

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