The Little Witch’s Daily Struggle – Chapter 1378

Chapter 1378 Blood Pressure Soars

When the Princess returned to the banquet hall with a group of courtiers, the three envoys were eating fruit and enjoying the music played by the band. The two nuns from the Church also sat down and stood up only when the ministers returned.

“Everyone, it seems you’ve reached a conclusion?” The Tsarist Russian envoy, looking at the expressions on the ministers’ faces, had already guessed their conclusion.

Being able to read people’s expressions was an important social skill. For example, if those ministers intended to refuse him, they should now put on a polite and slightly apologetic smile. But now they were smiling casually and friendly, which indicated that this transaction should be successfully concluded.

“Yes, we have thoroughly reviewed the documents submitted by your side. This is indeed a mutually beneficial transaction. However, regarding some details of the terms, we would like to discuss and clarify them first,” said the Prime Minister.

Although they generally agreed, a trade agreement between two countries wasn’t signed just like that. Many details needed to be confirmed, such as who would be responsible for transportation, where the delivery destination would be, and how payment would be made.

As both sides were enthusiastically discussing various detailed issues, a military officer casually asked as if by chance, “Your country is buying so many resources. Where do you intend to use them?”

This was also a question they had discussed during the meeting. Everyone believed that this was preparation for Tsarist Russia to mobilize troops. But who they intended to mobilize against was very important. If they could find out in advance, it would allow the Hesse Duchy to consider how to profit from it.

The Tsarist Russian envoy had no intention of hiding anything and said directly, “Haha, are you all afraid that our country will take action against neighboring countries and affect your interests? Please rest assured, we intend to send troops to the Far East this time and will not have any conflicts of interest with your country.”

I was stunned when I heard this. This isn’t right, is it? Could it be that the drama has reached my doorstep?

“Far East? Are you talking about Great Qing?” the military officer asked, and everyone else pricked up their ears to listen intently.

Everyone here knew that after Tsarist Russia repeatedly suffered defeats in its wars with the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, it began to shift its focus eastward. After suffering heavy losses in the Crimean War, its eastward expansion accelerated.

Tsarist Russia had vast territories in the east. The Siberian Plains were sparsely populated and rich in resources, but the climate was too harsh to live in, with large areas of uninhabited land.

However, with mature energy tower technology, Tsarist Russia could already build cities and settlements in extremely cold environments, allowing more people to immigrate eastward and aecdevelop resources locally near their locations.

Moreover, there was no America in this world, and Alaska had not been sold, so it was still under Tsarist Russian control.

But eastward expansion posed some significant problems to solve. Even if energy towers could solve the heating problem, food production was still precarious. Where to get food was an important issue.

Furthermore, where could the developed resources and produced industrial products be sold?

At this time, Tsarist Russia’s gaze turned to the prosperous lands to the south. That ancient empire in the Far East was an excellent source of food and a market for dumping goods.

To go a step further, what if they could annex some land? The lands to the south were fertile and prosperous, and not as cold. If they could get their hands on them and build cities there directly, the north would be the raw material production area and the south would be the market – wouldn’t that be wonderful?

“Indeed, it is Great Qing. The British are currently supporting the Hodja Khanate’s invasion of southern Xinjiang. To prevent the British from further expanding their influence northward, we have sent troops to occupy a large area around Ili,” the Tsarist Russian envoy said proudly.

“However, Great Qing now seems to have annihilated the Hodja Khanate, and that fool Agubey is also finished. Great Qing seems to want that area back, so Tsar陛下 has ordered us to send more troops to the Far East and thus needs more resources.”

That Russian spoke so crudely and heartily that he revealed all their internal plans and purposes at once. Perhaps he felt there was no need to keep so many secrets from the Tsar’s in-laws, and anyway, there were no conflicts of interest.

But as I listened, my blood pressure soared. Although I, in my Valkyrie state, had no blood pressure, the Hodja Khanate was a puppet regime supported by the British to contend for Central Asian interests.

The leader, Agubey, known as the Butcher of Central Asia, invaded southern Xinjiang during the chaos, carved out a territory for himself, and even accepted a enfeoffment from the Ottoman Sultan to gain external support.

The Sultan enfeoffed him as an Emir, an Arab noble title meaning commander, appointed person, and ruler, with a status equivalent to a prince or grand duke.

This world was not like my previous life where enfeoffment was merely nominal. In this world where imperial authority could be directly manifested, accepting enfeoffment meant true loyalty to the Lord, and the land under his control would be protected by the Lord’s power to suppress corruption and rebellion.

This was tantamount to factually separating southern Xinjiang from the land of Great Qing and making it an exclave of the Ottoman Empire. No sovereign state could tolerate such a thing.

In my previous life, this butcher was merely a clown. He had no popular support, ruled brutally, and was soon defeated by Zuo Zongtang. He also died of poisoning for reasons unknown.

Fortunately, it was the same in this world. Agubey was finished, but the troublesome matters he left behind were much more complicated than merely eliminating him. The biggest issue was that Tsarist Russia had occupied the areas around Ili during this period to curb the expansion of British influence.

How could it be easy to make this Russian bear spit out the meat it had already swallowed? I don’t know how this world will develop in the future, but I know who the country that caused Great Qing to cede the most land in my previous life was. If this history continues in that direction, humiliation and the loss of national dignity would be imminent.

The courtiers of the Hesse Duchy had various expressions. They had already guessed that Tsarist Russia might have some major moves, which was why they needed to buy grain and coal from them, but they didn’t expect the target to be the Far East.

Thinking about it, Tsarist Russia had long been prepared for its conflicts with both the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Ottoman Empire. Starting a war now did not seem to yield any benefits.

So, these resources were clearly intended for opening a new front. Only unexpected and urgent needs would involve importing resources to alleviate immediate difficulties. Now they knew that the Russians’ goal was actually the Far East.

“Great Qing, your country truly has a large appetite and a sharp eye,” the Prime Minister said to the Tsarist Russian envoy, his expression filled with envy.

The Holy Roman Empire accepted Great Qing’s shipbuilding commission and knew how wealthy this mysterious empire in the Far East was, and… how easy it was to bully.

Unfortunately, the Holy Roman Empire’s development was currently focused inland. Although it had some overseas colonies, they were on a very small scale. There was no way it could afford a colonial venture to the Far East.