Munitions Empire-Chapter 909 - In the 832 study room
Chapter 909: In the 832 study room Chapter 909: In the 832 study room From another perspective, those peripheral lands that have been conquered, are they really securely in the grasp of an empire? In fact, they are not.
Throughout history, both in China and abroad, every conquest signifies brutal exploitation and oppression. Whether it’s the assholes who had it easy violating Huaxia or the German leader’s frenzied expansion across Europe, the essence is the same.
They had no intention of turning these lands, trampled by their iron hooves, into their territory with kindness, nor did they plan to treat the native inhabitants well, developing them into their own governed people.
These places became exploited colonies. For the United Kingdom, it was North America; for France, it was North Africa.
All these conquered regions could never receive the same treatment as the conquerors. Unless there emerged a time-traveler, capable of bringing in money and technology from elsewhere, rapidly disseminating the benefits to the occupied areas; otherwise, the occupied regions could only support the core areas.
Tang Mo was such a time-traveler, which is why he was able to earn the local people’s support immediately upon completing his expansions in Zheng Country and Qi Country.
For these people, Tang Country was not the conqueror, but a liberator: upon occupying these regions, Tang Country immediately provided the locals with more materials and improved their living conditions, thus reducing public grievances to a controllable level.
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At the same time, Tang Country began to purge the slave-owners and landlord-nobility class, swiftly integrating into the peasant class and gaining widespread support from them.
Coupled with the advanced productive forces that Tang Country represented, it was inevitably cherished and supported by the emerging worker and merchant classes, and therefore achieved unprecedented success.
However, all of this was impossible in ancient times, in an era without time-travelers bringing additional benefits.
The United Kingdom, which rebelled against slave-owners due to oppressive American taxes, Germany that cruelly exploited the Soviet-occupied areas, and Japan that inhumanely slaughtered the people in Chinese-occupied territories—all did the same.
This caused these regions to be prone to uprisings, easily subject to division by those with ulterior motives, and the lands, conquered at a great cost, would simply be wedding dresses for others: for an emperor, this is absolutely foolish behavior.
Take Huaxia as an example. The conquest of Guangxi and Yungui was essentially completed during the Qin Dynasty, but effective actions to develop and govern these areas only began to take place during the Southern Song Dynasty under pressure from the North.
By the time real control was established over these mountain regions, it was already during the Ming and Qing dynasties; one can imagine how difficult expansion and colonization were in ancient times.
Those short distances on the map, seemingly key points within arm’s reach, were actually much more challenging to capture than one might think.
The territory of Nanyue was actually not bad, and it was conquered during the Han Dynasty, but eventually, it split off due to local indigenous influences. The Tang Dynasty actually campaigned against Baekje and Silla, but also failed to hold on in the end.
So what if they were conquered? Nanyue ultimately became Vietnam, and Baekje became Korea. Throughout history, how many famous generals have established empires only to have the deserted Northern Court remain the domain of nomadic tribes.
During the age when England’s sailing warships dominated the world, the sun-never-set flag flew everywhere, but they could only send convicts for “forced immigration” to Australia. After all, which decent English citizen would want to suffer in Australia at that time?
It was the same with Huaxia. If the emperor then wanted to find a reliable, capable, and handsome minister to go build cities and schools in Guangxi, that minister would probably prefer to bash his head to death in the palace hall… After all, to be sent to the ends of the earth by the Emperor was a penalty laden with deep shame and a fate worse than death.
If conquest meant securing eternal sovereign land easily, then the Mongol Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Roman Empire, and the Third German Reich might have all fainted in the toilet from grief.
If genuine control was so feasible, who would willingly let go? Isn’t it simply because they’re powerless and incapable?
The reality is, when power is lacking, even two insignificant gangs on a broken island refuse to live together, as seen by Scotland’s current displeasure with England.
The unbreakable alliance eventually turned into an utter joke, and the modern-day animosity exemplifies what is truly meant by “sharing a cup of gold in fellowship but not sparing each other in the face of gleaming blades.”
Another problem is, does having some lands really benefit one if they are firmly held in hand? The answer is also no.
Between two countries, the rich can ignore the plight of the poor, merely continuing to trade cruelly and reaping profits.
Especially when there are many poor countries, the only thing the rich nations need to do is occasionally support these poor countries to ensure they have a fragile economy that serves as a dumping ground for products.
But if these places are all occupied, the rulers must seriously consider the issue of eliminating the wealth gap.
Dealing with other countries is inherently different from dealing with one’s own. The way issues in other people’s homes and one’s own are addressed are also absolutely distinct.
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If it were possible to enlarge the cake and let people around the world enjoy more benefits, to improve everyone’s standard of living and secure a more splendid future, then such a rule would have meaning; otherwise, conquering the world would merely be stuffing a chaotic world into one’s belly, waiting for it to explode there.
Clearly, Tang Mo was someone capable of making the cake bigger, but he had to be very careful, cautiously changing the world, then gradually swallowing the most luscious part of it according to plan.
“I’m not without covet for Brunas, but I hope to find a better opportunity to secure it,” Tang Mo explained to his woman as he took the water cup from Alice’s hand.
“I understand. In fact, after so many years, the people from Northern Ridge have much less attachment to it. Although we all want to take it back, we are not in a hurry,” Alice said softly, placing her hand on Tang Mo’s shoulder.
She represented the Northern Ridge faction, a group that immigrated by the hundreds of thousands when they left the Western Continent, forming the cornerstone of Tang Country at that time.
Tang Mo had the opportunity to take down Brunas and even reach out to Northern Ridge again, but he gave up the chance, thus he owed those from Northern Ridge an explanation, a consolation.
“It would be good if you could comfort them, help me explain to them that we haven’t yet avenged Mr. Fisheo!” Tang Mo said to Alice while looking at the crystal-clear water in the cup.
Hearing Tang Mo’s words, Alice felt a tremor in her heart— he still remembered her father, the somewhat old-fashioned and upright Earl Fisheo.
Indeed, Tang Mo had selected a more prestigious title for Alice’s father, the Duke of Tang Country.
The posthumous title didn’t really do much, but Alice was appreciative of Tang Mo’s thoughtfulness, and the people from the Northern Ridge were also gratefully acknowledging Tang Mo’s kindness.
Over the years, those from Northern Ridge had always seen Tang Mo as their savior and leader. Since following Tang Mo to Tang Country, they indeed had received the treatment they had long dreamed of.
Tang Country needed a massive population to fill its vast territories, and every person who followed Tang Mo obtained a large amount of land.
This land, both in quantity and quality, was much better than the old soil of Northern Ridge, so the people from Northern Ridge had always reciprocated Tang Mo, this great Emperor, with their loyalty.
“Thank you,” Alice said, deeply moved. She bent down and gently kissed Tang Mo’s ear, then murmured, “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
For a moment, she recalled the first time she saw Tang Mo’s steam engine in Northern Ridge, and when she first saw him in Brunas.
She also remembered the helplessness and despair after the murder of Earl Fisheo and the bone-chilling tension when Tang Mo had held her.
Unconsciously, Alice’s face had turned red. Outsiders could hardly imagine that the Empire’s “Finance Minister,” who controlled the economic fate of the Empire and with a mere glance could decide the fate of a million Gold Coins, could display such girlish behavior.
“Between you and me, there’s no need for thanks,” Tang Mo said indulgently, looking at Alice with a smile.
“I should have thanked you properly back in Northern Ridge, without you… I really don’t know what I would have done…” Alice said as she sat on the armrest of Tang Mo’s chair, turning her head to gaze down at his features.
Although he was almost thirty years old, Tang Mo’s face still seemed so pleasing to Alice— no matter how much she looked, it was never enough.
Back then, when she was just a teenager, Alice had thought Tang Mo was very handsome, the kind of handsome that lingered in her memory and dreams. Even after so many years, he still made her blush and heart race.
“…” If Tang Mo didn’t know what to do at this moment, he would truly be a fool.
However, just when their lips were about to meet, someone knocked on the door. They hurriedly straightened their clothes, and then gave permission for the person outside to enter.
One of Tang Mo’s secretaries entered the room awkwardly, placed a stack of files that needed Tang Mo’s immediate attention on the coffee table, and then hastily retreated.
Anyone would realize that the room’s door being knocked on and taking over a dozen seconds to be allowed inside meant that His Majesty The Emperor and Princess Alice were certainly engaged in an urgent matter…
With their mood spoiled, the couple inevitably refrained from having their way in the study. Tang Mo stayed to review the documents while Alice left as if fleeing, leaving Wes with a view of her beautifully retreating figure.
“Ahh… youth is wonderful.” Watching Princess Alice walk away, Wes smirked, mocking her, took a lollipop from his pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth—smoking was not permitted here.
