Iron Dynasty Chapter 1001
Previously on Iron Dynasty...
“Rubbish! Do you really believe I'm as idiotic as you? I've got records of all the sneaky schemes you British and French have pulled off through the years!”
With a fierce bang on the table before him, Xiao Ming erupted in fury. The deception from Brooke was swiftly uncovered by him. Spain simply lacked that kind of dominance across Europe.
Fear shook Brooke and Henry to their cores. It was obvious this emperor possessed sharp wits and couldn't be easily tricked.
Tension thickened in the grand hall. Brooke's gaze flickered wildly as he hunted for a way out. Without swift and proper actions, this talk would probably collapse, leaving them to endure the Great Yu Empire's fury.
“Your Majesty.” After a brief pause, Brooke chose truth over evasion. He declared, “Naturally, certain British officials blundered badly, sparking this regrettable conflict. Her Majesty the Queen has dealt with those officials and dispatched me to offer her regards, in hopes that Your Majesty might overlook past grievances with Britain and foster commerce between our nations.”
At those words, Xiao Ming let out a cold huff. Though Brooke's statement still hid falsehoods, it at least owned up to Britain's active role in the fray.
Whether it stemmed from specific politicians or the Queen herself no longer mattered, since no proof existed to pin down the war's true instigator.
Learning from Brooke's slip-up, Henry spoke plainly, “France suffered defeat in this conflict, yet we yearn to build ties with the Chinese Empire. We seek Your Majesty's approval.”
Their words barely faded when Pang Yukun sharply scolded, “You westerners are nothing but sly cheats! Now that you've arrived in Qingzhou, rather than owning your errors or offering reparations for your loss, you dare talk of forging bonds with the Chinese Empire. Your real aim is just to eye the Great Yu Empire's advancements. What a grand delusion!”
Each of Pang Yukun's sharp remarks got instantly relayed by the translator. Grimness settled over Brooke and Henry's features. They'd dodged the core matters, but defeat's harsh reality caught up with them anyway.“Your Majesty, we've journeyed to the Chinese Empire bearing true sincerity. We're prepared to make amends for the war's damages,” Brooke stated.
Prior to this trip, parliament had debated endlessly on handling this nation's challenges, granting him broad leeway, though certain limits remained firm on key points.
Xiao Ming eyed Brooke briefly, then signaled Qian Dafu to escort Henry’s group to the adjacent chamber for waiting. In state talks like these, having a third nation linger proved improper.
Qian Dafu obeyed at once, guiding Henry and his followers to the side room to sit in silence.
Turning straight to Brooke, Xiao Ming announced, “Before we dive into talks, here's some news: Dicken and Wilson live on. They're toiling as prisoners in the mines right now. If you want them back, state your offer. Otherwise, they can rot here indefinitely—no skin off my back.”
“Dicken and Wilson.” Surprise colored Brooke's tone. Most assumed the pair had perished, yet here they still breathed. During preparations for his visit, this very topic had arisen. Should they survive, ransom was essential, lest it shatter the British nobles' faith.
“Your Majesty, we'll pay eight thousand pounds to free General Dicken and General Wilson.” Brooke started with a stingy bid.
“Tsk tsk tsk…” Mockery dripped from Xiao Ming's words. “Looks like I ought to inform them of your paltry sum, so they grasp their true value.”
Through chats with Dicken, Xiao Ming had grasped Britain's economic standing and the pound's worth in detail.
Dicken had shared that his family's castle ran 30,000 pounds, while the Queen's bespoke Crystal Palace tallied 360,000 pounds.
In Britain, a pound split into 20 shillings, each shilling into 12 pence. An average worker there earned roughly 30 to 50 pounds yearly.
That pay mirrored the empire's laborers at first glance, but the pound held nearly five times the gold value of the dragon coin—that's where the gap lay.
Awkwardness creased Brooke's face. Eight thousand pounds barely covered lesser officers from Europe's fields, nowhere near suiting Dicken and Wilson's rank.
Sweat beaded lightly on his brow as Brooke dropped his games. This youthful emperor proved too clever to best.
“Two hundred thousand pounds might suit better. That's our limit, Your Majesty. Given your keen insight, I'll hide nothing more,” Brooke conceded.
A subtle nod came from Xiao Ming. The figure wasn't excessive. Two hundred thousand pounds matched a million dragon coins—a hefty amount, yet as victors, easing up on Britain wasn't an option.
“When you get home, instruct your Queen to ready 400,000 pounds in ransom. That covers Dicken plus your hundreds of troops and officers here—all bundled for you.”
Brushing past ransom, he pressed on, “But that's small fry. To gain diplomatic ties with the Chinese Empire, fulfill these terms: First, pay one million pounds to cover Qingzhou navy's ammo and ship losses from the war. Plus, hand over Australia, Indonesia, and India—your three colonies. On top, open London as a trade harbor with the Chinese Empire.”
Brooke absorbed each demand, but familiarity nagged at him increasingly. By the trade port mention, it hit him: this emperor mirrored their own tactics, aiming for an unequal pact.
“Your Majesty, your demands are far too vast. Reparations might work out, but colonies and ports strike at Britain's core limits. We knew upon arrival that Your Majesty's forces hold Malacca, once ours. For your war costs, we could acknowledge Singapore as yours, but Australia, Malaysia, and India stay with us.”
To Brooke, bargaining meant more than yielding; displaying resolve could sometimes cow the foe.
“If your colonies mean that much, guess I'll have to seize them by force,” Xiao Ming replied, lips twisting into a smile laced with raw menace.
Brooke's brow furrowed. The Emperor's stance matched his own unyielding one, complicating matters deeply. Parliament's mandate on territory was slim—they'd yield scraps at best, but the Chinese Empire demanded it all.
Britain's hold on Asia would vanish entirely.