Iron Dynasty Chapter 1034

In the Dutch embassy, Rhode gazed palely at the soldiers of the Chinese Empire, armed with live rounds. Merely ten minutes earlier, these same soldiers had served as guards for the Dutch embassy, but in an instant, they transformed into the force evicting them.

“I wish to meet His Majesty. The embassy staff had no knowledge of this affair. I request that the Empire permits our safe return to the Netherlands.”

Rhode felt a dire mood weighing on him. Upon hearing that Eric had assaulted the garrison in Zeelandia, he nearly felt an impulse to end him.

He now yearned deeply for the era when Black governed, a time that marked the harmonious phase between the Netherlands and the Great Yu Empire back then.

Yet now, all of it lay shattered by those idiotic politicians.

Tang Wenjie received orders to personally remove the Dutch embassy personnel. He shook his head. “His Majesty feels profound disappointment toward your nation at present. In His Majesty’s view, you do not qualify as a dependable ally, Rhode. It would be wiser for you to depart alongside your colleagues. Nations engaged in conflict spare envoys. As the Empire opts to send you away, it surely won’t strike at you covertly.”

Rhode let out a heavy sigh. He could well envision the fury gripping Xiao Ming right now. After all, for a ruler like Xiao Ming, enduring a Western power’s hold over vast colonial territories in Asia proved no simple feat.

And presently, that cabal in the parliament had effectively handed him the justification he sought.

“Father, I refuse to return to the Netherlands. Beside Qingzhou, the Netherlands resembles a rural backwater,” Rhode’s six-year-old daughter, Mandy, complained with evident upset.

Rhode’s spouse embraced her child and regarded Rhode with a trace of sorrow. The desire for improved living was a fundamental human trait.

Throughout their stay in Qingzhou, they had adapted to the ease of electric power, so the prospect of reverting to whale oil lamps in their dwellings filled them with reluctance.

“My dear, even should the Netherlands seem like the countryside, it remains our homeland,” Rhode replied with melancholy, despite his own aversion to conflict between the Chinese Empire and the Netherlands.

However, the clash had indeed erupted.

Mandy caught her father’s statement and began to weep softly.

Tang Wenjie’s face remained impassive. As a seasoned diplomat, he understood clearly the hardships one must bear in such a role.

Should he one day find himself stationed abroad and facing expulsion, his reaction would likely mirror Rhode’s closely, for their mission overseas ultimately served their native land.

“The hour grows late. The train bound for Dengzhou nears departure. Please avoid further postponement,” Tang Wenjie urged once more.

Rhode gave a resigned nod. He and the remaining Dutch envoys gathered their belongings and departed under the watchful eyes of the soldiers.

Within the nearby Prussian embassy, the workers halted their tasks and observed the exiting Dutch group through the windowpanes.

One diplomat voiced worry, “May providence ensure Prussia avoids the Netherlands’ misfortune.”

“We arrived here precisely to avert such a Dutch-like disaster for ourselves. Thus, acquiring the Chinese Empire’s technology to unite the German Confederation holds utmost importance.”

All present swiveled to see their ambassador, Bossi, standing before them unnoticed until that moment.

“Has the report been verified?” another diplomat inquired.

“Verified indeed. The Dutch assaulted imperial troops in Zeelandia, igniting full-scale war,” Bossi confirmed.

He had only just come back from the Empire’s Foreign Ministry.

“Those unfortunate Dutch. Britain and France conspired to doom them. Once fully ousted from Asia, they’ll grasp that allying with Britain and France yields no gains for the Netherlands.”

Yet another chimed in.

Bossi agreed with a nod. “My concern mounts that Britain and France may press Prussia. I trust the King will choose sagely.”

“The Chinese Empire has shared the secrets of the Conqueror rifle and explosive projectiles. If war is what they seek, we stand prepared to deliver it.”

“Precisely. For years, they’ve blocked the German Confederation’s unification. Should they incite us, we’ll demonstrate our strength.”

“…”

The embassy’s air ignited with fervor over this topic. A grin spread across Bossi’s features. This captured the prevailing sentiment among Prussians everywhere.

With full readiness achieved, the German Confederation would reclaim its radiant splendor.

…

Calcutta.

This stood as the central base for the British East India Company, positioned along the Ganges River’s mouth in the Bay of Bengal.

In 1643, the East India Company acquired Calcutta from a local Bengali lordship. Back then, Calcutta was but a modest village, though its role proved vital.

The surrounding region brimmed with rice and jute abundance. With its network of rivers and expansive flatlands, it formed ideal terrain for agriculture.

Recognizing this potential, the East India Company set up its trading hub here, steadily shipping Indian crops and raw materials to Britain, reaping vast fortunes in return.

These fortunes bolstered the East India Company’s might progressively. Subsequently, the British East India Company seized Madras and Bombay, forming three governing zones there.

Each zone fell under a governor’s oversight. From these bases, they gradually infiltrated India. Ultimately, via the Seven Years’ War, they toppled the waning Mughal Empire and seized total command of India.

Britain reaped enormous rewards from the conflict. Breaching the Mughal treasury yielded gold, silver, and gems worth fifty million pounds.

This sum represented merely what reached the British crown. Rumors held that far greater riches lined private purses.

Moreover, this conflict—sparked by the East India Company—elevated the company to a colossal entity.

“Governor Nicholas, the Chinese Empire has seized Newland, and our intelligence arrived far too belatedly.”

In the Governor’s chamber, Nicholas scrutinized a ruby with care. At that juncture, Butler entered, clad in his scarlet uniform.

Nicholas glanced upward, displaying clear irritation. “Butler, you invariably sour my mood. Each visit brings only grim tidings.”

With those words, Nicholas stowed the ruby in his gem case. The stone had come as a gift from an Indian local authority.

“My regrets, yet time slips away swiftly for us. The Chinese Empire advances with alarming speed. I fear Calcutta may tumble next,” Butler stated flatly.

Though Nicholas held the post of Calcutta’s Governor for the East India Company, Butler served as a British government officer dispatched to aid in suppressing native uprisings. His family’s high standing in Britain meant he showed no deference before Nicholas.

Butler’s declaration caused Nicholas’s face to tense. He responded with unease, “This is India, not Australia or Newland. Overthrowing us here won’t come easily to the Chinese Empire.”