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Chapter 1047 The Last Piece of the Puzzle 3
Hong Tao had no emotion at all about Wang Chengen's obstruction. This was called a rule, and as long as it was stipulated, it had to be followed. If you felt it was inappropriate, you could find a way to abolish or change the rules, but you couldn't violate them.

If you take the lead in violating the rules, staff members like Wang Chengen will be at a loss and will not know what standards to follow. They will then ask about everything and completely lose their autonomy, eventually becoming useless people who will do nothing to avoid making mistakes.

If it was just him and the eunuchs, the impact wouldn't be that big, but this kind of atmosphere would quickly spread from the palace to the court. The emperor's every move actually affected the officials below, which is called "leading by example".

"General Manager Wang, please take a small sip, this stuff is very strong... Your Majesty, I thought about this question on the way here. If I have to choose one, joining forces with Persia to fight against the Ottoman Empire is more in line with the needs of the empire.

The reason is quite simple, mainly two points, strength and location. In terms of strength, the Ottoman Empire had a huge territory, a large population, and spanned two continents, Europe and Asia, which made it much stronger than Persia.

Their Sultan is very arrogant. Under the banner of jihad, he is fighting the Holy Roman Empire in Europe, competing for territory with Persia in Asia, and even reaching out to Africa. He is unlikely to accept the conditions offered by the Empire.

On the other hand, the situation in Persia was different. From their attitude towards the empire's trade routes, we can see that their shah was more pragmatic and willing to rely on external help to fight against powerful enemies.

From a geographical point of view, Persia is located at the key point of the empire's trade routes. It is connected to the Arabian Peninsula in the south, to Russia in the north through the Caucasus Mountains, and to the west bordering the Ottoman Empire, like a crossroads.

Although the Ottoman Empire bordered Europe and faced the Mediterranean Sea, it had to pass through Persia to connect with Bukhara and the Kazakh Khanate. It could only be regarded as one of the end points of the trade route, not a necessary one.

If the Empire joins forces with the Ottomans to attack Persia, it may cause greater unrest in Central Asia and seriously hinder the smooth flow of trade routes. However, there will be no such concerns if we help Persia fight the Ottomans. As long as we ensure that Persia is not defeated too thoroughly and maintain the status quo, the trade routes will remain smooth. "

Wang Datou did not praise Wang Chengen for his loyalty, but took the opportunity to tease him. After being given a cold shoulder, he restrained his expression, walked to the map, and talked seriously about the international situation and geopolitics.

He was quite contagious when he was serious. If it weren't for that big head that looked obviously disproportionate and a little funny, he would have been more than qualified to be a teacher in the Royal Academy.

"Pah pah pah... Wonderful, accurate! Your brain is a bit overused for intelligence work. You should go to the Ministry of Rites to be an assistant minister, or go to the General Staff to train for a few years and take over as the Chief of the General Staff in the future."

Not only was it good looking, but the content was also good, which immediately attracted the emperor's praise. This was really not a lie, Wang Datou's ability should be the strongest among all the graduates of the Haihu Division, without a doubt. But his shortcomings were also obvious, he was extroverted, lax, and reckless.

Having worked in the Statistics Department for more than ten years, he was proficient in eating, drinking, whoring and gambling. He also engaged in smuggling, opened casinos, set up brothels, worked as a pirate, and trafficked in human beings. He was almost a perpetrator of all kinds of evil and was impeached countless times by the General Staff, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Gecko.

This kind of person is a double-edged sword. If they are put in the right position, they can play a big role. If they are used in the wrong place, they may cause big trouble. And it is best not to be a high-ranking official. Political struggle is not his strong point. He is easy to be criticized for not being self-disciplined enough, and he is also easy to take the wrong approach.

"Is His Majesty going to deal with Osman?"

Fortunately, Wang Datou knew his own weight and how many troubles the emperor had helped to eliminate, and he never cared about his work and official position. But as the head of the advisory office, he had the obligation to give necessary reminders when the emperor made important decisions, such as now. "What do you mean?" Hong Tao snatched the cigar from Wang Chengen's hand, and saw that it was nearly a quarter less. If he tried again, he would only be able to smoke the butt.

"Excuse me for my bold remarks, but now is not the best time to deal with Osman." Seeing that the emperor wanted to continue listening, Wang Datou reached out and picked up a folder, opened it, flipped through it, and then gently pushed it in front of the emperor.

"...You mean that the war between the Ottoman Empire and Europe has eased, and most of its energy can be used to target Persia, which is not the best time for the Empire to intervene?"

Hong Tao carefully scanned it for a few times. The content was about the Ottoman Empire's wars in Europe, mainly concentrated in Vienna and Hungary. The most recent one was a war with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, but a peace agreement was signed last year.

Obviously, without the hindrance of the war in the north, the Ottoman Empire could mobilize most of its manpower and material resources to focus on dealing with Persia. If the empire intervened at this time, whether it was directly sending troops or providing weapons and equipment, the cost would be greatly increased.

"Your Majesty is wise! Based on my analysis of the Ottoman Empire, it is unlikely that it will swallow up Persia in one fell swoop. It won't be long before the Habsburgs will have their eyes on Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire's strategic focus will move north again. At that time, it will be more cost-effective for the Empire to take action."

Since the emperor had seen the key point, Wang Datou did not elaborate on the details and simply put forward his own judgment. The war between the Ottomans and Persians would not end in a short time. If the empire wanted to intervene, it should find the best entry point and exchange the smallest cost for the greatest gain.

"Well, based on this analysis, you should be promoted to a half-level honorary title. But having too high an official position is not a good thing, as it will make people hate you. So I'll use a box of cigars instead. When you leave, follow Wang Chengen and choose your own."

In an era when communications were underdeveloped, Hong Tao didn't know how to describe the fact that he was able to have such a detailed understanding of what was happening thousands of kilometers away, and to make the most logical judgment based on the known information, except for his dedication and talent.

As the head of intelligence, the greatest contribution is to provide sufficient and useful information when needed. Wang Datou has done well in this regard and it must be considered a meritorious service and he should be rewarded.

But Hong Tao didn't want to give him a promotion, because his rank was already similar to that of the Army and Navy Governors and the Chief of the General Staff. A tall tree attracts the wind, and since his personality is not popular, he should keep a low profile.

"Student thanks His Majesty for his grace..." Wang Datou didn't seem to think much of Shengxun. While expressing his gratitude, he made faces at Wang Chengen, deliberately trying to irritate him.

"But I still want to intervene in the war between the Ottomans and Persia! Don't be confused. There are many things in the world that don't make sense. To be on the safe side, sometimes we can't pursue cost-effectiveness too much. We still have to put the overall situation first. Do you understand?"

"Students can understand...If Your Majesty can explain it in detail, students will understand it more thoroughly."

But the smug look on Wang Datou's face didn't last even five seconds before it was wiped out by the emperor's words. In this situation, his choice was different from that of all the officials. He did not complain, feel helpless or puzzled, but was full of expectations.

(End of this chapter)