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Chapter 1178 There is a Crack on the Eggshell 2
"…Your Majesty's arrangement must have a profound meaning. I dare to ask for your explanation."

The officers and staff on the rear deck were all stunned by this order. Didn't they say not to interfere in the religious disputes of the local people? Before the words were completely blown away by the wind, how come the meaning changed completely?

Setel was still bold. Not only did he not execute the imperial decree immediately, he also wanted the emperor to give an explanation. No one dared to say such things except senior officers like Du Wenhuan and Ding Shun. There was no court discussion system in the army. The order of the Grand Marshal was the final decision. If you executed it, it was right. If you questioned it, it was disobedience.

"My actions are obviously to support and encourage the Shia here, to tell them with actions that the situation has changed, and it is no longer the majority Sunnis who have the final say. Don't you see that?"

Hong Tao did not pursue Setel's act of disobedience. He looked around at everyone, and when he saw the confused looks in everyone's eyes, he showed disappointment on his face.

"But why did your Majesty do this?"

After hearing the emperor's explanation, everyone was even more puzzled. Such an obvious move was definitely understandable, but it was because it was too obvious that it didn't seem like the emperor did it intentionally. There must be a deeper calculation.

"Why else? It's nothing more than trying to stir up resentment between them! The Empire won't station a large number of troops here. If they all live in peace, then they should think about how to exclude foreigners.

If you want to make yourself comfortable, the easiest way is to make others uncomfortable. Supporting the weak and suppressing the strong is the most effective means of balance, which makes them constantly at odds with each other and unable to unite, so that outsiders have a chance to have the best of both worlds.

Then there is the issue of the Ottomans. They wanted to completely drive their influence out of the Mesopotamian region, and their strongest supporters were the Shiites, who had long been suppressed and excluded by them.

But we must be careful not to over-stimulate the Sunnis here, after all, they are the majority. Once the Shiites become bigger and stronger, it is likely to attract another trouble, the Persians.

How to get along with the local ethnic groups is a very complicated issue. The specific details will have to wait until the General Staff gathers enough intelligence before making corresponding plans. It is still uncertain now. I am just talking about the general direction, and you just need to understand it. "

As he went deeper and deeper into the inland, Hong Tao became less and less optimistic about the local situation. It was not difficult to defeat the Ottoman army. Originally, this area was not the fertile land of the Ottoman Empire. Without absolute certainty, Murad IV would not send his main force south to fight a decisive battle with the Ming army.

But after driving away the Ottoman forces, it became very difficult to plan this place. In addition to the infighting between the two major sects, there are also many factions within each of them, and some of them dislike each other. Once the external pressure is reduced, internal fighting is likely to occur.

It was in the interest of the Ming Empire to prevent the local tribes from uniting and confronting the outside world together. It was also necessary to ensure the stability of the situation in the Mesopotamian region, which was also related to the sales of Ming goods.

It is indeed not an easy job to create chaos and maintain stability at the same time. It is neither too tight nor too loose. It is difficult to strike the right balance.

Fortunately, Hong Tao was not in a hurry, and would not ask for everything to be done in one go. This expedition was mainly to weaken the Ottoman Empire and prevent it from becoming bigger and stronger in West Asia and affecting the expansion of the Ming Empire.

The secondary purpose is to rescue Wang Datou and open up trade routes. These two things are incidental behaviors that we have no certainty about and will not invest too much energy in. It's a matter of chance. If it succeeds, that's better. If it doesn't, we won't force it.

It sounds cruel and inhumane. Wang Datou has served the country for many years. Shouldn't he do his best to rescue him at all costs? How can it be considered as a side job?

In fact, being able to help is already a great deal of importance. If the country is compared to a car, individuals are parts. There are thousands of parts on a car, each of which contributes to the car and is important, but not the only one. The reason why there are so many parts is not only to meet the function, but also for the convenience of replacement at any time.

Parts exist only to make the car run. Once the car is running, it will not easily brake and turn around to look for the part just because a nail fell off. The most common way is to replace it with a new one of the same kind.

If it weren't for the important strategic location of West Asia and the oil resources needed by the Ming Empire, even if Hong Tao valued Wang Datou's talent, he would not send troops to rescue him.

The Ministry of Rites would most likely send officials to negotiate with the Ottomans and exchange the people in a way that both sides agree on. At most, the Advisory Office would send someone to secretly infiltrate the local area to find the place where they were held and see if they could rescue them, that's all.

"…Your Majesty, is it too late for me to change my mind now and not want to stay and serve as the commander-in-chief?"

The officers and staff members understood more and more, and their moods became more and more relaxed. Only Setel became more and more depressed. He had realized what the new Arab fleet might be used for, and faced with such a complicated situation, he wanted to back out.

"It's not too late. It's not that I can't find someone to be the commander-in-chief. I just think that you have a lot of connections with this place, so you should be more interested and motivated. If I'm wrong, I won't force you."

Hong Tao did not criticize Settle's performance at the critical moment. It is indeed difficult, and it is indeed not as smooth as commanding a warship across the seas. Everyone has their own aspirations, and there is no need to force them. If a person does not like it, he will not be able to do a good job even if he is forced to take the position.

"Origin... I wonder where the origin comes from?"

"Your ancestors once came here and established the Ilkhanate with Tabriz as its capital. Isn't it meaningful to build achievements in the place where your ancestors once fought?"

In order to make Settle willing to stay here, Hong Tao started to paint a big cake again. This time the filling is more ancient, containing the ingredients of ancestral honor, which sounds delicious.

"...My father told me that the ancestor of Khorchin was Habtu Hasar, who had never been here in his life."

Unfortunately, Setel didn't buy it. Although he didn't study in the Haihu Division since he was a child, he was very different from the Mongolians of his father's generation. He didn't care much about the honor and disgrace of his ethnic group. This was mainly due to the national assimilation policy that Hong Tao insisted on.

"Habutu Hasar is the younger brother of Genghis Khan, and Hulagu is the grandson of Genghis Khan. So they should be the ancestors of you, Borjigin!" Seeing that his empty promises were no longer enough, Hong Tao had no choice but to make specious arguments and try his best to explain the truth.

"...This is too far! I have learned a lot of sailing skills, but I have never participated in a proper naval battle. I have failed the emperor's grace. If I can fulfill my wish, I am willing to guard this place for your majesty for the rest of my life, without any complaints!"

In the end, Settle still didn't buy it, but he didn't shamelessly ask the emperor to take back the order. Instead, he tactfully proposed a condition for exchange.

(End of this chapter)