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Chapter 1298 A heavy blow

The situation on the Indian Peninsula was not too critical. Ever since the Portuguese, Dutch and British forces were expelled from several colonies along the coast, Ming Dynasty merchants filled in in time.

The local tribal leaders and the grassroots people not only suffered no losses, but also gained more benefits than before, and basically no major changes occurred.

The Mughal court's ruling power over most coastal areas was already very weak. As long as they paid tribute on time and did not leave the empire, it did not matter who they did business with and the court turned a blind eye.

As for whether to support Europe or the Ming Empire in this war, Shah Jahan, who was wholeheartedly building the Taj Mahal, told the Ming envoys personally: This war has nothing to do with him, and as long as the Mughal Empire is not invaded, he will not help either side!

However, after the Ming envoy presented a gilded full-length statue of Taj Mahal weighing more than 400 kilograms and promised to send skilled craftsmen to help build the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan said:
Ports like Goa, Cochin, Daman and others were originally trading warehouses for Portugal, Britain and the Netherlands, and could accommodate warships of those countries. There was no reason not to allow the Ming Empire Navy to dock now. As long as the local tribal leaders nodded, he would not object to the specific details.

However, the attitude of the Persian Empire was always erratic. Sometimes it promised to never allow the European coalition forces to enter Persia, and sometimes it said that it would be difficult to resist relying solely on Persian military power. Then it delayed responding to the Ming Empire's suggestion to send troops to help with defense.

Which side will Safi Shah side with? Is he just trying to make excuses? The opinions given by the Advisory Office and the Ministry of Rites are that there is no obvious sign yet. Safi Shah and his ministers have been almost confused in the past six months. People from all walks of life come to lobby every now and then.

Some said that the European coalition forces plus the Ottoman army were unstoppable, some said that the Ming Empire was invincible, and the Persian ministers, based on the interests of their own ethnic groups, some advocated maintaining neutrality, while others believed that they could not survive on their own and must side with one side. After all the arguing, no one could gain the upper hand.

"Send another garrison to the ports of Faw and Suez to speed up the construction of fortifications. Tell Sister Ji that if you find any signs that Persia is leaning towards Europe, you don't need to report to the Navy General Staff, but immediately launch an attack on the port cities along the Persian Gulf to ensure the safety of the Persian Gulf shipping lanes!"

When the news that Safi Shah had rejected Ming's second request to send troops to Persia reached the capital, Hong Tao immediately convened a meeting of the imperial court. After listening to the intelligence summary of the Ministry of Rites, the Navy Staff, and the General Staff, he decisively issued an ultimatum.

The Persian Empire was determined not to side with the European coalition forces. Its location was critical. If the European coalition forces could successfully cross Persia, Bukhara and the Shasak Khanate would become targets of attack.

The two countries are definitely not strong enough to withstand the attack, and they are unlikely to fight for the Ming Empire. They will most likely leave the war zone and expose the Western Regions completely. There is a small chance that some tribes will choose to surrender and become the guide.

No matter running or surrendering, the outcome would be unfavorable to the defense of the Western Regions. Because Huang Taiji was not only facing pressure from the west, but also had to spend some energy on guarding against the northwest, where there was also a hungry wolf lying there, which was more dangerous than Persia.

In addition, Persia has a population of more than 600 million. If the European coalition forces were allowed to enter, it would likely be annexed by the Ottoman Empire, which would be the worst outcome.

Regardless of victory or defeat, the European coalition forces would eventually have to retreat, but the Ottomans did not need to do so. They could continue to expand to the surrounding areas and even annex the entire Arabian Peninsula, seriously affecting future transportation between Asia and Europe.

But Hong Tao couldn't think of a way to get the Persians to agree to the Ming army's entry as soon as possible. Since the carrot was useless, the only thing left was the stick. Even if they had to fight the European coalition forces and the Ottomans on Persian soil, they must not be allowed to succeed easily. "Your Majesty, can we start the firecracker plan now?"

The ministers had no special ideas in the face of this situation. After all, the central route operation had always been in the plan of the General Staff, so it was not unexpected. But one person seemed unwilling to accept it. Wang Datou stood up from the ranks of the staff and presented a new suggestion to the emperor with a large notebook in his hand.

"Are you sure about the advisory office?" If Wang Datou didn't get up, Hong Tao usually wouldn't think of him at such meetings. This guy was becoming more and more like a professional spy, always able to hide in the crowd without being noticed.

"In just over a month it will be Eid al-Fitr, when the shahs and imams gather at Isfahan's Shah Square to watch polo. If a grenade explodes during that time, it will surely make them reconsider the importance of choosing sides."

Wang Datou ignored the ministers' inquiring eyes, nor did he explain what the firecracker plan was. He just looked down at the book and answered the emperor's questions word by word. Moreover, he said something shocking, saying that he would assassinate Safi Shah and the religious leaders.

"Absolutely not! Your Majesty, this move will not only fail to win the hearts of the Persians over, but will make them lean towards Europe even faster. This person has evil intentions, and we should stay away from him!"

Before Hong Tao could react, Yang Sichang, the Minister of Rites, became anxious and ignored the meeting rules. He stood up and shouted, very excited and sharp. Not only did he deny Wang Datou's suggestion, he also accused him of deceiving the emperor and wanted to put him to death.

"Tsk, Minister Yang, be careful with your words. The participants are all my close associates, and what we are discussing are all national affairs. How can you make rash judgments? Be critical of the matter, not the person. As long as what they say is meaningful, there is no need to be so sensitive.

The firecracker plan that Director Wang mentioned was an arrangement I made when the Advisory Office was first established. If there is any ulterior motive, it should be me, not him. Now that we have come to this point, I will briefly explain the plan to avoid any misunderstandings in the future.

The so-called Firecracker Plan is nothing more than a chess move to bribe and train local people in non-imperial territories to enter high-level positions for my own use. It will be fully implemented by the Advisory Office.

It has never been used in all these years, and this is the first time it has been mentioned. Since Director Wang has a plan, he must be somewhat confident. Let's ask him to explain it in detail before making a decision!"

Hong Tao's face changed when he heard Yang Sichang's accusation. He rejected it directly, but he didn't get angry. He knew that the court officials didn't like Wang Datou and Jin Gui, including the military. They were just afraid that the Advisory Office would find fault with them, so they regarded them as thorns in their eyes and wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible.

But in official circles, one must consider the overall situation in everything one does. Now is the eve of the decisive battle, and one is actually taking the opportunity to eliminate dissidents. This is too blatant and shows that one does not take oneself seriously.

Yang Sichang has done a good job as the Minister of Rites over the years, and is particularly willing to try new methods and new ideas, which is very much to my liking. If there is no replacement for the time being, then don't embarrass him on the spot, and continue to talk about business.

(End of this chapter)