The boss of a foreign organization called the police, claiming that he was defrauded by me

"If Your Excellency agrees, we will sign a grain exchange agreement immediately; if not, I think there is no need to continue this cooperation."

Yang Xia said these words in a calm tone, seemingly unwilling to force Liu Zhixiu to make the decision herself.

However, given the current situation, it is truly difficult for him to make a choice.

Yang Xia has already gained the upper hand, so no matter what attitude the Red Cake Kingdom takes, Yang Xia will never be controlled by it.

Yang Xia has made his point very clear: as for cooperation between the two parties, it all depends on Liu Zhixiu's attitude and what decision he will ultimately make.

But for Yoo Ji-soo, this choice was too difficult; he felt as if he had fallen into a trap and was unable to escape.

Liu Zhixiu realized that she could not reach a cooperation agreement with Yang Xia, and the grain exchange agreement could not be signed smoothly.

This infuriated Liu Zhixiu, as Yang Xia's proposed conditions were simply unacceptable to him.

Even though the Red Cake Country possesses abundant iron and copper resources, it must not allow the other party to take them so wantonly.

Liu Zhixiu had his own plans. He worried that after Yang Xia acquired these copper and iron mines, he would turn against the Red Cake Kingdom.

This put him in a dilemma, and he could only leave in anger.

Meng Wu and Meng Yin watched as Liu Zhixiu stormed off, filled with doubt and puzzled by Yang Xia's decision.

The two approached Yang Xia simultaneously, asking with puzzled expressions:

"Your Majesty... what is your intention? Why would you give up such a great opportunity to acquire copper and iron ore resources?"

"Now that Liu Zhixiu has left in a huff, I wonder if this agreement can still be reached? We really need iron and copper resources."

Yang Xia understood their confusion and knew that they couldn't figure it out for the time being.

But his actions had a deeper meaning. After a moment of silence, he turned to Meng Yu and Meng Yin and explained:

"There is no need for you to worry. I have already given these issues a lot of thought."

"But I do know a bit about Yoo Ji-soo. He is no easy person to deal with; to put it bluntly, he has lofty ambitions."

"If this grain exchange agreement grants him the same rights as India and the Atlantean Empire, he will certainly be unwilling to exchange more iron and copper resources for grain."

Even after listening to Yang Xia's detailed explanation, Meng Yin and Meng Yu still felt completely confused.

They still couldn't understand Yang Xia's intentions, feeling it was a great pity to give up this opportunity, since iron and copper resources were crucial to them.

Yang Xia couldn't help but sigh. He understood this principle all too well, but sometimes it was indeed necessary to sacrifice small gains for the greater good.

This was truly a last resort, he said solemnly to Meng Yin and Meng Yu:

"Why don't you understand? According to the food exchange agreement between India and the Atlan Empire, Liu Zhixiu will at most exchange for food to maintain the minimum consumption."

"Then we can wait for favorable weather next year, so that the Red Cake Kingdom can quickly get rid of its dependence on food, and our goal will not be achieved."

"If the Red Cake Kingdom were to break free from the Yan Kingdom's control, what kind of situation would it be? Can't you really imagine?"

Yang Xia countered by asking Meng Yin and Meng Yu to consider the matter carefully.

Yang Xia had already made up his mind. He had to proceed according to his plan and could not sacrifice long-term planning for short-term gains.

Although the grain exchange agreement was not successfully signed this time, Yang Xia did not care at all.

As long as the Red Cake Kingdom's food problem remains unresolved, if he is not mistaken, the Red Cake Kingdom will eventually come to beg for Yan Kingdom's aid again.

Yang Xia would never let such a golden opportunity slip by; he was determined to acquire the iron and copper resources of the Red Cake Kingdom.

Moreover, he wanted Liu Zhixiu to willingly offer it up with both hands. When Meng Yin and Meng Yu finished listening to Yang Xia's explanation, they suddenly understood.

It is clear that Yang Xia's meticulous planning for all of this was both for the sake of the Yan Kingdom and to acquire more iron and copper resources.

Now that the Nebula Kingdom is eyeing us covetously, the Yan Kingdom must make thorough preparations so that it will not be caught off guard should the Nebula Kingdom launch a war.

Meng Yu looked at Yang Xia and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty is indeed wise. It turns out that you had already thought all this through, while we were still confused."

"This strategy of playing the long game is indeed quite effective right now. I'm really looking forward to seeing what attitude the Red Cake Kingdom will have when it comes to Yan Kingdom for help next time."

"Exactly... He really is a case of refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit. We offered to cooperate with him earlier, but he was so arrogant, claiming that Red Cake Country was rich in resources and didn't need our help at all."

Yang Xia sneered. He knew that all of this was beyond everyone's expectations, but only he understood the mystery behind it.

Yang Xia truly devoted himself to promoting the development and growth of the Yan Kingdom, and everyone witnessed everything he did.

Meng Yin and Meng Yu deeply admired Yang Xia's plan. With Yang Xia's extraordinary wisdom, they believed that the Red Cake Kingdom would willingly offer up its rich iron and copper resources.

At that time, Yan Kingdom will no longer have to worry about resource shortages and will be able to solve many problems.

After Liu Zhixiu left, Yang Xia had already made his plans. He was certain that Liu Zhixiu would not give up so easily.

After arriving in Yan Kingdom, Liu Zhixiu failed to achieve her wish and did not get what she wanted.

If they were to slink back to Red Cake Country like this, they would surely be ridiculed.

Now that Yoo Ji-soo has been driven to the brink of desperation, she will do everything in her power to obtain food, otherwise she will not give up easily.

Thinking of this, Yang Xia turned to Meng Yin and Meng Yu and instructed them:

"From now on, you must strictly control all docks and ports, strengthen patrols and vigilance along the coastline, and you must not relax your vigilance in the slightest."

"Liu Zhixiu must be resentful about the failure of his negotiations this time. He will likely try to obtain food from Yan through other means in the near future."

“I had anticipated this, otherwise he would not have been able to resolve his current predicament. India and the Atlantean Empire would never provide him with a single grain of food.”

Meng Yin and Meng Yu listened carefully to Yang Xia's instructions, and they also felt that what Yang Xia said was absolutely right.

The situation in Red Cake Kingdom is dire; food is of paramount importance to them. Without food, the political situation will become unstable, making it impossible to appease the people.

"Yes, Your Majesty... We will make arrangements immediately and keep a close watch on all ports and docks."

"If there is any disturbance, we will report to Your Majesty immediately and will not give the Red Cake Kingdom any opportunity to take advantage of us."

“They won’t get a single grain of food from Yan. I’d like to see how long this cunning Liu Zhixiu can hold out.”

Yang Xia nodded slowly, entrusting these matters to Meng Yu and Meng Yin with complete peace of mind.

Yang Xia made this arrangement as a precaution. Although most of the people of Yan Kingdom prioritized the overall situation.

But wherever you go, there are bound to be bad apples who will betray their country for petty gains. Therefore, Yang Xia must act cautiously. His refusal to cooperate stems from the fact that his objectives have not yet been achieved, not from a genuine unwillingness to sign a grain exchange agreement with the Red Cake Kingdom.

Yang Xia's pressure was aimed at forcing Liu Zhixiu to agree to his demands so that he could acquire more copper and iron ore resources; this was Yang Xia's ultimate goal.

He sighed deeply and muttered to himself, "This time I'll see how long this leader of the Red Cake Kingdom will remain so arrogant."

"His arrogance will only bring disaster to the Red Cake Kingdom and make him pay a heavy price; it will do him no good whatsoever."

"However, this is indeed a golden opportunity for Yan Kingdom. I will seize it and never let Yan Kingdom's grain flow into Hongbing Kingdom's territory in vain."

As he spoke, a meaningful smile flashed across Yang Xia's face, as if he had everything under control.

Their every move was under Yang Xia's surveillance, but Liu Zhixiu didn't think so. He was confident that he could stand up to Yang Xia.

They were unwilling to ask Yang Xia for help again and planned to rely on their own strength to obtain food and alleviate their current predicament.

After receiving their orders, Meng Yu and Meng Yin immediately acted according to Yang Xia's instructions.

They quickly strengthened the surrounding defenses and patrols, and dispatched trusted confidants to closely monitor the major ports.

After leaving the Yan Kingdom palace, Liu Zhixiu did not return directly to the Red Cake Kingdom.

Instead, they were placed in an inn near the seaside. Liu Zhixiu's face was ashen, clearly still furious.

Several trusted ministers accompanying him also offered their worried advice:

"Chief... things have come to this point, let's be patient for now, maybe we can really find a way out by taking a step back."

"The most urgent task at present is to sign a grain exchange agreement with Yan as soon as possible. Other matters can be discussed in due course."

"If we don't get food, the whole Red Cake Kingdom will eventually suffer, and the consequences will be unimaginable."

Several ministers earnestly advised Liu Zhixiu, hoping that she could put aside her arrogance at this moment.

But Yoo Ji-soo remained completely unmoved by these words of advice.

At this moment, Liu Zhixiu still gritted his teeth and refused to budge. He turned around and glared at the assembled officials, saying:
"Gentlemen, there's no need to persuade us any further. There's no room for negotiation on this matter. Yang Xia is simply asking for an exorbitant amount; I really don't know how he could bring himself to say such a thing."

"Since the obvious path is blocked, we'll fight him to the bitter end. I refuse to believe we can't get a single grain of food within Yan Kingdom's borders. We'll see..."

A sinister look appeared on Liu Zhixiu's face as she began to plan her next move and where to procure food.

When the high-ranking officials of the Red Cake Kingdom heard about Yoo Ji-soo's idea, they were immediately taken aback.

A look of fear and unease appeared on everyone's faces as they nervously advised Liu Zhixiu.

"Your Majesty... this is absolutely unacceptable! Your actions are far too dangerous. Not only will they fail to solve the problem, but they will also plunge the Red Cake Kingdom into an even deeper predicament."

"If the monarch of Yan finds out, how should we deal with it? It is very likely that this matter will lead to the Red Cake Kingdom suffering severe sanctions from Yan."

"If that happens, we might not even get a single grain of food, and then we'll truly be in dire straits. How will we get out of this predicament then?"

Several ministers disagreed with Yoo Ji-soo's proposals and actions. They were genuinely worried, as this matter concerned the fate of the entire Red Cake Kingdom.

We must not act recklessly; we must consider the future of Red Cake Country, especially since they are currently facing a severe test.

The priority should be to resolve these crises, but Liu Zhixiu had already made up his mind and was unwilling to plead with Yang Xia again.

They only hoped to obtain food at this time so they could return to the Red Cake Kingdom as soon as possible, and never want to stay here again.

Although he understood that the ministers' concerns were not unfounded, he could not think of any other solution at the moment except to take the risk.

Liu Zhixiu looked at the assembled officials and said, "Gentlemen, there is no need to worry. I will arrange these matters secretly and will never let Yan Kingdom find out."

“Yang Xia’s intentions are all too clear: he wants to take this opportunity to annex the copper and iron ore resources of the Red Cake Kingdom. How can I agree to such a request?”

"As long as we grit our teeth and persevere for a while, we will overcome the current difficulties and usher in a year of favorable weather and a bumper harvest. We must not be controlled by the Yan Kingdom."

Yoo Ji-soo explained her thoughts to the ministers, leaving them speechless for a moment.

They didn't know how to persuade Liu Zhixiu to give up the idea, since obtaining food from Yang Xia was the safest way.

But in Liu Zhixiu's view, he would rather grit his teeth and persevere than let the Red Cake Kingdom submit, especially to the Yan Kingdom.

Thinking of this, Liu Zhixiu secretly began to make arrangements, waiting until the night was deep and quiet.

Liu Zhixiu's men began a secret operation. He instructed the maritime officials of the Red Cake Kingdom to secretly mobilize a large number of ships and quietly infiltrate the waters of the Yan Kingdom.

They planned to conduct a grain transaction in a secluded small port, but all of this had already been closely monitored by Meng Yu and Meng Yin.

Meng Yu glared at the scene before him and said angrily, "This despicable Liu Zhixiu, just as Your Majesty predicted, is indeed secretly buying up grain."

“But this is the territory of my Yan Kingdom. He would never have imagined that the King had anticipated this move and specially sent us here to monitor him. I want to see how he will transport these grains away.”

Meng Yin sneered and replied, "Indeed... Your Majesty is truly a master strategist. Trying to outwit Your Majesty is simply overestimating yourself."

“We have to wait for the best opportunity to leave him empty-handed. I don’t believe he can hold out for long.”

"We must dampen his arrogance and let him witness the strength of our Yan Kingdom. Only Yang Xia can resolve the predicament that the Red Cake Kingdom is facing."

The two men smiled at each other, quietly watching the scene unfold before them as they made their transaction.

At this moment, Liu Zhixiu was anxiously waiting, fearing that any unexpected event might occur, leading to incalculable losses.

Meanwhile, Meng Yu and Meng Yin on the other side were already prepared and patiently waited.

After the people from the Red Cake Kingdom unloaded the goods used for exchange from the ship, Meng Yu turned to Meng Yin and said.

"The time has come. We must stop their actions immediately. We must not only make them leave these supplies behind, but also ensure that they do not obtain a single grain of food from Yan Kingdom."

The two exchanged a smile, then led their men out.

"Who goes there... what are you doing here?" Meng Yu shouted loudly with a stern expression.

When the people of the Red Cake Kingdom discovered the arrival of the Yan Kingdom's soldiers, they were so terrified that they didn't even have time to collect the supplies they had unloaded.

They had no choice but to hastily steer their boats away in a panic. The Red Cake Kingdom had indeed come full of hope, only to return empty-handed.

Meng Yu and Meng Yin watched Liu Zhixiu's men flee in disarray and couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

"Damn it... to actually try to secretly seize Yan Kingdom's grain, what a pipe dream!" (End of Chapter)