The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 698 Napoleon III, do you want to play at the table?
When Maria came back on the bluestone slabs, the copper bells on the eaves were jingling in the rain. She put away her wet umbrella and took out two telegrams from her bosom: "From Osaka, the rice has returned from Kyoto, renamed Nanmu Rice, and awarded the Brocade Imperial Flag. It seems that they are going to take action against the Republic of Nagasaki."

Luo Yaoguo took one of the telegrams and read it by the gaslight: "Nanmu Daozi. Is she going to imitate Nanmu Zhengcheng from the Northern and Southern Dynasties who was loyal for seven lifetimes?" He suddenly laughed out loud, "I don't know who she plans to be loyal to? The emperor or Yang Xiuqing?"

"It must be King Yang Dong," Maria said, "There should also be the True Covenant Sect. There is a telegram she sent to the True Covenant Sect headquarters."

Feng Yunshan came over, and Maria immediately handed him another telegram. After reading it, Feng Yunshan said calmly: "The Korean-Japanese Union is a threat to our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom after all, and the British are still fanning the flames! Ninth brother, you must be on guard against others!"

The rain was fading, and Luo Yaoguo half-opened the wooden window. In the distance, lanterns were lit on the pleasure boats on the Qinhuai River, and the sound of a violin could be heard faintly. He exchanged telegrams with Feng Yunshan again, and took the telegram sent by Nanmu Daozi and read it again.

In the telegram, Inako told the headquarters of the Shin-Yoku sect that, under the orders of the King of the East, she had assembled more than 8000 Shin-Yoku sect warriors in Osaka and was ready to lead them to conquer the Nagasaki Republic!

After conquering Nagasaki, she will lead her troops eastward to Edo to persuade Shogun Tokugawa to convert to God!
"Where is the Dingyuan now?"

"We just completed routine maintenance at the Jiangnan Shipyard yesterday." Maria flipped open a briefing from the Navy Department on Luo Yaoguo's desk and took a look. "If we set off overnight, we can reach Nagasaki in five days."

Feng Yunshan tapped the map on the wall with his pipe and said, "Although Sakuma Shozan's gang can't accomplish anything great, they will ruin the affairs of the Asahi State. Even if they are barely united, Japan will not be stable. There will always be a time for them to separate again in the future."

Luo Yaoguo stared at the date on the telegram: "Daozi is scheduled to send troops on June 16. Today is June 8." He turned around and took a token from the bookshelf and handed it to Maria, "Maria, you go on the Dingyuan and bring 100 boxes of ammunition. Tell Sakuma that as long as there is life, there is hope."

Maria heard this and said, "Your Highness, the ideas of Sakuma's group are very radical."

"I know their plan!" Luo Yaoguo sneered, "The land east of Malacca cannot accommodate two industrial powers now. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom took the first step, so Japan and North Korea have no choice but to be radical. Moreover, Japan and North Korea are too small on their own. Only if they unite as a country can they compete with us. So we can't let Japan be too stable. We have to let them be in chaos! Only when they are in chaos can we win!"

Feng Yunshan smiled and asked, "The United States is going to be in chaos, Japan is going to be in chaos too. I wonder where else will be in chaos next?"

"And Europe!" Luo Yaoguo said, "Europe is where the real chaos will happen! If nothing unexpected happens, the situation in Europe will change dramatically in the next ten to eleven years!"

As he spoke, he looked at Maria again: "Maria, your motherland."

Maria shook her head: "I have only one motherland, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom!"

Paris, Countess's Residence on the Temple Mount.

Rinko—or as she was known in Parisian society, Countess of Mount Temple Feng Wanlin—was sitting at the teak desk in her study. Outside the window was the sultry early summer heat of Paris, steamboats on the Seine spewing black smoke, and the Tuileries Palace in the distance glowing golden in the sunset.

She had just opened a telegram from the Far East.

The telegram was sent by Luo Yaoguo himself, using the latest version of "True Covenant" as the code book - this is the encryption method used exclusively by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's high-level officials, using "True Covenant" as the code book, and each number corresponds to a specific word. Rinko's slender fingers quickly flipped the pages, the pen rustled on the paper, and the lines of translation gradually took shape:

To Paris Rinko:
Go to Charleston quickly and present it to Zhao Si. The plan is: organize southern righteous people to go to Beijing, use public opinion to pressure the electors, and force Congress to change the vote. If Lincoln loses the election, the North will definitely rebel. Then the United States will be divided, and France can take Mexico in the chaos.

After reading it, Rinko's mouth curled up slightly. She folded the telegram and put it into her inner pocket, then picked up the copper bell on the table and rang it gently.

"Countess, what do you want?" The butler pushed the door open and bowed his head respectfully.

"Prepare the car," Rinko said calmly, "I want to go to the Tuileries Palace with His Royal Highness."

Not long after the butler left, there was a knock on the study door.

"Rinko, are you going to the palace?" Prince Napoleon's voice came from outside the door.

Rinko smiled slightly and stood up to open the door.

Standing outside the door was Prince Napoleon, the second in line to the French throne who often stayed overnight at Rinko's place - the two still maintained a very close relationship.

"Yeah," Rinko smiled, "Take a look at this."

As she spoke, she pointed to her desk.

Prince Napoleon walked into the study and closed the door behind him. He glanced at the True Covenant spread out on the table and raised his eyebrows. "Are you translating secret messages again? What new news is there in the Far East?"

Rinko did not answer directly, but asked: "My dear, has the emperor been considering... intervening in American affairs recently?"

The prince was startled, and he narrowed his eyes: "How do you know?"

Rinko chuckled, picked up the secret message that had just been translated into French from the table, and handed it to Prince Napoleon.

"My dear, the Emperor's intentions towards Mexico cannot be hidden from my 'prophet uncle'."

Prince Napoleon took the paper, glanced at it quickly, and his expression gradually changed.

"The United States... is going to have a civil war?"

Rinko nodded: "If Lincoln is elected, the South will never accept it. They have been plotting independence for a long time. And once Lincoln's victory is deprived in the name of instigation by the South, the North will not give up! And once the United States is divided..." "The Monroe Doctrine will no longer exist, and Mexico will become a piece of fat meat." The prince whispered, with a hint of excitement in his eyes.

Rinko smiled: "So, does His Majesty the Emperor want to... play a round at the table?"

The prince stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly picked her up and kissed her on her fair cheek.

"Let's go," he said, grabbing his cap. "We're going to the Tuileries now."

Tuileries Palace.

Napoleon III was sitting in his private study, holding an intelligence report from Prussia in his hand, his brows furrowed.

The report records in detail the latest movements of Prussian Chief of General Staff Moltke - this Prussian military strategist, who was predicted by Luo Yaoguo to be "the number one threat to Napoleon III", is drastically reforming the Prussian Army Staff System and at the same time massively expanding the railway network to enhance the mobility of the army.

"Moltke..." Napoleon III was a little frightened when he whispered the name.

A few years ago, when he had just received this name from Luo Yaoguo's envoy Wu Chongyao, he was busy with the Crimean War and was troubled by the Russians. He had no extra energy to deal with Moltke, and he did not want to do something that might offend the King of Prussia and break the rules for a prophecy that might come true in the distant future.

But looking back later, Moltke had already become the Chief of Staff of the Prussian Army.

It would be even more difficult to get rid of the Prussian Chief of General Staff.

"Your Majesty." The aide knocked gently on the door. "His Royal Highness Prince Napoleon and the Countess of Mount Temple request an audience."

Napoleon III frowned: "Now?"

"His Highness said... there is an urgent military situation."

The emperor sighed and waved his hand to let them in.

A few minutes later, Prince Napoleon and Rinko stood before the Emperor.

"What's the hurry?" Napoleon III asked impatiently.

The prince didn't waste any time and directly handed over the secret message that Rinko had just translated.

"Your Majesty, America is going to be in chaos."

The emperor took the paper, glanced at it quickly, and his brows furrowed more and more.

"Is this... a secret message from Luo Yaoguo?"

Rinko nodded slightly: "Yes, Your Majesty. The US election is coming up soon. The Northern Republicans are sure to win, while the Southern Democrats are planning a coup or splitting the federation. By then, the United States will be plunged into civil war and will have no time to care about Mexico."

Napoleon III was stunned: "Mexico" He hurriedly took the copy of the telegram from Rinko's hand, and after reading it carefully, his brows were tightly knitted into a ball.

He had not actually made up his mind to intervene in the Mexican Civil War, so how did Luo Yaoguo predict it? This is too accurate, isn't it? The "Moltke Threat Theory".
Rinko didn't know that Napoleon III was worried about Moltke, and thought he was worried that the United States would not be in chaos, so she stepped forward and said very confidently: "Your Majesty, my uncle's predictions are always accurate."

The emperor trembled slightly.

The prince added at the right time: "King Luo Wu's plan is to incite southern voters to attack Washington and force the electors to cast their electoral votes for Douglas. Regardless of success or failure, a civil war will definitely break out in the United States! If the Americans fight among themselves, we can make a lot of money just by selling arms to both sides!"

Napoleon III's eyes flickered.

He stood up, walked to the world map on the wall, and ran his finger across the American continent.

"Your Majesty," Rinko said softly, "this opportunity is fleeting."

Mexico… fertile soil, vast land, and tons of silver!

And the United States... is several times richer than Mexico!
It would be a shame not to slaughter these two fat "sheep".

The emperor was silent for a long time, and finally spoke: "Tell King Luo Yaowu that I want a detailed analysis and forecast report on the American Civil War."

"No problem," Rinko nodded heavily.

"And..." Napoleon III paused, his eyes gloomy, "ask him to give me another forecast report on the war between the French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia!"

That night, an encrypted telegram was sent from Paris and transmitted to the distant East via an submarine cable.

(End of this chapter)