Nanyang Storm 1864

Early September
Manila, the imperial capital

Inside the magnificent and splendid imperial palace of the Great Chu Empire
Longevity Palace by Taiye Pond

This is the palace where Emperor Zheng Guohui, the Holy Emperor Taizu, lived in retirement. The original Zichen Palace was left for the current Emperor of Great Chu, and Emperor Zheng Guohui moved to this palace to live in seclusion.

Open the window and you can see the vast expanse of Taiye Pond. In the distance, the golden glazed tiles of ancient temples and pagodas are reflected on the lake surface, and the pavilions and towers along the lake appear and disappear in the mist. The scenery is truly magnificent.

The Holy Emperor Taizu was dressed in a Taoist robe, his snow-white hair simply adorned with a wooden hairpin, and he carried nothing else on his person. He sat calmly on the couch, drinking tea.

Below him sat Prince Chu-Zheng Hui, Chief of the Royal Army Staff, who respectfully poured tea for his father, the Emperor, while the two discussed important matters of the world.

Prince Chu-Zheng Hui bowed and said, "Your Majesty, my family has welcomed another great-great-grandson, a healthy and chubby boy who weighed six pounds and two ounces at birth."

"Oh...hehehe, you little rascal, you're trying to get a reward from me again. Fine, I'll just give this dragon-patterned jade piece to that little monkey." Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui smiled lightly and casually pointed with his hand.

Prince Chu-Zheng Hui was overjoyed and quickly stood up, bowed deeply, and said, "How fortunate this child is to have received the favor of the Holy Emperor Taizu and been bestowed with treasures by imperial decree. Hundreds of people in my Prince's Mansion share in this honor. Your son thanks the Holy Emperor."

"No need for formalities, sit down and let's talk."

"Your subject respectfully obeys Your Majesty's decree and thanks you for your seat."

After a brief chat, Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui inquired about the war in North America, and Prince Chu-Zheng Hui naturally gave a detailed report, as well as the next major battle strategy.

After listening
Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui tapped the table lightly with his slender fingers, a habit he had when considering problems, clearly weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

Prince Chu-Zheng Hui dared not breathe loudly, waiting cautiously.

Before his father, no matter how simply he dressed, in Prince Chu-Zheng Hui's eyes, he was a towering mountain, reaching straight into the clouds, unscalable.

It would be a great honor to receive your teachings in person.

The grand palace is cool and pleasant. The entire palace is made of large-sized sandalwood and is exquisitely carved. It is magnificent and grand, and exudes an extraordinary royal style.

The antique shelves surrounding the palace are filled with countless rare treasures from all over the world. Among them are 16 Easter eggs from the Russian royal family, which were all tributes painstakingly collected by the princes and the upper echelons of the military to express their filial piety to the Holy Emperor Taizu.

The entire Wanshou Palace covers a vast area and is a treasure trove containing countless rare and precious antiques. There are 36 temperature-controlled underground vaults located in the artificial hills, filled with countless rare ancient paintings and ancient books.

The generals who were fortunate enough to present tribute to the Holy Emperor Taizu during the Great Chu Empire's military campaigns around the world, from Europe to North America, had to be at least at the rank of general.

How could the things they took out be shabby?

In addition, the royal family of the Great Chu Empire is unprecedentedly prosperous. Excluding those princes and grandsons who have established their own independent states, there are still more than 1730 direct descendants of the Great Chu royal family who will inevitably have to offer tributes on the birthday of the Holy Emperor Taizu.

Only the very most outstanding pieces could be presented to the Holy Emperor Taizu for his appreciation.

Prince Chu-Zheng Hui has instructed Marshal Zheng Zhongyi, the commander-in-chief of the North American Expeditionary Force, to obtain either the American Declaration of Independence or the Magna Carta of 1297 by any means necessary, and to make a grand display before the Holy Emperor Taizu.

When will the general offensive begin?

"Reporting to the Holy Emperor Taizu, the final battle was launched in full force at dawn on October 2nd. Just over ten hours have passed, and the expeditionary force is advancing smoothly in all directions."

"Well, it's time for a conclusion. The Battle of Chicago has been a complete defeat, and the impeachment case hanging over the White House should finally be settled. This belligerent President Hoover doesn't have much time left; the final upheaval is imminent."

"Reporting to the Holy Emperor Taizu, the Empire has several contingency plans for this matter. Most cabinet ministers support further division of the United States, and your son also supports this plan."

"You can decide for yourselves. I'm afraid the British won't agree. They don't want to see the Empire dominate North America. They will inevitably resort to their usual policy of balancing regional power. In this regard, we can seek help from the French and Germans, who also have a strong influence in the Great Lakes region."

"Your Majesty, I will obey your decree. In the current situation, the British are always trying to take advantage of us, and the Empire will not allow it."

"That's true. The British have never had enough of taking advantage, but their strength is no longer sufficient to support their rampant behavior around the world. If necessary, we can bring them to their senses."

"Sage, do you mean..."

“Vancouver, didn’t a lot of Americans flee there? They even formed something called the ‘Democratic Alliance of the American West Coast,’ clamoring that the empire ‘launched an unjust war,’ ‘extermined human rights and freedoms,’ and ‘implemented tyrannical rule.’ We can give them a good talking-to when the time is right.”

"Your subject understands. The British really need to be brought to their senses. Otherwise, they will still be dreaming of global domination from the last century. Their attitude is truly unsightly."

"Well, yes."

Emperor Zheng Guohui nodded in agreement, and after discussing some international affairs, he picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

Prince Chu-Zheng Hui immediately stood up, respectfully bowed in farewell, took a few steps back, left the palace, and turned to leave.

Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui put down his teacup, his deep gaze fixed ahead as he pondered.

The Battle of Chicago was a one-sided affair, and America's defeat was inevitable. It was time to consider the next steps.

This victory, which defeated and completely dismantled the United States, eliminated a major threat to the Great Chu Empire, and can be described as a decisive battle that determined the fate of the nation.

This North American war will determine the overall pattern of the world for the next two to three hundred years. It is worth paying any price, and it has further consolidated the Great Chu Empire's position as a world-leading power.

The Manila Naval Arms Disarmament Treaty, which was signed more than a decade ago, shows that the Great Chu Empire was already on par with Great Britain, holding a top-tier position.

However, Britain and France still dominate the discourse on European issues.

Emperor Zheng Guohui was not in a hurry. By winning the war in North America, the Great Chu Empire undoubtedly gained a firm grip on dominance in other parts of the world.

Such significant influence will inevitably permeate Europe, which will require time to cultivate relationships with a number of smaller European countries, such as Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania in the Balkans, as well as the Czech Republic and Hungary in Central Europe. This will be a long and gradual process.

Their methods are nothing more than using military strength to influence neighboring small countries, establishing a circle of friends based on regional security, using economic infiltration, influencing public opinion, and strengthening bilateral relations through marriage, etc. There are many ways they can use.

Now, Europe's greatest threat has emerged: Hitler, who became Chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933, is pushing for the comprehensive construction of public works projects throughout Germany through massive borrowing and international credit.

this move
This effectively eliminated a large number of unemployed people in Germany, enabling its economy to quickly escape the quagmire of the global Great Depression and take the lead in showing a vigorous development momentum.

During this process, the Great Chu Empire also provided substantial international credit, totaling over 17 billion silver dollars, which powerfully promoted Germany's economic recovery and earned widespread praise. Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui was delighted to see this scourge of Europe rapidly growing and already showing an aggressive stance in his policies.

As the saying goes, "When an awl is put into a bag, its sharpness will naturally become apparent."

Don't be fooled by the British and French's current meddlesome and gossipy attitude in the North American war; they won't be laughing for long.

During World War I, France lost an entire generation of young people. The once passionate and warlike Gallic rooster had its spine broken by the Germans and turned into a sick rooster.

From the heart
The French harbored a deep fear of their German neighbors, a fear that had been so intense that it left them psychologically traumatized.

Despite their continued arrogance, when Britain proposed forming an Anglo-French alliance to intervene in the North American war across the Atlantic, the French shook their heads vigorously.

I would never do something so thankless and exhausting.

Today, the economies of France and Britain remain mired in the Great Depression, and their economic recovery is much slower than that of countries like France, Germany, the United States, Russia, and Italy. This is a common problem among the old world powers.

The government is inefficient, corruption is rampant, the industrial system is rigid, and the overall economy lacks vitality, resembling a stagnant pool.

The fervor for national development that swept through Soviet Russia and Germany, where outdated customs and practices that hindered development were discarded, and a vibrant energy permeated from top to bottom, was completely absent in countries like Britain and France.

Faced with the Great Chu Empire's rapid advance in North America, the British were powerless to stop it.

The message sent to push for a coalition of France, Italy, and other European countries to intervene has been read but not replied to.

The loss of the grand spectacle of a rallying cry that once drew throngs of followers underscores once again the decline of the British Empire.

As a result, the State of Chu fought in North America for three years, while the European countries didn't even make a sound, and Chengdu became an outsider.

In fact

Europe is indeed powerless to intervene in North American affairs, especially in major wars involving millions of people. Even if a European coalition of hundreds of thousands were formed to fight across the ocean, it would not make a ripple.

Will it be effective?

That depends on whether the Great Chu Empire will give them face. With Chu's attitude unclear, European countries really don't dare to interfere recklessly. This is the deterrent power of the Great Chu Empire.

The issue returns to the situation in North America.

From the current perspective, President Hoover was stubbornly determined to fight the Great Chu Empire to the bitter end, which is typical of American cowboy tactics.

In previous clandestine contacts between the two countries, President Hoover's representatives refused to accept the Empire's terms for a ceasefire. Instead, they wanted to restore the border line as it was before the outbreak of war on February 16, 1931, which was utterly absurd.

In this case, there is nothing more to say.

Since the ceasefire negotiations between the Chu and American governments have major differences, let's just not talk about it.

This does not affect Chu's plan to further dismember and divide North America. If they are unwilling to surrender, then we will beat them until their territory is lost and their land is shattered.

The Imperial government plans to split the central North American region, centered on Chicago, into one or two independent countries. The specific plan is still under detailed discussion.

The general direction is clear; the next step is to observe the progress of our interactions with pro-independence figures in the United States.

The German government played a significant role in this.

In the eastern region of North America

German immigrants make up the majority of the population, especially in vast rural ranches and towns, where the majority are descendants of German immigrants. This is the current situation.

British immigrants, primarily of Irish descent, settled in major cities along the Atlantic coast, and were particularly numerous as financiers, factory owners, and large landowners. They firmly occupied the upper echelons of American society and were the country's decision-makers.

French and Italian immigrants also prefer eastern and southern coastal cities rather than settling down as farmers or cowboys, a preference stemming from their romantic and passionate national character.

Therefore, the opinion inclinations of German-Americans will be a very important factor in the next stage of the evolution of the political landscape.

Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui hoped to establish a relatively strong nation in eastern North America, predominantly of German descent, capable of confronting the powerful United States and forging relatively close ties with Germany in Europe.

He knew that in the original history,
After the outbreak of World War II, many Americans crossed the ocean to Europe to join the German army. Most of these Americans came from the Midwest, the area now covered by the Chicago War.

These German Americans did not have a good life in North America. Since the outbreak of World War I, they have been subjected to widespread exclusion and oppression, which is the main reason why German Americans gradually migrated to the central region.

In the eastern United States, German-speaking immigrants often face discrimination, unprovoked violence, job loss, and even threats to their personal safety.

Various forms of exclusion and suppression made it difficult for German Americans to establish themselves in the East, forcing them to migrate to the Midwest and West, a situation filled with grievances.

This long-term suppression and humiliation gave the Great Chu Empire an opportunity to pull the German-speaking residents of the region into its own camp.

The proposed republic would consist of Illinois, Indiana, and parts of Kentucky, with a total population of approximately 1560 million. The core city would be Chicago, and the population would be predominantly of German descent.

The Great Chu Empire will retain the vast state of Wisconsin, whose capital Milwaukee is only 160-170 kilometers from Chicago and borders the Great Lakes region, making it a convenient passage for the northern outlet to the Atlantic Ocean.

Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui could have foreseen that after the independence of this new country, a large number of German-Americans living in North America would flock to it and build their own country with great enthusiasm.

Of course, a large number of Chinese immigrants will also arrive, including hundreds of thousands of Chinese military personnel who will retire locally, together forming the foundation of this new country.

A North American country where German and Chinese are the main languages ​​sounds pretty good, let's call it the Republic of Chicago for now.

With its strong industrial foundation and highly educated German and Chinese residents, the Republic of Chicago is poised for rapid development into a leading industrial nation.

As long as some territorial disputes remain, the Republic of Chicago and the United States will never get along, which is an open and unsolvable problem.

Thought of here
Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui couldn't help but laugh, a truly joyful laugh, and a plan had been made in his heart. (End of Chapter)