Seven Seas Beacon Fire

Although the old general understood the importance of the Yellow Water Fleet in the war against Japan, in his view, the ocean-going fleet was the most fundamental element.

This is like a 21st-century tank. Although information technology and intelligence are important, the most fundamental function of a tank is still armor-on-air combat. If you avoid talking about armor-on-air combat, then what's the point of making a tank? You might as well just make an assault gun.

Similarly, in Marshal Yang's view, winning the fleet battle was still fundamental to the operation to recover Japan. Without a strong yellow-water navy, the battle to recover the Dongying Islands would be as painful as eating shit, but without a strong main fleet and a strong blue-water navy, there would probably not even be a chance to eat shit.

Throughout the war, what impressed Marshal Yang most about the US Navy were their tough, heavy-duty warships. In terms of the overall protection level of the capital ships possessed by various navies, the US Navy was undoubtedly the best in the world.

In future naval treaties, the focus of discussion among nations will inevitably be their existing capital ships and those under construction. For the nations that have signed the treaty, super-dreadnoughts that have been in service for less than 10 years will certainly not be scrapped quickly under the treaty. In the process of comparing these existing fleets, the US Ironhide has a clear advantage in fleet battles.

In the subsequent battles between the Tang Dynasty Royal Navy and the US Navy during this World War, the Tang Dynasty Royal Navy performed better with a fleet of average quality that was inferior to that of the US Navy. This was largely due to the fact that the US Navy's armor-piercing shells were of relatively poor quality. If the US Navy had been equipped with the same green shells as the British, the Tang Dynasty Royal Navy would probably have been defeated on the battlefield.

However, you can't expect other people's shells to always be junk. In the end, the British green shells didn't have any insurmountable technological barriers. If the Americans wanted to, it wouldn't be long before they could equip themselves with hard-shell armor-piercing shells.

"Therefore, I think that no matter how the naval arms control treaty is signed in the future, there is one bottom line that we must adhere to, that is, our naval tonnage must not be less than 80% of that of the United States Navy."

Ho!

Li Che felt as if he had almost transformed into Yu Qian at this moment, not the Yu Qian who guarded Shuntian Prefecture back then, but the Yu Qian who smoked, drank, and permed his hair. What Marshal Yang said about the United States Navy sounded so familiar.

Li Che's gaze involuntarily fell on the relatively young naval participants. "Are you going to pull another gradual attack on me?"

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PS: Due to some unforeseen circumstances, this book will undergo a major revision in the future. Of course, there will be no changes to the main plot; the main changes will be to some terms and time periods.

So please don't be surprised if you see names like the United States of Colombia, the British Victorian Empire, the Empire of Letania, the Kingdom of Gaul, the Federation of Ursus, the Habsburg Empire, or the Kingdom of Onfaros.

The previous chapters will be gradually modified and replaced in the future. If you want consistency, you can refresh the chapter list. If you want to reminisce, you don't need to refresh.

In short, I hope everyone will continue to support us. Thank you!

Chapter 240 The End of the Great Battle

From the Navy's perspective, Yang Yonglin's offer of 80% to the United States was already a huge concession and the bare minimum. However, the Finance Minister, who was in charge of the purse strings, still felt that the Navy's asking price was a bit too high.

"Marshal Yang Yonglin, the United States is a two-ocean nation, and a considerable portion of their navy is deployed in the Atlantic Ocean. Our navy, on the other hand, can be deployed in a concentrated manner. Even if our main naval fleet is only 70% the size of the United States' fleet, it should be enough to give us a decisive advantage over the United States' navy in the Western Pacific."

The finance minister's words immediately provoked strong dissatisfaction among the naval admirals. Marshal Yang's previous statement that at least 80% of the United States of Colombia should be given over was already an indication that the marshal was using his military achievements and prestige to suppress numerous dissenting opinions within the navy.

Now you think even 80% is too much, and you want to cut it again? Many naval officers see the Financial Secretary's statement as just another excuse to cut military spending.

Throughout history, haven't civil officials and military generals always argued about these kinds of things?

No doubt about it! We absolutely have to fight back!

At this moment, a senior staff officer with the rank of colonel couldn't help but speak up: "Director, what you said is wrong! It is true that the United States is a two-ocean nation, but they control the Central American Canal, which allows them to easily and at will move their fleets back and forth between the two oceans. Right now, the United States Navy only has those outdated pre-dreadnought ships on the East Coast, while almost all of their dreadnoughts and super-dreadnoughts are concentrated on the West Coast. Doesn't this explain the problem?"

If the United States intends to continue invading our country in the future, and they plan to move their East Coast fleet to the West Coast via the Central American Canal before sailing towards us, will our navy have to build warships on the spot?

Not to mention, the new generation of battleships and battlecruisers currently on our naval shipyards were funded with the support of His Highness the Crown Prince. Our naval shipbuilding program has been approved by His Majesty and the Crown Prince. The funds for building these warships come from the hard-earned money of the people. If we cannot secure more tonnage and allow these ships, which are already largely completed, to be abandoned on the shipyards, how can we face the people?

The colonel's speech immediately won unanimous approval from his colleagues, and praises such as "Well done!", "You didn't lose face!", and "You're really spirited" could be heard everywhere.

Faced with the direct questioning from this senior staff officer, Finance Director Qian Yiwen remained unfazed. This man, who came from the Northwest and now serves as the Finance Director in the Tang Dynasty court, may look like a rough fellow, but this top student who graduated from Jinling University has been working hard in the Northwest for so many years and is least afraid of such situations.

He showed no fear and calmly raised his fingers to explain his reasons to the row of high-ranking naval officers sitting opposite him: "Gentlemen, although I do not serve in the military, I have dealt with the military quite a bit when His Highness Prince Jin was raising military funds in the Northwest. Although the sea and land are different, how can the wartime situation be compared with the ordinary situation?"

The United States is able to assemble such a large fleet on our doorstep because it is still part of the Allied Powers and does not have to worry about pressure in the Atlantic.

However, once the war ended, the disintegration of the Allied Powers, each with its own agenda, was almost inevitable. At that time, would the United States Navy still be able to deploy its fleet as it does now?

Regarding the issue of mobilizing fleets via the Central American Canal... I don't deny that this could happen, but I also believe that wars develop gradually. Such actions requiring the mobilization of all naval forces between two countries are impossible to keep secret. Now that the United States of Colombia has acquired Yingzhou, their naval power will actually be further dispersed. They will need to maintain a squadron on the Yingzhou Islands, right? They will need a fleet in Hawaii, right? And then they will need fleets along their respective east and west coastlines, right?

So, after the outbreak of war, was it faster for the United States to regroup its dispersed fleet, or for our ocean fleet to do so? During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming army's defeat at the Battle of Sarhu was largely due to the division of its forces. The Later Jin adopted a strategy of "let them attack from multiple directions, I will only send one." We could adopt a similar strategy; possessing at least 70% of the size of the US Navy is, in my opinion, acceptable.

Qian Yiwen's words were reasonable and well-founded, but they were clearly not enough to convince most people. At this moment, Cheng Biguang from the Navy had his hands on the table, ready to stand up and speak. However, Li Renzhi rang the copper bell placed in front of him.

Under everyone's gaze, His Highness the Crown Prince intervened in today's heated debate. Li Renzhi's gaze first swept over Qian Yiwen, and the Crown Prince cast an approving look at him. That look made the naval officers on the side feel uneasy, because it seemed that the Crown Prince was very satisfied with what the Finance Director had said.

However, His Highness the Crown Prince's gaze toward the naval commanders was equally gentle, and Li Renzhi's next words reassured the navy and temporarily smoothed things over for today's meeting.

"I have listened to everyone's remarks. A year ago, when my father entered the capital, he repeatedly emphasized the need for forbearance for the sake of the country amidst internal and external troubles. I wholeheartedly agree with this. Your remarks today are all from your own perspectives and are for the sake of the country. It is normal to have differences. Some things will be better if we talk them out."

Li Renzhi pointed at Qian Yiwen: "I know the naval officers won't like what Minister Qian said, but he's in charge of the treasury. I'm well aware of the current state of our country's finances. Minister Qian doesn't necessarily mean cutting naval spending to 70% of what we have in the US. His real concern is that our bottom line is too high. If we can't reach an agreement on this naval treaty, we'll inevitably have to engage in another arms race. I believe that if we can reach an agreement that's 80% or even higher than what we have in the US, then naturally no one will object, right?"

After Li Renzhi spoke, Qian Yiwen nodded with a wry smile: "That's right. Before, during the war, we could endure hardship and forgo good days to build this batch of ships. But after the war, we can't really give up on life. To be honest, at least in our current situation, if we were to engage in a long-term shipbuilding race with the United States of Colombia, we would definitely be the first to be dragged down."

Li Renzhi nodded, then looked towards the navy: "Gentlemen, as the saying goes, sharpening the axe won't delay the work of chopping wood. The imperial court has already formulated the first five-year national development plan outline. After at least two five-year plans, we will surpass the United States across the ocean in terms of total industrial output and shipbuilding capacity. When the treaty expires, whether we demand amendments to the treaty to adjust tonnage quotas or withdraw from the treaty, our confidence at that time will be incomparable to what it is now, won't it?"

I know everyone is resentful, but this is the current situation of our country. We are not the victors in this world war; we are merely the losers who didn't suffer a crushing defeat. Although the United States is in a somewhat precarious situation, they are still the victors. Even Goujian (a legendary figure known for his cunning and perseverance) was able to endure hardship and bide his time; why can't we also bide our time and conceal our strength?

On the naval side, including Marshal Yang Yonglin, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. On the one hand, they still had to give face to the Crown Prince, especially since he was essentially the Crown Prince's vice emperor. On the other hand, the five-year plan that Li Renzhi mentioned was not a secret to the high-ranking officials within the navy, since a considerable part of the development of these five-year plans was related to the shipbuilding and steel industries.

Compared to the Ming Dynasty, the officials currently employed by the Tang court are less inclined to adopt the previous lenient economic policies. This is probably due to the long-standing characteristics of the military garrisons. It would be difficult to expect these officials from the northwestern garrisons to handle Hayek's policies effectively, so they prefer a planned economy.

The naval officers were reluctant to comment on the economic policies, but one thing was certain: at least from the planning of the first five-year plan, it was clear that the nation had made detailed plans and set some astonishing development goals for heavy industry across the country, including energy industries such as oil and coal, heavy industries such as steel and chemicals, and even agricultural products such as grain and vegetables.

But the problem is that the United States is also developing. From the end of the last century to the beginning of this century, it was the United States' fastest period of development. What if they become stronger in 10 years?

However, this issue was ultimately not raised. His Highness the Crown Prince provided a safety net for both sides: if the treaty could eventually raise a higher share, then the treasury would naturally have to pay for it. But the bottom line for the country was that this naval treaty had to be signed, as the country needed to develop in the future and could not withstand a long-term arms race.

After observing all of this from the sidelines, Li Che chuckled to himself. What was this? A betting agreement?

Just as Li Renzhi was about to announce the temporary end of today's meeting agenda, a series of lively firecrackers suddenly came from outside the Navy Department building, as if they were celebrating something.

Is it almost Chinese New Year? But the Lunar New Year doesn't seem to be here yet. The sudden sound of fireworks and firecrackers made the people in the house pause for a moment before Li Che was the first to react.

"Father, it seems that news has come back from Anchorage."

Li Renchi also thought of this point. Regardless of how much regret and dissatisfaction this war left for everyone, for the history of human civilization, this catastrophe-like war had finally come to an end.

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Vienna, South Leitania

"Breaking news! Breaking news! The Tang Empire in the East has signed a ceasefire agreement with representatives of the Allied Powers, the United States of Colombia and the Kingdom of Victoria in Anchorage. The war on the other side of the world has also ended!"

Newsboys' cries echoed through the streets of Vienna in the early morning. For these newsboys, the louder their calls, the greater the chance of selling their newspapers. This was of great importance to the people of the Confederacy of Southern Letania, who had just experienced war and were still recovering from it.

With currency constantly depreciating and bread prices rising every month, the money these newspaper boys earn from selling newspapers has become one of the important sources of income for their families.

On this land, from the moment the double-headed eagle flag, representing the glory of the Habsburg Empire, was lowered after the signing of the defeat agreement, the once-powerful Habsburg Empire on the European continent was shattered. The Confederation of Southern Letania was the largest of the many fragments that broke apart from the Habsburg Empire.

If this had happened a decade or two ago, the Leitanian Empire in the north would certainly have tried to annex the Southern Leitanian Confederation. After all, the Leitanian Empire should actually be more accurately called Northern Leitania, and only after acquiring Southern Leitania could it truly be called the Great Leitanian Empire.

However, the Leitanian Empire to the north no longer exists. The Hohenzollern royal family is now in exile, the once glorious Leitanian army has been disbanded, and the navy's fleet has been divided up. The price of bread there has risen even more dramatically than in the Southern Leitanian Confederation.

As the art capital of Europe, Vienna is in a somewhat bad situation, but it is actually much better than its northern counterparts.

On the streets of Vienna at that moment, a girl with long blonde hair opened the mailbox and took out the newspaper. This was one of her daily tasks: to iron the newspapers that Mr. Jacob received every morning, so that his white cuffs would not be stained by the still-wet ink when he enjoyed his breakfast.

But when the girl opened her mailbox today, she found not only the familiar newspapers, but also an exquisitely wrapped envelope.

The girl pulled the envelope out of the mailbox, looked at the beautiful gold-embossed calligraphy on the envelope, and softly read out the name she had been longing for.

"Vienna Academy of Fine Arts........."

Chapter 241 The Great Battle Ends 2: Hill Will Protect Everyone

Sylvie Heimer looked at the beautiful envelope in her hand, a strange light flashing in her sapphire-like eyes.

This is the academy that Sylvie dreamed of. As one of the oldest art academies in Europe, the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts is the dream school for countless young people in Europe who want to devote themselves to the art world.

Sylvie was one of millions of young people with such a dream, but for most families in the world, such a dream was too heavy to bear due to the pull of reality. Holding the envelope from the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts in her hand, she felt as if her dream could be held in her hands.

However, this was not an envelope addressed to her. It was the address of Mr. Jacob, whom Sylvie served, and the envelope was naturally addressed to Mr. Jacob's beloved daughter.

Mr. Jacob seemed to be a businessman. Sylvie didn't know what kind of business Mr. Jacob was in. Judging from his residence, he seemed to be just an ordinary small-time wealthy businessman. He lived in a three-story detached house along the street. He had a beautiful wife and a lovely daughter. Mr. Jacob didn't come back often. Whenever he did, he would often guide Miss Lily in painting on the second-floor balcony.

Every time Sylvie saw Mr. Jacob instructing Miss Lily in her painting, she would see obvious envy in her eyes. The road to art is always paved with gold, especially for art students. The daily expenses of painting are not cheap. If it is just simple sketching, it is better. But once it involves oil painting, which requires paint and canvas, the daily consumption of materials is not something that ordinary families can afford.

Sylvie also loved drawing from a young age. She had a childhood that wasn't wealthy but was still happy. However, when the war between the Alliance and Evil was about to break out 6 years ago, her father chose to join the army at that time because Sylvie wished on her birthday that she could be admitted to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts.

Her father was just an ordinary glassmaker; her family had been in the glass business for generations, as evidenced by Sylvie's surname. It wouldn't be easy for a family like theirs to afford her future tuition.

In an ordinary family, such a wish from a child would likely be dismissed with a laugh. After all, what need is there for a girl to go to university? Attending a church school is the proper thing to do. This kind of thinking is very common all over the world these days. However, Sylvie's father loved her very much, and his daughter's wish became his motivation, so he chose to join the army.

The propaganda above proclaimed that this would be a short but glorious war. The Lytanian Empire had defeated the Gallic Kingdom decades earlier. At that time, including Sylvie's father, the entire nation believed that this would be another glorious war representing the Germanic people, winning them land under the sun, and that everyone in the empire would have a better tomorrow. Sylvie's father especially hoped to improve his family's life with his military achievements and medals, so that he could afford his daughter's future art education.

However, Sylvie's father did not even survive the first year of the war. He had just received an Iron Cross for his unit's capture of the Sun Fortress when he fell in the Battle of the Marne. The Iron Cross and the pension sent to their home by the political officer were all that her father left her.

As the war progressed, the pension left by the father rapidly depreciated in value. The mother decisively used all of the pension to buy food, and it was this action that enabled their family, which had lost its main breadwinner, to survive the war.

As the war continued, although the front lines seemed to be winning, life became increasingly difficult. One day, Sylvie even overheard her neighbor, an elderly woman, saying blankly to Sylvie as she passed by her house, "Your father died at a good time. The pension he received a few years ago was still quite valuable. Now I've received my son's pension, but I can't even afford to buy enough food for my family for two months."

Later, Sylvie's family could only survive on cabbage, so they had to move south to live with their uncle. When they arrived in the south, it was still the Habsburg Empire, but soon it became the Confederation of Southern Letania.

Sylvie's uncle couldn't fully support their family's expenses, so 16-year-old Sylvie started working for Mr. Jacob. In Sylvie's eyes, Mr. Jacob was a good man because at least she could get a job from him and earn a salary to support herself and her family. She could also get a discount on the paper and paints that Miss Lily had left over from her painting. If she hadn't worked for Mr. Jacob, Sylvie would certainly not have been able to continue her beloved painting.

Turning around, he took the envelope into the house. Soon, laughter filled the room from Mr. Jacob and Miss Lily. Miss Lily had successfully gained admission to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. This made Sylvie envious, but it also boosted her confidence. Sylvie knew Miss Lily's painting skills well; although Miss Lily painted well, they were still slightly inferior to her own. If Miss Lily could get into the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, then she herself…

Sylvie was already imagining herself finding another envelope from the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts in her mailbox when she got home.

In high spirits, Mr. Jacob immediately announced that all the servants would finish their work early for the day, and each of them would receive an extra bonus before going home to rest. He was going to take Miss Lily out for a good time today, which was even better news for Sylvie. She received a full 100 crowns from Mr. Jacob's hand. Such a large sum of money made Sylvie's hands tremble with excitement.

Although the current krona is no longer equivalent to 0.85 grams of gold as it was before the war, and its gold content has fallen to about 1/10 of what it was before the war, it is still a considerable income for their family, as it is roughly equivalent to a month's rent for their current house.

Sylvie was already eager to use the 100 crowns to buy flour. The Southern Lytania Confederation was currently undergoing post-war currency reform, and Sylvie had sensed that the Southern Lytania Confederation was on the same path as the Lytania Empire had taken—the currency was depreciating at an increasingly rapid pace. If she kept the 100 crowns in her pocket, she estimated that she would be able to buy about a third less flour next month.

After saying goodbye to Mr. Jacob and Miss Lily, Sylvie couldn't wait to take the money and rush home. The 100 crowns could buy some flour, and since her sister's birthday was coming up, she could also buy some eggs and butter. Of course, the most important thing was to check the mailbox when she got home to see if there was any mail from the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts.

However, when Sylvie arrived at her doorstep, in front of the low shed in the semi-basement she rented, she did not see her younger brother and sister who used to play at the door, nor her mother mending clothes in the sunlight. Instead, she saw a dense crowd gathered at her door.

She didn't understand why so many people were gathered in front of her house, but through the dense crowd, Sylvie could vaguely hear crying and cursing coming from her doorway. An uneasy feeling began to spread in her heart. Sylvie desperately squeezed through the crowd. After her father's death, as the eldest child in the family, Sylvie vowed to protect her mother and younger siblings. In the past, because she and her sister were relatively good-looking, their family, who rented a place in this shantytown, had been harassed by some thugs.

In the past, these thugs were often driven away by the fierce Sylvie. Her hands, which had become strong and powerful from painting and various part-time jobs, were no less imposing than those of adult men when she swung a stick at those hooligans.

Sylvie didn't like this version of herself, but after her father's death, her once gentle mother began to become fierce, because if her mother wasn't fierce, she wouldn't be able to protect her children. However, her mother's health hadn't fully recovered since her previous illness, and now she could only do sewing and mending work to supplement the family income. So, the fierce person in the family became Sylvie.

When she finally squeezed through the crowd, Sylvie immediately noticed her mother lying on the ground, unable to move. Blood was still flowing down her mother's forehead. Her younger sister was lying next to her mother, crying uncontrollably. Her 11-year-old brother was holding a wooden stick in front of his sister, his fierce expression like that of a little wolf cub.

However, the moment the little boy saw Sylvie, the fierce expression on his face instantly turned into tears of grievance, and the murderers holding sticks also turned to look at Sylvie.

Sylvie then realized that these guys were not the thugs she knew before, because the clothes and fabrics they wore were clearly not something those poor thugs could afford. These men were wearing well-fitting suits, some with overcoats and others with scarves. If it weren't for the tattoos on their necks and the sticks they were carrying, Sylvie would probably have thought they were gentlemen working at a bank.

But now, these guys are clearly the thugs who injured his own mother.

These people looked at Hilritt, and the leader showed obvious surprise on his face, probably because he did not expect to find such a person here.

If this were a fantasy novel, then these seemingly refined scoundrels would likely be swiftly defeated by a beautiful girl with special abilities, with Hiltite unleashing magic from her fingertips to give them a severe beating.

But this is the real world, a material world without magic. After all, Hilt is just an 18-year-old girl. Her usual fierceness can only scare away those cowardly thugs. But these guys in front of her look just like members of Italian gangs, real people from the underworld. They could be thugs or assassins.

But how did my family end up getting involved with such a person?

"Who are you? What did you do to my mother? Which gang are you from?"

Faced with the question posed by Hilt, the leader of the gang simply smiled contemptuously. He walked up to Hilt with what could be described as elegant steps, then pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to her: "We're not gang members, look carefully, young lady. We're legitimate bank employees, but our business isn't dealing with things inside the bank. We're here to collect a debt. Your mother owes us a loan, and we didn't want this to happen, but... your mother's bill has really been overdue for a long time."

Bank employees? These guys actually work for a bank?

After a moment of stunned silence, Sylvie realized that these guys were just some bank-employed enforcement agencies, essentially gangsters disguised in a legal guise. Their so-called debt collection was like what happened today: coming to her doorstep and violently injuring her mother.

However, Sylvie still couldn't understand why her mother had been so frugal all these years, even selling some of her jewelry from her youth. Given their current situation, it was hard to believe that her mother would deal with a bank.

"You're talking nonsense! Our family is in such a predicament that we need to take out a loan from the bank. Do you think you'd give us one?" Violet walked up to her younger siblings, turned around, and blocked the group of people in front of her.

At that moment, the older sister's figure became incredibly tall in the child's heart.

But then, the figure that had just grown tall and imposing in the child's mind fell to the ground in pain, clutching his stomach, when the opponent delivered a straight punch.

“Why would we make things up?” The man chuckled and waved his hand. “But we’ve finally found something to settle our debt.”

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P.S.: This character won't be added to the harem, so please don't make a fuss about it.

Chapter 242 The Great Battle Ends (3)

"What did you do to my mother?!"

Sylvie was like an enraged female leopard. Her sapphire-blue eyes were fixed on the thugs from Syracuse in front of her, and there was no doubt that if these thugs took one step forward, this girl would pounce on them and tear them apart with her teeth.

“Young lady, look at your eyes. We are legitimate bank employees, doing legitimate work. The injury on your mother’s head was not caused by us.”

"You're talking nonsense!" Sylvie pointed at the sticks they were holding, but then the girl realized that the sticks in their hands were not stained with blood.

"We're just carrying gentlemanly walking sticks. Nobody said walking sticks have to be made of wood, right? We usually like to exercise, so it's normal to use metal walking sticks, isn't it?"

The leader spread his hands and turned to face the surrounding crowd: "Let the big guys in the street tell me, did we just use weapons to attack this poor lady?"

Under that guy's eagle-like gaze, most of the onlookers shrank back. They were just a group of people living in what was practically a slum, leading a life like groundhogs, always working hard for tomorrow's food. Faced with these vicious thugs, who would stand up for the Haimer family?