Iron Dynasty

Chapter 1166

“Your Majesty, this is the rocket launcher produced by our military factory. Because this weapon has dense firepower but lacks accuracy, your official has named it ‘Hail’.”

“The Hail rocket launcher, hmm, the name is very fitting.”

In front of Xiao Ming was a military-green truck with 24 I-shaped launch rails, arranged in two rows of 12 each. Each launch rail was equipped with a rocket. Just like the ignition principle of an automobile, this rocket launcher also used an electric spark to fire, and the truck was designed with a special launch button. As long as the button was pressed, the rocket launcher would fire a barrage of rockets like hail.

After walking around the rocket launcher, Xiao Ming asked, “How many rocket launcher trucks have you produced so far?”

“To answer Your Majesty, we have currently produced 300 rocket launcher trucks. If the Empire needs them, we can produce 100 a month,” the person in charge of the military industry said.

Xiao Ming nodded. Like machine guns, rocket launchers consumed a lot of ammunition. No matter how many rocket launcher trucks there were, they still needed ammunition. So, just like with machine guns, the army only needed to be equipped with a certain number of rocket launcher trucks as needed.

“In that case, you will provide the army with 600 Hail rocket launchers by the end of this year, and your main focus will still be on producing rockets,” Xiao Ming ordered. The reason he set this deadline was not without reason. This was because the Empire’s next action in Europe was likely to detonate a war, and this was the action to dismember Britain. Since the blockade of Britain began, Britain has held on for more than three years using a quota supply strategy, and this did surprise him a little. However, as the blockade continued, the conflict between Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England had been deepening.

According to Xiao Ming’s order, Hu Chuan had gone to Scotland to contact the Scottish parliamentarians two years ago, but at that time, the timing for Scotland’s independence was not right, and the Chinese Empire was also involved in the war in Europe, so he continued to wait for the opportunity. Last month, news of a conflict between the Scots and the English was sent back by Hu Chuan, which made him feel that the opportunity had arrived. After inspecting the two new products of the Youzhou military factory, Xiao Ming led the naval generals back to Youzhou City.

The next day, the group returned to Qingzhou on a special train. After this inspection, Xiao Ming had a detailed understanding of the Chinese Empire’s military situation. With the current level of technology, the Empire would sacrifice fewer people to achieve a greater victory in any conflict. For him, the forbearance of these years was not out of fear of war, but out of a desire not to let the Empire suffer unnecessary casualties in war. If he could make a country surrender at the cost of sacrificing only a few thousand, or even a few hundred people, why would he sacrifice tens of thousands of soldiers? And now, he believed that with the Chinese Empire’s current level of military equipment, he could completely achieve his ideal mode of warfare and use a small number of elite troops to defeat a larger force.

Returning to the Imperial Study, Xiao Ming made a phone call to Tang Wenjie, telling him to tell Hu Chuan that he could proceed with his plan. Forty days later, the message from the Chinese Empire was delivered to Hu Chuan. At this time, Hu Chuan was playing mahjong with Xie Yuan and other naval generals on a warship. Life at sea was too monotonous, and with so much time on their hands, they had to find something to entertain themselves. In his daily life, besides reading, Hu Chuan’s favorite pastime was playing mahjong, while Xie Yuan, a rough man, did not like to read, so playing mahjong was his only pleasure.

“Ah, I’ve been waiting for so long, and I finally have something to do.” Upon hearing the order from the Chinese Empire, Xie Yuan said. Hu Chuan heard this and said, “Now the fleet can sail to the Irish Sea. As soon as the Chinese Empire’s warships arrive, Ireland will become independent.”

Xie Yuan nodded. Ireland was an independent island nation, separated from England by the sea. Now that the British navy had been completely destroyed by the Chinese Empire, with the Chinese Empire’s support, Ireland did not have to worry about a counterattack from Britain. Compared to Ireland, Scotland and Wales were more of a headache. These two regions, one in the north of England and the other in the west of England, both bordered England. It would be impossible for them to become independent from Britain without a war.

“Alright!” Xie Yuan put down his mahjong tile and smiled, showing his teeth. In fact, he was even more idle than Hu Chuan, and having something to do would make him happy for a long time.

The order was passed down, and the fleet sailed toward the Irish Sea. After arriving at their destination, Hu Chuan immediately sent diplomats to Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. In addition to using warships to protect Ireland, Hu Chuan also promised to let Ireland join the Vienna Convention Organization. After all, compared to warships, the status of a signatory country of the Vienna Convention would make Ireland safer. In the same way, Scotland and Wales also received the Chinese Empire’s guarantee. So, between being blockaded to death and getting security and economic benefits, the three disunited members of the United Kingdom all chose the Chinese Empire.

They waited for a day. The next day, under the guidance of the Chinese Empire’s diplomats, the parliamentary representatives of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland boarded the Chinese Empire’s warships.

“Parliamentarian Hainasen, Parliamentarian Corander, Parliamentarian Kevin.”

On the warship, Hu Chuan shook hands with the three regional parliamentarians one by one. After inviting the three of them to sit down, Hu Chuan said directly, “Gentlemen, the time has come. Murphy, the Prime Minister of England, has gone mad. For the sake of the English people, they brazenly seized your grain and even killed your people for it. Such behavior is intolerable.”

Hainasen was the representative of Scotland. He said angrily, “Just because we refused to hand over our grain, Murphy brazenly ordered the army to shoot at unarmed Scottish farmers. This is the act of a beast. Now Scotland is completely disappointed with England. As long as the Empire upholds justice, we in Scotland will become independent.”

Hu Chuan showed a satisfied smile. This Hainasen was a coal mine owner and owned the largest coal mine in Scotland. In the past two years, the coal needed by the Chinese Empire’s warships was all purchased from his coal mine. After all, it was more cost-effective to get coal from here than to transport it over a long distance. At the same time, the Empire did this to buy off this Parliamentarian Hainasen. The facts proved that the Empire’s bribery was very successful. With the added benefit of Scotland’s historical hatred for England, the problem was easily solved.

Compared to Scotland, Ireland and Wales were relatively weaker. Their independence was more or less due to being intimidated by the Empire. After all, for a United Kingdom, it was normal for each to fly its own way when a disaster was imminent.

Corander was from Ireland. He looked at the Chinese Empire’s majestic warships with envy. Just this naval strength was enough to put Ireland at ease. He said, “Ambassador Hu Chuan, we are ready and can announce our decision at any time.”

Hu Chuan smiled and nodded, his gaze turning to Kevin, the parliamentarian from Wales. As the only one left who had not expressed his stance, Kevin said, “Wales is too weak. Please allow us to announce this decision last.”

Hu Chuan understood Wales very well. Compared to Scotland and Ireland, Wales was indeed a small country. He said, “In that case, you should all go back and prepare. At the same time, you should announce your independence and your joining of the Vienna Convention Organization. You will get the benefits you want.”