57: Chapter 57 Pressure from the Great Powers

Less than a month after the secret alliance was signed, Li Ling felt the pressure from the Great Powers.

The first to make a move was Meijian Country.

Mr. Hall, the Ambassador of Meijian Country to Qingxia Kingdom, personally came to visit. His attitude seemed very polite, but his words were laced with threats.

Ambassador Hall first flattered Li Ling, saying he was young and promising with a limitless future, then changed the subject and began to criticize him.

"General Li, our government is concerned about your recent close cooperation with the German Empire." Ambassador Hall sat on the sofa in the living room, legs crossed, his tone unhurried. "You should know that the expansionist behavior of the German Empire in Europe has already caused dissatisfaction among many countries. If you get too close to them, I fear it will affect your cooperative relationships with other nations."

Li Ling sneered inwardly but put on an innocent expression. "Your Excellency, I don't quite understand what you mean. I just did a few business deals with the German Empire; is there a problem with that? Business is about mutual consent, and it's not illegal."

Ambassador Hall frowned. "General Li, you are a smart man and should know that international politics is not simple business. Cooperating with the German Empire is equivalent to choosing a side. And choosing a side comes with a price."

"So, do you mean I should cooperate with your country instead?" Li Ling looked at him with a half-smile.

"Our government is very willing to cooperate with you." Thinking Li Ling was interested, Ambassador Hall quickly said, "As long as you stop military trade with the German Empire, our country can provide you with low-interest loans and sell you advanced industrial equipment."

"And the conditions?"

"The conditions are very simple." Ambassador Hall smiled like a fox. "You must guarantee not to take the initiative to attack Japan, and you must not interfere with Japan developing its navy with our support."

Li Ling finally couldn't help but laugh out loud. He laughed so loudly that Ambassador Hall looked bewildered.

"Your Excellency, are you trying to coax me like a three-year-old child?" Li Ling put away his smile and said coldly. "You want me to stop cooperating with the German Empire, give me a little benefit, and then watch obediently as you support Japan to attack me? Do you think I'm insane?"

Ambassador Hall's face turned ugly. He had been in diplomatic circles for decades and had never seen anyone dare to speak to him like that.

"General Li, please watch your language." Ambassador Hall's voice turned cold. "Our government is giving you a chance. If you don't appreciate the favor, you will bear the consequences."

"Consequences?" Li Ling stood up and looked down at him. "I'd like to hear what kind of consequences."

Ambassador Hall also stood up and sneered. "Our country can increase support for Japan, giving them enough strength to contend with you. At the same time, we can unite with other countries to impose an economic blockade on you. When that happens, even if you have advanced weapons, you won't be able to produce them without raw materials."

"Then let's try it." Li Ling did not back down. "I have always responded to softness, not hardness. If you want to support Japan, go ahead; if you want to blockade me, go ahead. I want to see whether your blockade is stronger or my ability is greater."

Ambassador Hall was so angry his face turned blue, and he flicked his sleeves and left.

After seeing Ambassador Hall off, Li Ling returned to the living room, and the system immediately popped up to complain. "With your temper, you'll cause trouble sooner or later. He is, after all, the Ambassador of Meijian Country; couldn't you have given him a little face?"

"Give him face?" Li Ling sneered. "They are supporting Japan to attack me while expecting me to give them face? I'm not crazy."

"That may be true, but offending Meijian Country will do you no good." The system analyzed. "Although Meijian Country is not yet the world's number one power, its strength is already not to be underestimated. Offending them will make you very passive in the Pacific Ocean direction in the future."

"I know." Li Ling sighed. "But I know even better that if I compromise now, I will be led by the nose by them later. I am very clear about the 'carrot and stick' trick of Meijian Country. They first give you a little benefit, then force you to concede step by step, and finally eat you up until not even bones are left."

The system was silent for a while, then said, "You are right. On some matters of principle, you cannot retreat a single step."

The British Ambassador followed closely behind and visited the next day. The British attitude was even more arrogant than the Americans, and his tone was like he was lecturing a subordinate.

"General Li, the British Empire expresses serious concern about your military expansion in the Far East." Ambassador Johnson said with a serious face. "If you continue to expand like this, it is very likely to break the balance of power in the Far East and cause unnecessary conflicts."

Li Ling was furious, but he forced himself not to lash out. He knew that although the British strength was already declining, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse; offending the British severely would not be a good thing.

"Your Excellency, I don't think there is any problem with my military expansion." Li Ling said calmly. "I am the master of my own territory. I can develop as many troops as I want. This doesn't seem to have anything to do with your country, does it?"

Ambassador Johnson's face darkened. "General Li, you should understand that the stability of the Far East concerns the interests of all countries. The British Empire has a large amount of commercial interests and colonies in the Far East, and we cannot sit idly by while any force disrupts the balance here."

"So, do you mean I should just stay put and do nothing?" Li Ling asked back.

"That is not what I mean." Ambassador Johnson shook his head. "I just hope you can exercise some restraint and not take drastic actions. If you are willing, the British Empire can provide you with protection to ensure that your sphere of influence is not infringed upon by other countries."

Li Ling sneered inwardly. He knew the British "protection" all too well; back then, India was "protected" by the British until it became a colony.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Excellency, but I do not need anyone's protection for the time being." Li Ling refused politely and firmly. "I can protect myself."

Ambassador Johnson's face looked even worse. He stood up and said coldly, "General Li, I hope you will not regret your decision today."

"I won't."

Over the next few days, the ambassadors of other Great Powers, such as France and Russia, also came to visit. Their attitudes were different, but the meaning they expressed was much the same—stop military expansion, stop cooperating with the German Empire, otherwise bear the consequences.

Li Ling retorted to these threats one by one, giving them no face at all.

After the news spread, Li Ling's generals were very worried. They felt that Li Ling had offended so many Great Powers at once; it was simply madness.

"General, isn't it too risky to do this?" A general asked cautiously. "What if the Great Powers really unite to deal with us? I'm afraid we won't be able to withstand it."

Li Ling looked at him and said slowly, "Do you think if I compromise now, they won't deal with me?"

The general was stunned.

"I tell you, the nature of these Great Powers is to bully the weak and fear the strong." Li Ling stood up and looked around at the generals present. "If you retreat one step today, they will force you to retreat two steps tomorrow; if you compromise once today, they will make more excessive demands tomorrow. In the end, you will find that you have nowhere to retreat."

"Instead of being pushed to death step by step by them, it is better to be tough from the beginning and let them know that I am not to be trifled with." Li Ling's voice was sonorous and powerful. "They have their interests, and I have my bottom line. Whoever dares to touch my bottom line, I will fight them to the end."

The generals were shocked by Li Ling's words. They had never seen such a tough side of Li Ling, but it was precisely because of this toughness that they became more convinced of him.

"System, do you think I am doing the right thing?" After returning to his room, Li Ling asked the system.

"Whether it is right or wrong, it is hard to say now." The system answered, rarely being serious. "But in the long run, you are right not to compromise now. Compromise will only make you lose the initiative and eventually become a vassal of the Great Powers. Since you want to carve out a world in this chaotic era, you must have the confidence of independence."

"That's what I think too." Li Ling sighed. "But to be honest, offending so many Great Powers, I am not confident. If they really unite to deal with me, my meager assets are really not enough."

"What are you afraid of? I'm here." The system was rarely heroic. "If they dare to come, I will provide you with more advanced weapons and beat them until they are looking for their teeth on the ground."

Li Ling smiled. "Why are you so generous today? Aren't you usually quite stingy?"

"I am stingy because I don't want you to rely on me too much." The system said righteously. "But at critical moments, I will never drop the ball."

"Fine, with that said, I can rest assured."

Li Ling's tough attitude annoyed the Great Powers very much, but they couldn't do anything about him for the time being. Li Ling's territory was in the Far East, too far from their homelands; if they really wanted to take action, the cost would be too high. Moreover, the German Empire was obviously supporting Li Ling now, and rash action would likely trigger a wider conflict.

Therefore, the Great Powers changed their strategy—increasing support for Japan.

Meijian Country took the lead in announcing that it would provide a loan of five million US dollars to Japan for the development of its navy. Immediately after, Britain also announced that it would sell two old-style Battleships to Japan. Although France and Russia did not make public statements, they secretly gave Japan a lot of support.

For a time, the naval strength of Japan expanded rapidly.

After receiving this news, Li Ling sneered. "As I expected. They just want to support Japan to fight a proxy war with me."

"Then what do you plan to do?" The system asked.

"What to do? Of course, accelerate war preparations." Li Ling's eyes were cold. "If they want to fight, I will accompany them. I want to see whether they have more money or my fist is harder."

Li Ling ordered to speed up the construction progress of the three hidden Dreadnoughts, and at the same time began to build more fortifications in the coastal areas. He also ordered the Special Forces to strengthen intelligence gathering on Japan and grasp the movements of the Japan navy at any time.

At the same time, Li Ling also sent a secret letter to the German Empire, informing them in detail about the pressure exerted by the Great Powers, and requesting the German Empire to provide diplomatic support.

Kaiser Wilhelm II replied quickly, stating that the German Empire would fully support Li Ling. He said in the letter, "Those old Great Powers will sooner or later be crushed by the wheels of history, and we will be the masters of the new era."

After reading the letter, Li Ling couldn't help but laugh. "This Kaiser Wilhelm II, he is quite good at talking."

"He is an emperor, so of course he speaks well." The system complained. "Don't be fooled by him; you still need to be on guard."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."