Reality proved that there was some truth to the saying that evil people needed to be dealt with by evil people.
Of course, the nikancha weren't evil people. At most, they were ruffians.
Many people knew what a ruffian was like. He bullied the weak and feared the strong.
The more you tolerated him, the more arrogant he would become.
But in a fit of anger, you decided to fight to the death with this ruffian, so the one who knelt in front of you and begged for mercy could only be him …
Although the Nikancha envoys spoke carelessly in front of General Bolonik and General Skri, saying that the two territories given to them were more precious than gold, in fact, they were well aware of the Nikancha youths' performance in the previous war. They knew that dog meat was not something they could afford to eat. That was why they gave up the two territories and let the Nikancha War Theatre block the disaster for them.
The reason they were so arrogant in front of the two generals was because Bolonik and Skri weren't at the frontlines.
Even if Claude and the others belittled the nikancha youths after the war, it was all hearsay.
Without seeing it with their own eyes, they wouldn't be able to understand how the nikancha youths behaved on the battlefield. At most, they would think that no matter how bad the nikancha youths behaved, they would still be of help to the theatre.
Another reason was that the nikancha envoys coveted the new rifles of the two corps. They felt that it wasn't worth it to hand over the northern and eastern mountains to the theatre for nothing. At the very least, they had to get something good in return.
If it had not been for the fact that some of the older envoys were still clear-headed, the nikanchas would have offered ten thousand of the new rifles instead of a thousand.
In the end, Eiblont went to the nikancha envoys and told them that the colony rejected their terms and that negotiations were over. At the same time, he repeated Claude's words and gave up on the defensive line in the eastern mountains and ordered all the forces in the colony to retreat to the northern mountains. The envoys were told to eat well and enjoy the next two to three months of peace. All of them were stunned.
The nikancha weren't fools. They knew what Claude was getting at and made their move that very night.
In order to congratulate Claude on his new home, the three nikancha envoys sent him gifts for his new home that very night.
It was a set of gold bowls and plates. However, the nikancha's forging skills weren't up to par and the plates were thick and heavy.
Claude reluctantly accepted the box of gifts from the nikancha envoys. Then, he unceremoniously reprimanded the nikancha youths for their poor performance on the battlefield. He believed that every unit in the theatre had lost the confidence to work with the nikancha and that the nikancha could only pray for themselves in the coming war.
In front of Claude, the three nikancha envoys displayed their fine upbringing. They humbly accepted Claude's criticism.
However, the three of them also told Claude about the nikancha's predicament. The lack of young men would affect the survival of the nikancha settlements, and the loss of 60,000 of them in a single battle was a price they couldn't afford.
Claude kicked the huge box filled with golden bowls and plates. "I believe General Bolonik has a box like this too, right?
Perhaps he has more … "
The three nikancha envoys were silent.
Claude smiled. "I understand. You guys can go back first.
When I receive as many gifts as General Bolonik, I'll help you guys think of a way to avoid the upcoming war. "
"But he's the supreme commander of the theatre," one of the envoys protested.
Claude shook his head. "He's the acting supreme commander of the theatre, while I'm in charge of the colonial war. I'm the one who calls the shots."
So, the three envoys brought Claude another huge box of golden bowls and plates the next night.
Claude was very impressed with the envoys' tactfulness. He smiled at them and said, "Actually, everyone knows why you handed over the northern mountains and the eastern mountains to the theatre. Don't you want the theatre to defend those two territories for you so that you can avoid the Shiksans' attacks?
But the problem is, why would we defend those two territories for you to defend against the Shiksans' attacks?
What use do we have for those two mountains? Are we supposed to deploy troops to guard your borders so you can live happily in your former Shiksan colony?
Are we sick in the head? "
"T-There's one gold and two silver mines in those two territories," an old nikancha envoy with a long, knotted beard argued.
"Haha, that's one small gold and two small silver mines!"
Claude stared at the three envoys. "For the sake of your nikancha people's safety, we're willing to fight to the death against seven standing corps of Shiksans, all for the sake of three small mines?
Gentlemen, I think you nikancha have misunderstood something. Or is this the price you nikancha are willing to pay for the precious lives of our warriors? "
Claude shook his head regretfully. "Sirs, I've always been kind to you nikancha people, but you've always disappointed me, be it on the battlefield or elsewhere.
Honestly speaking, if I wanted your gold and silver mines, I could have easily taken over the Shiksan colonies. There are more than sixty mines there, but I gave them to you without hesitation.
But I didn't hesitate to give it to you, and I even gave you a third of the spoils of war.
I kept my word and allowed your nikancha tribes to leave the mountainous regions and have a place to live and work in peace again.
But what did I get in return for that? Don't tell me you didn't betray us. Your youths didn't listen to orders on the battlefield and even set their sights on our new rifles. We know full well why we lost so many supplies on our supply routes.
As the frontline commander of the upcoming war, my subordinates wrote a petition asking me to give up on the defensive line in the eastern mountains and use the Shiksans to wipe out your nikancha nation. We'll use you as bait to catch the big fish, the Shiksans.
When the Shiksans penetrate deep into nikancha territory, we'll cut off their food supply and wipe them out in your territory.
That way, we'll wipe out the Shiksans and gain control of your nikancha territory.
When the time comes, all the gold and silver resources in your nikancha nation will belong to us, let alone three small mines.
On the other hand, our theater of operations will have three or four more territories under our direct jurisdiction, which are many times larger than the two mountainous areas you are handing over to us.
So, sirs, what would you choose if you were me? "
The three nikancha envoys' faces turned ashen. They were all shocked by Claude's words.
The old Nikancha envoy with a knot in his beard tried his best to boost his courage. "Our country has five million people. You, you want to occupy our country, our land? We, the Nikancha, no, young or old, we will fight you to the end …"
"No, no, no, sirs, don't misunderstand."
Claude waved his hand with a smile. "You won't have the right to fight us, because you'll have to fight the Shiksans first.
As for what the Shiksans will do, I can only imagine that they'll kill the old, weak, women and children and capture the young men and women as slaves. It just so happens that there's a lot of gold and silver in your territory, so they'll throw the captured men and women into the mines for them to mine for gold and silver.
We, on the other hand, will wait until they've occupied most of your nikancha nation before we surround them and cut off their food supply. Then, we'll lock up the 400,000 strong Shiksans in your territory and defeat them to avenge your nikancha people.
When that happens, you can rest in peace. We won't let the Shiksans who massacred your people off … "
One of the nikancha envoys knelt in front of Claude and hugged his leg. "General, General, you said yesterday that you had a way for us to avoid this war …"
Claude tried to kick the envoys off, but they didn't budge. The envoys were hugging him too tightly.
"I have an idea. You, let go of me! Stand up!" Claude struggled to pull the nikancha ambassador up from the ground.
"I can tell you this method. Perhaps this is the only way to save your nikancha nation.
However, whether you can do it or not will depend on your choices. "The three envoys were already scared out of their wits and it was time to reveal their true colors.
Claude took out the map of nikancha nation from the pile of maps on the table and took out a charcoal pencil. "You originally wanted to hand over the northern and eastern mountains to us, hoping that we could use them to defend against the Shiksans.
But the way I see it, you nikancha people are too petty. Nobody would care about those two territories.
It's like fishing. With such a huge hook, you only put a little bait and don't even cover the hook. Do you think any fish would take the bait?
Everyone knows what you nikancha people are up to, but who would be willing to help you defend against the 400,000 strong Shiksans army of seven standing corps if you're willing to pay such a small price?
You even asked us to give you a thousand new rifles in exchange.
Do you know that it's your pettiness that infuriated the strategists of the two corps? That's why they wrote a joint petition to use the Shiksans to wipe out your nikancha nation so that we can watch from the sidelines and reap the benefits after the outcome is decided.
Even though I was the commander-in-chief of the frontline, even General Bolonik, as the acting commander-in-chief, couldn't ignore the collective voices of the staff officers and high-ranking corps.
I can't force my men to risk their lives for those two territories, and any sane person would know which option is best for them.
So, if you nikancha people want us to help you defend against the Shiksans, you'll have to pay a huge price.
Have you heard of the saying?
Only the most generous reward will attract the bravest men … "
The old Nikancha envoy with a knot in his beard trembled as he replied, "General, just tell me, how much do we have to pay to avoid this war?"
Claude picked up his pen and drew a line on the map.
The two territories the nikancha people were willing to hand over were like two rectangles on the map, connected only by their corners.
With that, Claude's stroke encompassed the two rectangles and turned them into a fat, horizontal Arabic numeral 7. At the same time, it was even with Port Vebator colony's inland border.
"You have to hand over the territories in front of you to us. Only then will Bolonik and I be able to convince our strategists and officers.
Such a large territory means that defending it will be a great contribution to the kingdom. Our men will fight the Shiksans to the bitter end in order not to lose even an inch of land.
Your Nikancha Country will only enjoy peace and tranquility before all of our troops are sacrificed … "
Claude pointed at the part of the map he drew.
The faces of the three nikancha envoys turned pale. The area Claude drew was almost twice the size of the two territories the nikancha people were willing to hand over, especially when there were many gold and silver mines marked on the map.
"General, isn't this a little too big?" the old nikancha envoy said as he pointed at the map in shock.
"Not big, not big at all."
Claude shook his head. "You nikancha people are too narrow-minded. Compared to the vast territory you have on the mainland, this isn't much at all.
Take the 14 gold and silver mines here for example. Most of them are small mines. There's only one medium-sized gold and one medium-sized silver mine.
Compared to the 60 gold and silver mines in your territory, which have five or six medium-sized mines, this area is considered barren.
However, it's only with such a large territory that we can convince the strategists and officers to willingly defend against the Shiksans' next attack.
By the way, apart from this territory, I hope you can provide some money to reward the soldiers who participate in the war.
I've already said that only generous rewards can fill the soldiers with courage.
Otherwise, when I deploy them to the frontlines, they might think that they're fighting for you nikancha and lose the will to resist the Shiksans.
If they lose their morale and only know how to run away like your nikancha youths, it'll be just as bad for you.
So, I need you to fork out some money as a reward. I don't need a lot, just two million crowns will be enough.
With this money and the territory, I can promise you on behalf of the theatre that we will stop the Shiksans at the front of the mountain defence line. We won't let them invade an inch of your nikancha territory. "
The small reception room was silent. Only the breathing of the three nikancha envoys could be heard.
Nobody expected Claude to make such a request. Not only did he want the territory, he also wanted money. It wasn't a small sum, but two million crowns.
You only have a hundred thousand men in your two corps. Are you asking for twenty crowns per person?
"Gen … General, can … can it be less?" one of the envoys asked hoarsely.
"Less?" Claude asked in surprise, "Which are you referring to?
The territory or the reward? "
"Both … both less."
"This isn't bargaining."
Sirs, if it wasn't for your sincerity and the box of gifts, I wouldn't have done something so strenuous and unrewarding.
In fact, if you accept my suggestion, it'll be even more troublesome for me.
Because I have to convince my subordinates and supervise them to fight bravely at the frontlines.
Just the thought of the 400,000 plus Shiksans gives me a headache.
It's best if you treat my words as a passing breeze and don't take it to heart. Eat more when you go back. Do whatever you want to do and have fun.
It'll be over in another two or three months anyway. Why not let yourself enjoy a little more and spend more time with your family?
That way, you'll be at ease and I'll have less trouble.
Since we're friends, I promise I'll avenge you in the future.
It's getting late, so go back and think about it. Take this map with you.
Tell them I drew it randomly, but that's the war theatre's bottom line. No one is going to bargain with you.
Personally, I think you should listen to me and go back and enjoy yourself.
If you don't want to live and die with the settlement, you can bring your family to the war theatre. I can send you and your family to the colonies on the west coast. There are many of your people there too. "