There is not much time left for Xiao Letian to think. Within 25 minutes, he must make a correct judgment and his soldiers must be able to coordinate and resolutely carry out the orders of the head of state in the shortest possible time.
There are only 25 minutes. To be honest, it is not that easy to make a decision in such a short time, let alone the execution of the order. What is even more worrying is, will the French spies really fire according to the original schedule? What if it’s earlier!
The map was laid on the shell box. Xiao Letian pressed his hands on the box, his head almost touching the map, and his forehead was covered with cold sweat.
The pressure, the huge pressure, made him unable to straighten his waist. This was the critical moment to test a leader.
Everyone in the world thinks that the emperor is good, and every official should be prime minister, but who can understand that with great power comes great responsibility? Did you see tens of thousands of people calling for the wind and rain? Just see that all the delicious food and beauties in the world can enjoy it? Did you see everyone crowding around to flatter you? Did you see that the palace's gorgeous utensils are expensive?
Indeed, the blessings enjoyed by people like Xiao Letian are frighteningly great, but the pressure these people shoulder is also unimaginably huge.
Just like now, no one dares to speak at a time of life or death. Even if someone is holding back his thoughts, he doesn't dare to speak out! why? Because the choice made at this moment completely determines the fate of the Chinese nation's national strategy in the future.
go ahead? Then we have to keep an eye on the French artillery fire, and maybe even fight with the French Mediterranean Fleet. If a hot war really breaks out, will the UK join the war?
This question is difficult to answer. Despite what the British say, the military's use of deterrence to protect you does not mean a direct all-out war with France!
Once the French Iron Heart wants to sink the Zhiyuan, the chance that Britain will directly fire artillery and join the war is only between 50 and 50.
More importantly, the Chinese have just had a hot war with Tsarist Russia. Will they soon go to war with France? So what if we win? Challenging two European powers within half a year would arouse public outrage!
What would the UK and other European countries think? They will immediately regard Xiao Letian as Attila, the 'Whip of God', and the Chinese will be like the Huns in history, frightening the whole of Europe and gathering all their strength to strangle him.
Such a conflict is not something the Chinese can bear, let alone what Xiao Letian wants. How can the Chinese now confront the entire European civilization? What Xiao Letian needs now is to take advantage of the Franco-Prussian War and finally gain more time to recuperate.
There is another worry that Xiao Letian has to consider, that is, the geographical advantage is in the hands of the French, not the combined fleet.
Now that the Suez Canal is completely under the French's sphere of influence, the pitifully small number of British troops will have no effect. If a fight really breaks out, what if the French directly sink their ships and block the canal from the north to the south?
The Suez Canal is very narrow, so narrow that two rows of ships cannot travel at the same time. If a few broken ships sink in the 40- to 50-meter-wide river channel, no matter how powerful your warships are, they will still be trapped in the Great Bitter Lake.
If you choose to move forward, you are choosing to escalate the conflict. It is very likely that a war will break out, and it is also very likely that you will be trapped here. The risk is really not small.
So what about choosing to retreat? Isn't it impossible to return directly to the Red Sea, then go around the Cape of Good Hope and enter the Atlantic Ocean?
The French Emperor wanted this result. Originally, the Bedouin desert bandits were responsible for handling this conflict, in order to use a complicated situation to hold back the combined fleet and buy time.
Now if you go around Africa, the French will have more time to move around. Maybe when Xiao Letian sees Gibraltar, the European National Alliance has been established.
This is a race against time. How do you, Xiao Letian, choose?
Finally, there is another way, and that is to return to Ryukyu the same way. It is time to prepare for war, dig deep and store up food, and wait for a deadly fight with the Eight-Nation Allied Forces!
The problem is very complex, but these conditions and possible consequences, including the various variables that can arise from each choice, must be quickly processed in Xiao Letian's brain within a few dozen seconds.
Xiao Letian could vaguely feel that his brain had turned into a nuclear fusion reactor. All the glucose in his body had been completely drained and transported to his brain, where it was burned into endless heat, allowing this planet that could control the world situation. The brain goes into overdrive.
My hands and feet were cold and numb, which was a sign of the peripheral blood vessels losing oxygen, and my eyes were gradually dizzy, which was the confusion of overlapping scenes in my thoughts and reality.
Xiao Letian was so cold that he was covered in sweat. This kind of decision was related to the life and death of millions of people, but he had to make a judgment within a few minutes. This was really not a human job!
At that moment, he even missed the Great Monk Longshi, the eminent monk who stayed in Japan to supervise certain 'dangerous' elements. Perhaps only the power of religion could calm Xiao Letian's mind at this moment.
Don't underestimate the great monk Long Shi. Although he was forced to become a monk, he will always be a human spirit. If he is in politics, he will be a famous minister, and if he is in the army, he will be a famous general. Even if he becomes a monk, he is still a famous monk.
Sakamoto Ryoma really didn't use the monk as a shield. Ever since he put on the monk's robe, he really studied Buddhism intensively every day. Many times, some of the advice he gave Xiao Letian was very eye-catching.
"It would be great if Ryoma-kun was here today..."
"What? What are you talking about, head of state? Have you made a decision?" Wang Huaiyuan asked eagerly.
Xiao Letian looked at his pocket watch. He felt that he had been thinking for three days and three nights, but the time on the pocket watch could not lie. Only three minutes had passed, and there were still twenty-two minutes left before the artillery was launched.
"This damn fate is so annoying. It always puts the life and death of countless people in my hands for me to choose... Damn, I really want to give up. No matter what I choose, there will always be countless people because of me. How many times will I have to go to hell if I die because of my own choice!"
Xiang Ying stopped listening and said, "Master, what are these weird words! In the cycle of life and death, everyone has their own destiny. From the moment they choose the big ship of the Hua clan, they should be mentally prepared to endure suffering!" "
"How can there be any good thing in the world that can only take advantage without suffering a loss!" Sometimes, Xiang Ying was very angry at the head of state's cyclical weakness, which was similar to that of his eldest aunt.
Xiao Letian is indeed very weird. Sometimes he is fierce and iron-blooded, and sometimes he is as weak as a woman. There are even a few days every month when he is particularly compassionate and always blames himself for leading the Chinese people forward. Too many people died.
Isn't this a mental illness? He is already one of the top men in Asia, how can he be so affectionate with his daughter?
"What do you mean by dead people? The Chinese enjoy the advanced system you brought, the protection given by the new army, the convenience of life brought by new technology and the abundant material enjoyment..."
"And the Chinese have gradually escaped from the fate of being enslaved by European colonists! After enjoying so many damn benefits, do they still want to live alone?
"Peaceful days are born of dead people! If they don't bear the reputation of killing people, who will protect their peace! Head of state! We originally chose a path of life and death. Without killing, there would be no day for a national breakthrough! "
"Hahaha..." Xiao Letian suddenly laughed wildly, "Okay, okay, Xiang Ying scolded me so much! Since you are willing to die with me, then I will take you through the hell!"
"Pass my order! Raise the malfunction flag on the Zhiyuan! Speed up... break into the canal for me!" m.
