"Your Majesty, I have always admired your outstanding foresight. But is it right to launch a large-scale expedition to the East now? Is it a little too early? After all, a new chapter has begun without the war in America having completely ended.

The battlefield..."

"Haha, Raimondo, I guessed you were going to ask this question."

Pulling up a chair, Philip sat next to Raimondo: "You are one of the young people I am most optimistic about. My expectations for you are not just a division commander or a group army commander. So, today,

I would like to take some time to explain it to you."

"I look forward to your teachings, Your Majesty."

"Teaching is out of the question, Raimundo, let me ask you, who is our biggest opponent in Christendom now?"

"Of course they are Chinese, Your Majesty. Although the Ottomans are developing well now, their population is only one-fifth of our European Union. As long as the European Union is still closely united under your leadership, within fifty years, the Ottomans will be

It poses no threat to us."

"Yes, because the population size gap is too big. As long as Europe still speaks with one voice, the Ottomans will not pose a threat to us. So, dear Raimundo, do you know how much of the population the alliance currently controls?"

"Well, I only know that the current population in America under our control is only 9.85 million, including Indians, mixed-race people, black slaves, and the garrisons sent by the European natives."

"It is already very good to be able to control such a large population when rebellions were raging everywhere in the Americas." Philippe patted Raimondo on the shoulder: "Last year, that is, in 1637, the population controlled by our European Union

The specific situation is: 120 million people in mainland Europe, 6.3 million people in Africa, and 9.85 million people in America, as you just said. Added together, it’s just over 136 million people. And do you know how many people there are in China?”

"Your Majesty, have our intelligence officers obtained the specific population figures of the Chinese?"

"Well, because of our race, it's difficult for us to pretend to be Chinese. What's even more annoying is that they stole our Macau and the Philippines before the Suez Canal was opened..., which made our intelligence agencies in the Far East

Suffering heavy losses! However, based on our previous intelligence and the newspapers published by the Chinese themselves in recent years, we can still deduce the Chinese population quite accurately."

"how many?"

"The mainland of China is at least 200 million. Including the various vassal states under their backward and ignorant tribute system, the number is definitely not less than 250 million."

"Hiss~ Your Majesty, doesn't that mean the other party's population is twice ours?"

"Yes." He nodded with a heavy face: "As you can see, with the rapid development of science and technology, the increase in population is no longer a burden, but a huge wealth. Factories need people, the army needs people, and the service industry needs people.

People, important people for the development of colonies, important people for merchants' cargo ships... Now in the whole of Europe, as long as you have sound limbs and are willing to do things, you will never be unable to survive. This is true of us, and so is the Chinese! Raimundo,

You said, if the two sides continue to develop like this, will we still have hope in ten or twenty years?"

"Your Majesty, what you say makes sense."

"And they also captured India a few years ago! India, my God, the climate there is warm, the land is fertile, and the mineral resources are rich. Except for the fact that the people there are a little lazy and the religion there is amazing, it is simply a land sent from heaven!

Moreover, although the people there are a little lazy, there are still hundreds of millions of people!"

"Hundreds of millions! Lord, if the Chinese completely control that place, what about them?"

"Yes. At that time, the population controlled by the Chinese will reach 350 million. If we do not intervene forcefully now and let the other side snowball comfortably based on this base, it will be up to ten years before the Chinese send troops to attack us.

!”

"...Your Majesty, I understand the necessity of launching the main force to attack India under Chinese control at this time. However, after all, this is an expedition even further away than the Crusades. What is our victory rate?"

"Regarding this issue, I think we should look at it from the following aspects. Raimundo, do you know what the revenue of the Royal Government was last year?"

"Your Majesty, I have been in America for a long time and I really don't know much about this."

"Haha, last year, the royal government's fiscal revenue was 320 million double bars. After subtracting expenditures, the surplus was 90 million double bars. And the fiscal balance of the entire EU countries combined was 130 million double bars."

"Oh, Your Majesty, the royal government's finances have improved so much all of a sudden?"

"Haha, this is mainly due to the full spread of steam machinery. Raimondo, economic development has its own laws, one of which is the scale effect. When the number of factories using steam engines reaches a certain number, the entire industrial chain will basically

When it is complete, the country's economy and fiscal revenue will explode violently."

"Your Majesty, although I have long been accustomed to the continuous great achievements of the country and the alliance under your leadership, I still feel extremely shocked and proud when I heard such data today. According to the current wartime maintenance of one division of our army,

The cost per year is only 1 million per year. 130 million, enough for 130 divisions and 2 million troops to go on an expedition to India for one year!"

"Hahaha, my lovely Raimundo, this account cannot be settled like this. In order to launch a large-scale expedition, in addition to soldiers, we also need a large number of civilians and a large amount of food. Moreover, after integrating a large number of elites into the army and transportation teams,

, the labor force left for factories and farms will decrease, and the country’s income will also decrease. Therefore, an army of half a million is the limit that the alliance can currently bear. An army of this size can have sufficient strength, and it will not be against

The normal development of the alliance's economy poses too great a burden."

"Yes, thank you for your teaching. Your Majesty, please forgive me for being verbose. Our expedition in the early stage is not based on the performance of the army. What is important is whether the navy can firmly control the sea in the Indian Ocean."

"you are right."

"Your Majesty, I must report to you...Professor Kepler is suspected of leaking our country's high-precision technology in America. After all, we have never been able to find the body of that courtesan."

"I already know this. These damn..." Philip originally wanted to say these damn Portuguese, but he immediately controlled himself: the Raimundo in front of him was an Austrian!

"Raimondo, this courtesan, is actually a spy. Because our local intelligence agency arrested her nominal father, a businessman who returned from the Far East. A Chinese dictionary was found in this guy's house.

.According to the inference of our intelligence officer, this dictionary is actually a code book."

"Ah? Your Majesty, our technology is in danger of leaking!"

"That's true. But Raimondo, when looking at the problem, we have to look at it dialectically. We can also deduce a conclusion from this espionage incident. That is, the Chinese are still far behind us in terms of electricity. Although if they get

We will work hard to catch up after this information, but we still have a certain amount of time. And this is one of the reasons that made me determined to launch the strategy against India as soon as possible."

"one?"

"Yes, Raimondo. I am the king of Spain and the president of the European Union. But if the whole of Europe does not want to fight, I can't do it alone. In fact, in recent years, with the production of our factory,

More and more things are coming out, and the domestic market in Europe has gradually become saturated. People in the Americas and Africa have insufficient spending power. We must open up new markets. And where are the new markets? We still need the Ottomans to form an alliance with us for the time being.

We are facing China, which has a huge numerical advantage. Therefore, to open up new markets, we can only choose India!"

"I understand, Your Majesty. This means that the whole of Europe is actually willing to fight this war, right?"

"Yes, that's why I can openly ally with the Ottomans. Because the Ottomans also need new markets."

"I see. Thanks to Your Majesty for your detailed explanation, my doubts are basically gone. But Your Majesty, the Navy?"

"Hahaha, you don't have to worry about the navy. The Prince of Asturias has been launched for more than a year, and actual combat has fully proved that we are on the right path. Well, you came back at the right time, a

Half a month later, the three shipyards of Bilbao, Valencia, and A Coruña will each have a Prince-class battleship officially put into active service. Most of the parameters of them and the Prince of Asturias are the same.

.But there was a slight increase in speed, and the maximum speed reached 13.5 knots.”

"Oh, Your Majesty, with the addition of these three giant ships, our control of the sea will be secure."

"Not only that, Raimondo, the maturity of electrical technology has also enabled us to have more new equipment. When you return to Madrid, you will see that telephones, wired telegraphs, etc. can completely trigger a complete revolution in the art of military command.

Transformative new technologies, new inventions! Now..." Philip solemnly drew out his sword and put it on Raimondo's shoulder: "Raimondo Montecuccoli, are you willing to accept my appointment as general?

order, and be responsible for commanding at least 200,000 troops to open up India for me?"
Chapter completed!