Seeing Bo Jinchen's shocked and suspicious gaze, Wufeng nodded and took a sip of rice wine, and said calmly: "Yes, I want Cheng Dayou to open a channel in the southwest direction. It is more appropriate for us to grasp the raised headland area between the Middle East and the mainland. I don't want our future development direction to be controlled by others."

Bo Jinchen's mind immediately outlined the geographical situation of this protruding headland area at the junction of the Middle East.

To the west of East Samoa is the Nan'an city-state. The Nan'an city-state is not a traditional city, but a municipal consortium formed by a combination of multiple municipalities. However, the municipal alliance council is located in Nan'an town. The handicraft economy in this area is particularly developed, but it has always remained neutral in politics. Even when the Peninsula Alliance was at its peak, it was independent of the Peninsula Alliance.

The gentle slope of this area near the southern end of the Hengduan Mountains in the northern part of the Nan'an city-state belongs to the Soktu Principality, which is closely linked to the original Duchy of Bali. The land area of ​​this Principality is narrow and extends from the Eastern Continent to the Central Continent along the southern end of the Hengduan Mountains. Because there is no sea outlet and most of the land belongs to mountain and slope, the economy is quite backward. It is suitable for its cousin, and it has always been a member of the Peninsula Alliance. Later, after the collapse of the Eastern Peninsula Alliance, it was declared neutral and independent from the Western Peninsula Alliance. After controlling the entire Eastern Peninsula Alliance, the Western Xinjiang Army did not advance westward because it needed to reach an armistice agreement with the Western Peninsula Alliance as soon as possible. The Western Peninsula Alliance also acknowledged the fact that the Soktu Principality withdrew from the Western Peninsula Alliance because it did not advance westward because of the lack of practical value.

To the west of Nan'an City-State is the Western Samoa Urban Republic corresponding to Eastern Samoa. It should be said that East Samoa, Nan'an City-State, Western Samoa are of the same family in terms of race, ethnicity and religious beliefs. However, historical origins have formed the current unbalanced economic development. The Western Samoa Urban Republic is also famous for its long-standing reputation for shipbuilding, fishing, shipping, and pearl farming. Although it has not joined the Peninsula Alliance in the name of maintaining neutrality, it is actually a recognized non-staff member of the alliance and maintains a very close connection in all aspects of economic and political aspects.

The most important force in this area is probably Sikkim Island, located south of the Sikkim Strait. Sikkim Island and several small islands around Sikkim Island are collectively known as the Sikkim Urban Republic. They are the most economically developed and active economy in the entire peninsula area and the richest and most prosperous urban republic. The southern and western waters of Sikkim Island are famous fishing grounds and pearl farms in the South and Latin Oceans. The Pearl Pearls produced are well-known in the shipbuilding, shipping, re-export trade, finance, salt manufacturing, handicrafts, and fishing industries.

Industrial and commercial forces control the power of the urban republic. The parliament of the Republic has been almost monopolized by the large industrial and commercial class. Any violation of the interests of the industrial and commercial community will be regarded as an infringement of the Republic. The economic strength of the urban republic is the best in the entire peninsula area, mostly distributed in the port area centered on Sikkim.

The Sikkim Port on Sikkim Island is bound to the Sikkim Strait, which is far opposite to the Western Samoa Port and controls the passing channel of the Sikkim Strait. Passing ships must undergo inspection and tax collection when passing here on the joint checkpoint located on Xiaohu Island in the middle of the Sikkim Strait. There is also a squadron of the Sikkim City Republic Naval Fleet to maintain absolute control of the strait.

The Dae Kan Island on the north side of Sikkim Island, although the island is not large, it just stuck at the intersection of the Latin Ocean and the South Ocean south of Sikkim Island. Any ship who wants to bypass the Sikkim Strait and enter and exit the Latin Ocean and the South Ocean are stationed within the control of the Sikkim Navy on this island. The Dae Kan Island is also the most important military port in the Sikkim Urban Republic. The Naval Fleet of the Sikkim Urban Republic is also one of the most powerful naval fleets in the entire peninsula. It has a naval ship formation including thirteen large military ships, and has also formed a not-so-large but quite powerful army unit. In addition, it has a powerful mercenary force as an auxiliary force, which can be regarded as an important military force that can influence the situation in the entire peninsula.

However, since its establishment, the Sikkim Urban Republic has been pursuing the three-standard policy of independence and neutrality, maintaining the absolute autonomy of the entire urban republic, developing ocean trade externally, and encouraging the development of industrial and commercial finance internally. It is not only the industrial and commercial center of the entire peninsula, but also the most important financial center in the entire peninsula and even the southern part of the central continent. Dozens of large multinational commercial banks have established headquarters here, which have financial assets and circulation systems and have influence throughout the entire Central and Eastern continents.

Since its establishment, the Peninsula Alliance has always hoped that Sikkim could join the Peninsula Alliance and become the leader of the Peninsula Alliance's politics, economy and military. However, the Sikkim City Republic Parliament rejected the proposal to join the Peninsula Alliance three times, believing that maintaining the three-staff policy it has always implemented is more conducive to the growth of its national strength and is more in line with the interests of Sikkim. The reason why Nan'an City-Staff has not joined the Peninsula Alliance was largely affected by the Sikkim policy. But in fact, although Sikkim did not join the Peninsula Alliance, it has a great influence on its surrounding areas, especially the Peninsula Region, especially for Nan'an City-Staff and Western Samoa. These two places followed Sikkim's neutral non-aligned policy and became another force outside the Peninsula Alliance. In addition, the current Principality of Soktu is also trying hard to strengthen its ties with Nan'an City-Staff and Western Samoa. These three places have a vassal of becoming Sikkim's vassal forces.

Taking a deep breath, Bo Jinchen tried hard to sort out his somewhat confused thoughts. His Highness, the King of Qin, really wanted to make a breakthrough in the southwest direction. Once he wanted to expand westward, his primary goal was either Nan'an or Soktu, and Soktu was more likely.

However, now Sikkim is stimulated by the Eastern Peninsula Alliance to become imperial territory and gradually realizes that this threat from the East may endanger Sikkim's special status in this area, and has begun to consciously make policy adjustments.

On the one hand, the connection with the Nan'an city-state and Western Samoa has been strengthened, and even the Principal of Soktu, which was originally dismissed, has also become enthusiastic about the original Duchy of Soktu. It is said that the road widening and reconstruction project from the capital of Soktu City to the Port of West Samoa, which is under construction, is guaranteed by the Sikkim City Republic, and is built with loan support from three commercial banks in Sikkim. Once the renovation is completed, this strategic road will greatly connect the Principal of Soktu and the Port of West Samoa, so that a large amount of products can be transported easily, and the Principal of Soktu can usher in an era of taking off. More importantly, this road can connect the Principal of Soktu with Western Samoa, Nan'an city-state and even Sikkim all at once, and it is of great strategic significance from a military perspective.

On the other hand, the Sikkim Urban Republic is also frequently in contact with the countries of the Western Peninsula Alliance. The politicians and celebrities from both sides frequently visited each other. If the war between the Western Peninsula Alliance and the Pasha Kingdom was not still intermittent, I am afraid that the possibility of the two sides forming an alliance would be greater.

Bo Jinchen didn't know if these two reasons stimulated His Highness the King of Qin. Once the neutral force, led by Sikkim, formed an alliance with the Western Peninsula Alliance, the Western Peninsula Alliance is still ally with the two powerful countries in the southern part of the Central Continent, the Kingdom of the West and the Kingdom of Jutland. Once this huge alliance is formed, it will undoubtedly be a huge containment for the empire to expand its sphere of influence along the southwest direction to the Western Continent.

"Jinchen believes that your highness must have your own intentions in this way, but the Nan'an city-state and the Duchy of Soktu are now very close to the Sikkim City Republic. Any action we make in the southwest may attract the joint resistance of their third force under the guise of neutrality, and may even attract interference from the Western Peninsula Alliance. I wonder if Your Highness has considered this issue? The power of Sikkim cannot be underestimated. As far as Jinchen knows, although our military operations in the Eastern Peninsula area were carried out quite smoothly, there is an objective reason for this, that is, most of the main military forces in the Eastern Peninsula area-the mercenaries have already set out to fight in the Western Peninsula Alliance area. In this special situation, we use the speed of war to speed

Only by the decision strategy can we achieve such results, but now our most important advantage no longer exists. The Sikkim Urban Republic is not only not weak in naval power, but also its army combat effectiveness is also the leader in the entire peninsula. Compared with military powers such as Pasha, Cioran and Jutland, in addition to being a little smaller in scale, they are the first-class in the south. Their main auxiliary force, mercenaries, is as many as 50,000. With their regular army, Sikkim alone has 100,000 troops. Although it is separated from the mainland by a Sikkim Strait, with its domestic shipping capabilities, the long-range transportation and delivery capabilities of the army are quite strong. If we want to take military actions here, we must not ignore these factors."
Chapter completed!