Three days later, there was news from Weng Zimo.
"I've spoken with Rao Cheng Zhou and Gunter via online video, and they've agreed to send high-level representatives for a meeting."
With the news, Jiang Ye's side began to prepare in earnest.
If Rao Cheng Zhou and Gunter were to negotiate personally, then Isabelle would have to be dispatched.
But since they were only sending senior representatives, Jiang Ye decided to send Huang Bingyan and Wei Hongyang.
As it happened, both Huang Bingyan and Wei Hongyang were on the Exile Star, so Isabelle could impart some experience to them, as well as Jiang Ye's deeper intentions.
The goal of the negotiation was simple: to establish rules of war for Wheeler Star.
All warlord forces must use mechs for combat and not deploy large numbers of living soldiers onto the battlefield.
Mechs and other weapons and ammunition would all be ordered from Huang Bingyan.
To ensure the smooth implementation of the rules of war, Jiang Ye authorized a carrot-and-stick strategy, which was sealed in a top-secret document bag and handed over to Huang Bingyan and Wei Hongyang, who were responsible for the negotiations.
The carrot strategy included the following points:
1. Warlord forces that comply with the rules of war, even if defeated or surrendered, will still be granted local official positions after Wheeler Star is unified.
Local official positions would be determined by the size of the warlord forces, and they could choose to be stationed on Wheeler Star or on Jiang Ye's other planets, serving as a form of pacification and retirement benefits.
2. Warlord forces that comply with the rules of war will receive corresponding support from Jiang Ye Star, Birong Star, and Exile Star. This support would include urban construction, interstellar enterprises, cash assistance, preferential arms sales, and medical aid.
Regarding medical aid, Jiang Ye added a note that secret, free life-extension surgeries could be provided to the leaders of warlord forces, their families, and close associates.
It's important to note that although the warlords on Wheeler Star, with their troops, appeared imposing, they were essentially paupers. Life-extension surgery was something they could absolutely not afford. Both Rao Cheng Zhou and Gunter were already middle-aged men with wrinkled faces and chronic illnesses; in a few decades, death would be beckoning them.
The opportunity for immortality would be a fatal temptation for these warlord leaders.
3. Warlord forces that comply with the rules of war may retain certain designations after Wheeler Star is unified, and will have the opportunity to participate in the conquest and occupation of new planets outside the Milky Way. Warlord leaders with strength could, with Jiang Ye's support, achieve the unification of new planets.
This point was Jiang Ye's way of painting a grand picture, difficult to realize in the short term, but if future development was good, it wouldn't be impossible for minor warlord leaders to become extraterrestrial generals.
Giving up Wheeler Star to gain a new planet would be a condition that struck a chord with many warlord leaders who felt they couldn't win.
In addition to these, there were some minor carrot tactics, such as providing housing for the families of warlord leaders, and offering their children opportunities for unconditional admission to certain top universities on Jiang Ye Star, Birong Star, and Exile Star. These were minor matters that Jiang Ye mentioned briefly without going into specifics.
Following the carrot strategy was the stick strategy:
1. Any warlord force that deploys a large number of living soldiers in combat, causing massive human casualties, will be subjected to precision nuclear strikes by the Jiang Ye Star fleet. The purpose of these strikes is to eliminate the command centers of the warlord forces, including killing the warlord leaders.
2. Any warlord leader who massacres civilians, regardless of rank, will be sentenced to death for war crimes and crimes against humanity, with their entire clan exterminated.
3. Any warlord force that carries out nuclear or biological weapons strikes on civilian areas or the ceasefire zones designated by Jiang Ye will result in the warlord leaders, regardless of rank, being sentenced to death for war crimes and crimes against humanity, with their clans up to the fifth degree of kinship exterminated.
The carrot strategy outlined a beautiful future, while the stick strategy delivered bloody intimidation.
Huang Bingyan and Wei Hongyang, carrying Jiang Ye's instructions, soon began negotiations with the warlord factions on Wheeler Star.
The negotiation took place in Latitude City, in the temperate zone of Wheeler Star, which was also the venue for the Latitude Summit. It was the only neutral city on the entire planet.
Weng Zimo was responsible for facilitating the talks and presided over the negotiations in the meeting room of the Latitude Summit.
The first negotiation was with the diplomatic delegation of Rao Cheng Zhou, the King of the North Pole.
The chief of the delegation was Rao Cheng Zhou's son, Rao Luding.
Rao Luding was only 18 years old, but he already possessed a considerable presence. He had received an absolute elite education, with experience studying in aristocratic academies on multiple planets. He had seen combat at the age of 16 and began learning to govern territories with Rao Cheng Zhou at 17.
The meaning of his name was clear: "contending for the Central Plains, the Nine Tripods of the Son of Heaven." When Rao Cheng Zhou had this child, he probably felt that he would not live to see the unification of Wheeler Star, but this child might be the one to truly achieve hegemony.
Huang Bingyan was responsible for the face-to-face meeting with Rao Luding. She had initially expected that Rao Luding, as the crown prince of the King of the North Pole and the most likely warlord faction to achieve dominance on Wheeler Star, would be very resistant to the interference of an external power like Jiang Ye.
However, to her surprise, Rao Luding agreed to Jiang Ye's established rules of war in their entirety within just five minutes.
Huang Bingyan was deeply surprised and repeatedly confirmed with Rao Luding whether he could represent his father Rao Cheng Zhou's decision.
Rao Luding nodded seriously and quickly provided a long list of reasons:
"From a realistic perspective, Commander Jiang's rules are based on absolute military strength, so Wheeler Star must comply."
"From an emotional perspective, my father and I do not wish to see a situation of bloodshed. If it's just scattered relays and electrolytes, it seems much better."
"From a perspective of interest, Commander Jiang can provide us with development opportunities, and these opportunities are more important than anything. The people of Wheeler Star wish to live a more prosperous life, not to have millions starve to death every year."
"From the perspective of victory and defeat, fighting wars is largely about money. Whoever has more money can buy more mechs, and whoever has more mechs has a greater chance of winning. We are confident that we can win the war completely. If we cannot win, we will blame neither heaven nor earth, only ourselves for our lack of ability."
"My father and I spend time together day and night, and I understand his thoughts. We discussed it for an entire night before coming here, considering all sorts of situations," Rao Luding said earnestly. "I can guarantee you that my father will agree to Commander Jiang's rules of war."
Huang Bingyan felt a sense of relief. The negotiation was ten times smoother than she had anticipated. She had prepared twenty to thirty different talking points, all of which were now completely useless.
However, the negotiation was not over. Rao Luding and Huang Bingyan continued to discuss in detail for another three days, talking from eight in the morning to eight in the evening each day. Both of them were in a state where their brains felt like they were smoking.
The detailed discussions primarily focused on various aspects of gaining advantages.
For example, Rao Luding hoped that Huang Bingyan's arms sales would offer discounts, that some experienced military officers from Exile Star could be transferred to the North to establish a military academy, that they could receive a batch of food and medicine aid for civilians, and that they could jointly develop some deep mines.
Rao Luding's attitude surprised Huang Bingyan. This young man possessed astonishing calmness and rationality. After confirming his submission to Jiang Ye, he showed no emotional hesitation and immediately busied himself with seizing resources and making intensive preparations for war.
After the negotiation concluded, Huang Bingyan returned to report to Jiang Ye, describing her feelings during the negotiation in detail.
Jiang Ye's expression moved. "This child, Rao Luding, is extraordinary. He has the aura of a ruler. I wonder what kind of person his father is. I must meet him someday."