Koshevo quickly learned what it meant to be truly targeted—
The Small Ruined Pot had work meals, as the funds for these meals were sponsored by the Five Benevolent Ones. Therefore, the work meals for the representatives of the Five Benevolent Ones stationed at the Small Ruined Pot consisted of two meat dishes and one vegetable dish. Representatives from other countries stationed at the Small Ruined Pot only received two vegetable dishes. Countries like Japan and the Ottoman Empire might receive an extra egg or sausage as a form of commendation. Moreover, the representatives of the Five Benevolent Ones could openly dine at the central table, with only five people per table. Other countries' representatives had to squeeze together, with ten people starting per table.
Additionally, the representative of the Great Ming stationed at the Small Ruined Pot could openly bring their own food, such as tea eggs and pickled vegetables. The French representative also often secretly brought baguettes, which could serve as a post-meal snack or be used for self-defense. Representatives from countries like the Sand Goose, the Silly Thief Eagle, and England also frequently brought their own snacks.
The situation for post-meal fruits and drinks was similar. Representatives of the Five Benevolent Ones stationed at the Small Ruined Pot could choose orange juice, peach juice, or tea. Representatives from other countries could only drink plain boiled water.
Even the parking shed in front of the Small Ruined Pot's office building and the general store on the first floor of the Small Ruined Pot's office building discriminated based on who you were. Vehicles belonging to representatives of the Five Benevolent Ones could be parked in the shed, while vehicles belonging to other representatives had to endure the wind, rain, sun, and snow. Representatives of the Five Benevolent Ones bought things at fair prices, while representatives of other countries had to pay extra.
This was unavoidable. The person in charge of guarding the parking shed was a retired veteran from the Great Ming's Imperial Guards First Division, and the owner of the general store was the Great Ming Emperor's elder brother-in-law, the full sister of the third concubine of Wanyan Agudai, the leader of the Solun tribe. Not only could the representatives of other countries stationed at the Small Ruined Pot not afford to offend them, but even the representatives of the Five Benevolent Ones stationed at the Small Ruined Pot were unwilling to provoke them. xxs1
This was the premise.
Koshevo's work meal was reduced to one meat dish and one vegetable dish. Although he was still seated at the central table in the dining hall, a meat dish had inexplicably disappeared. His act of secretly bringing in bread and kvass was also openly mocked by the French representative stationed at the Small Ruined Pot. Subsequently, the post-meal fruits and drinks he could previously choose freely became somewhat problematic, and he was notified of a price increase when buying things at the general store.
After experiencing this series of targeted actions, Koshevo, along with several Sand Goose envoys, found Shen Hao, intending to discuss the matter with him: "Is your Ming country intending to kick us Sand Geese out of the ranks of the Five Benevolent Ones?"
However, Shen Hao did not entertain Koshevo's point at all: "Don't talk nonsense. I've never said anything like that. Be careful, or I'll accuse you of defamation!"
Koshevo was somewhat bewildered by Shen Hao's triple denial.
After careful consideration, Koshevo tentatively asked, "Then, what is going on with you today? I feel like I'm being targeted?"
Shen Hao chuckled and then nodded seriously: "Be confident. You can completely remove the word 'seems'—you are indeed being targeted! Furthermore, the current targeting is merely to teach you a lesson and make you recognize reality. If you Sand Geese continue to be stubborn, the subsequent events will be hard to say."
Koshevo's face darkened, and he turned to look at Batiysky, the Sand Goose Minister of Defense sent by Alexander.
Batiysky did not disappoint Koshevo. After a moment of thought, he said with a solemn expression, "It seems that your Ming country intends to support the Ottoman Empire? I must remind you that the issues between the Sand Goose and the Ottoman Empire are European matters and have nothing to do with your Ming country! If you insist on going your own way..."
Liu Erniu, sitting next to Shen Hao, immediately became interested: "If our Great Ming insists on going its own way, what do you plan to do? Declare war on the Great Ming?"
As soon as Liu Erniu finished speaking, the representatives on the Great Ming side all started laughing—war? War would be good! If there were no war, where would military merits come from? How would promotions be obtained? And how could titles be elevated?
Even if they didn't consider themselves, didn't consider merits, promotions, and titles, as big shots from the Five Military Commissions and the Ministry of War, shouldn't they at least consider their subordinate "killing machines"?
After all, Great Ming's military officers were afraid of their wives. When reprimanded by their wives, they would feel unhappy, and when unhappy, they would want to kill someone to vent their anger—weren't the Sand Geese just walking into this situation?
Looking at the expectant expressions of the Great Ming representative stationed at the Small Ruined Pot and the military big shots, Batiysky's face became darker and darker, and Koshevo's face had long been as dark as stinky dog feces.
Koshevo and Batiysky wanted to slam the table and rise, but the moment they thought of the live-fire exercise they had just watched yesterday, both Koshevo and Batiysky couldn't help but feel a surge of despair.
The Ming army carrying sabers and spears?
Don't be ridiculous! The Ming army's firearms and artillery, whether in range or accuracy, far surpassed the Sand Goose's most advanced firearms and artillery. How could the Sand Goose confront the Ming army head-on?
They had been tricked by that bastard Alexander!
After suppressing his anger, Koshevo simply shook his head slightly, signaling Batiysky to calm down.
Koshevo said, "I admit that recently the Sand Goose has indeed clashed with the Great Ming in certain aspects, but the Sand Goose has no intention of offending the Great Ming Empire. As one of the Five Benevolent Ones of the Small Ruined Pot, we should cast aside past grievances and work together for the peace of the Small Earth, shouldn't we?"
Batiysky also snorted coldly: "Your Ming country is one of the Five Benevolent Ones of the Small Ruined Pot, and our Sand Goose is also one of the Five Benevolent Ones of the Small Ruined Pot. If there is a conflict between our two countries, I'm afraid many countries will be waiting to watch the show? Therefore, it would be better to, like Koshe..."
Before Batiysky could finish speaking, Shen Hao smiled and shook his head, saying, "It doesn't matter, it really doesn't matter. The Great Ming doesn't mind people watching the show—on the premise that someone dares to watch."
Koshevo's heart sank. He looked at Shen Hao and asked, "What do we need to do to restore everything to its original state?"
This was considered backing down—the original state meant the Great Ming leading the entire Small Ruined Pot, with the Sand Goose, France, England, and the Silly Thief Eagle, the four great benevolent ones, tightly united around the Great Ming, acting according to the Emperor Zhu's will.
In other words, Koshevo intended to have a good talk with Shen Hao.
However, to Koshevo's surprise, Shen Hao smiled and said, "It's very simple. Since Paul I is already critically ill, there's no need for resuscitation—given the Sand Goose's current national strength, it doesn't seem to have any surplus medical resources to save Paul I?"
Koshevo's heart sank, and he continued to ask, "And then?"
Shen Hao smiled and said, "Then, Alexander needs to send an imperial prince to reside in the capital of the Great Ming. When Alexander is critically ill in the future, the Great Ming will naturally allow the imperial prince to return to the Sand Goose to ascend the throne as Tsar."
ps: Wishing all the silly readers a Happy National Day!