Fangzhou Xier, starting with failing the art exam

Mecklen exclaimed excitedly, "Your Majesty, the idea of ​​the Peace Games is simply brilliant!"

"I have received letters of intent from at least a dozen consortia who want to sponsor the Games and, incidentally, invest in the sports industry in Letania!"

"That's another huge sum of money!"

Lenia immediately poured cold water on his idea: "The budget for the sports meet hasn't even been finalized yet, and you're already thinking about making money."

"I'm reminding you that this sports meet is a national image project, and every expenditure must be open and transparent. Don't even think about rigging it."

Mecklen's smile immediately vanished.

“Mecklen, Lenia, we’ll settle your score later,” Lacey interrupted them.

"I've gathered everyone here to clarify the core of our strategy for the next stage."

He stood up and walked to the map.

"Whether it's a peace speech or a sports event, they are just means, not ends."

"Our goal is singular—to buy time."

"Serafina, your foreign relations department should take advantage of this opportunity to establish diplomatic relations with as many countries as possible, especially those small and medium-sized countries that have been suppressed by the old empires."

"We must unite them around us and form a united front of international public opinion."

“Mecklen, your Ministry of Economic Affairs must continue to attract foreign investment and deeply integrate their interests with our development.”

“I want to make the capitalists of Victoria and Casimir our lobbyists in their own country.”

"When their government wants to use force against us, the first thing they should consider is whether it will cost their own citizens their livelihoods."

“Gertrude, your intelligence department must prioritize counter-infiltration.”

"At the same time, we will intensify intelligence gathering within Victoria, Kazimir, and Ursus."

Lacey's gaze finally settled on Military Secretary Taylor.

"Taylor, I'm giving you five years."

"Within five years, I want to see at least ten fully-equipped tank divisions and bomber wing units."

"You need to speed up the pace of personnel training."

"I need our army, not only to defend our homeland, but also to plant the red flag of the empire wherever we want, whenever I need it."

A fire ignited in Taylor's eyes. He stood up abruptly, raised his right hand, and gave a crisp military salute: "Mission accomplished, Your Majesty!"

…………

Holy Leitanian Empire: Chapter 98: Target: Syracuse

As the hustle and bustle of the Peace Games gradually subsided, Trinity returned to its usual order and efficiency.

The delegations from various countries left with mixed feelings. They had witnessed a new, strong, and vibrant Letania, but they also felt an indescribable sense of oppression under the red flag with the hammer and sickle.

The Emperor's Office at the top of the Petronas Towers overlooks the rising sun, bathing the entire city in a golden glow.

Instead of appreciating the magnificent scene he had created, Lacey turned his back to the window and stared at the map of Terra hanging on the wall.

His gaze swept across the vast lands of Letania, finally settling on the country to the southeast—Syracuse.

“We’ve created enough of a false sense of peace,” Lacey said.

"The old foxes of Victoria are busy grabbing the crown, the merchants of Kazimierz are calculating their profits, and the bears of Ursus are still hibernating."

"This is our chance."

Inside the office, Taylor, Gertrude, Serafina, Mechlan, and Lenia stood on either side, their expressions solemn.

The success of the sports meet did not make them complacent in the slightest.

"Is the target Syracuse?" Taylor asked.

“That’s right.” Lacey turned to Gertrude. “How’s the intelligence department’s work going?”

Gertrude stepped forward and placed a thick file on the desk in front of Lacey.

"Your Majesty, this is a report from the Intelligence Department after conducting a comprehensive infiltration of Syracuse over the past three months."

"In summary, it can be summed up in eight words: outwardly strong but inwardly weak, utterly rotten."

She opened the file, and photos and charts were displayed in front of everyone.

“The government in Syracuse was controlled by the so-called ‘Council of City-States,’ but in reality, the council was nothing more than a puppet of the various families.”

"Every decision the Speaker makes depends on the opinions of the family representatives on the jury."

“From Montelupe to remote towns, there are more than twenty city-states, each of which is firmly controlled by one or two families who regard the city as their private property and the law as their family rules.”

"What about their army?" Taylor asked in a muffled voice, this was always his biggest concern.

“Vulnerable.” Gertrude’s answer was firm and decisive.

"Their so-called city defense army is more like a family's private armed force, with outdated equipment, poor training, and officers appointed entirely based on blood ties and bribes."

"Their only real combat experience is suppressing civilians and serving as cannon fodder in family feuds," she paused, then added.

"More importantly, public resentment has boiled over, and Syracuse's policy on infected individuals is a mere formality. It is ostensibly for collecting insurance premiums, but in reality, it has become a tool for families to extort money."

“Countless infected people were stripped of everything, either used as tools for their families to amass wealth, or drained of their last drop of blood and thrown into the wilderness.”

"Their fate depends not on the law, but on the whims of the local family leaders."

Lenia added, "Your Majesty, Syracuse was historically an autonomous territory of Letania until it broke away during the time of the Witch King."

“Any action we take against it will have a certain legal basis.”

“We can claim that this is to ‘set things right and save our suffering compatriots’.”

Mecklen chuckled and said, "Eastern Syracuse is rich in forests and, although it doesn't have many minerals, its geographical location is excellent."

“Once it is incorporated into our economic system, eastern Letania will gain a solid barrier, and our goods can penetrate deep into their country and completely destroy their meager handicrafts.”

Lenia pushed up her glasses and, as always, poured cold water on the idea: "War requires enormous expenditures, Minister Mecklenburg. Before you've even secured the market, the national treasury is already being emptied."

“Every shell costs Imperial Marks. I need a detailed budget and a precise assessment of the post-war gains.”

“Lenia, my friend, sometimes you can’t just look at the books when it comes to investing in the future,” Mecklen said, spreading his hands.

"Just think about how much tax revenue and cheap labor a unified and stable Syracuse would bring us?"

"The premise is that you can stabilize it quickly, rather than getting bogged down in a protracted counterinsurgency war."

Seeing that the two were about to argue about the budget again, Lacey raised her hand to stop them.

“Both ministers have valid concerns.” He walked to the map and pointed to Syracuse’s capital, Montelupe.

"Therefore, we cannot fight a slow war."

"Before the families of Syracuse could react, we struck at their heart."

He turned to Taylor: "Taylor, how are your armored forces preparing?"

Taylor straightened his chest: "Your Majesty, the First and Second Armored Divisions have been reorganized, and the Tiger tanks and their accompanying armored personnel carriers are ready to be deployed at any time."

"The Air Force's Stuka dive bomber wing has also completed joint exercises with ground forces."

"With just your command, the steel torrent of Letania will flatten the borders of Syracuse within twenty-four hours!"

“Very good.” Lacey’s gaze turned to Gertrude.

"But war cannot be started without a cause. We need an excuse, a reason that can unite all the people of Letania in their hatred of the enemy."

Gertrude's lips curled into a smile: "Your Majesty, I understand."

“I need a conflict,” Lacey said in a low voice, “a conflict that looks like it was initiated by Syracuse.”

“I need our civilians to be treated unfairly, even to the point of bloodshed, at the border.”

"Then, I need your propaganda machine to amplify this a hundredfold and spread it to every corner of the empire."

“I want every Letanian to believe that Syracuse struck first and we were forced to retaliate.”

Serafina's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but she said nothing.

She knew that this was the unavoidable dark side of politics in the new era.

"give it to me."

Gertrude agreed without hesitation.

"I will arrange the most reliable people, and within three days you will get the headlines you want."

Lacey nodded in satisfaction. "Serafina, what about the diplomatic situation?"

Serafina, the Minister of Foreign Affairs who had been listening quietly, spoke up: "The large families in Syracuse are constantly fighting amongst themselves, making it impossible for them to form a unified diplomatic strategy."

"They would even proactively leak intelligence to us in order to strike at their opponents."

“Syracuse has no real allies internationally either.”

"As long as we act quickly enough and have a good enough reason, by the time Victoria and the others realize what's happening, the deed will be done."

Lacey listened without comment, then looked at the other two: "Mecklen, Lenia."

"Once war begins, the economy and finances must keep up."

"I need you to develop a detailed plan on how to quickly take over Syracuse's economic system after the war, issue the Reich Mark, and stabilize prices."

"Understood," the two replied in unison.

"That's settled then," Lacey waved her hand. "Go and prepare, everyone."

The cabinet members bowed and took their leave.

Holy Lytania Empire: Chapter 99: Not an inch of Syracuse's land will be given up!

Lukalia, a border town in Syracuse, is a place shrouded in damp fog year-round.

This is a gray area where Letania and Syracuse intersect, where the power of the law is diluted, and family rules are the only ironclad law.

In the busiest tavern in town, the "Grey Wolf," three men dressed as Letanian merchants were playing cards with a group of locals.

They were dressed plainly, had loud voices, and looked like ordinary merchants who traveled between the two countries year-round.

These are Gertrude's most capable intelligence agents; they are not good at infiltration, but they are adept at stirring up trouble in the streets.

Hey! You're cheating!

A Syracusan man with a scar on his face slammed his fist on the table and pointed at the leading Letanian merchant.

"You can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want."

The merchant slowly revealed his hand, looking completely innocent.

"Just lucky, my friend."

"Enough with the nonsense! In Lucaria, only those who are unlucky dare to claim they are lucky!"

Scarface's companions immediately surrounded him; they all bore the same family crest tattooed on their chests—a roaring Luper.

The atmosphere solidified instantly.

The others in the tavern stepped back, watching the scene with a sense of normalcy.

Here, it's as common for outsiders to be harassed by local families as it is for rain during the rainy season.

"We are citizens of Letania and are protected by Imperial laws!"

Another businessman stood up and tried to reason with him, but his voice sounded particularly weak amidst the other man's sneer.

"Laetonia? The emperor's laws don't apply here!"

Scarface flipped the table over, shattering wine glasses and coins all over the floor.

"If we don't leave your goods today, we'll leave your hands behind!"

A premeditated conflict thus erupted.

Adhering to the principle of "not initiating harm, but making sure the injury is severe enough," the three intelligence agents were gradually forced to retreat in the ensuing physical fight.

They didn't use any fighting skills that would reveal their identities; they simply covered their heads and faces in vain, like ordinary merchants, and groaned in pain.

Soon, they were beaten black and blue, and one of them dislocated his arm by hitting him with a chair leg, making a sickeningly loud cracking sound.

The Lucaria city garrison arrived late, or rather, they strolled over leisurely after watching the show end.

The leading captain glanced at the Leitanian man lying on the ground, then at the swaggering family members, and simply waved his hand lazily: