CHAPTER 429: CHAPTER 429: THE EMPEROR IS IN NO HURRY, BUT THE EUNUCH IS

All these were misunderstandings that Shire intentionally made the Germans believe.

The ammunition transport ship, coupled with the sound of tanks roaring at night in Brussels, easily led people to think that fuel had landed in Antwerp.

Among these, Shire added some details:

He arranged for personnel at the port to transport barrels, one vehicle after another, but the barrels were filled with water instead of oil.

Then a truck fully loaded with barrels coincidentally appeared on the streets of Brussels. It was originally covered tightly with canvas, heading towards the stadium used as a barracks. Coincidentally, it broke down on the way, and French Army soldiers had to transfer the barrels to another vehicle.

Then came the sounds of tanks and vehicles running at night, completing the chain of evidence.

The French Army was not short of fuel, and their armored units had already entered Brussels, preparing to launch a thunderous strike against the German Army attempting to break through.

...

When Shire shared this idea, both Tijani and Albert I were too shocked to speak.

"You, you really plan to do this?" Albert I stammered, "It’s just... this simple? The Germans will believe we have fuel?"

"What else?" Shire replied with a question.

Then he recalled something and said with a solemn face, "Oh, right. We should also ’block the news,’ instructing everyone involved not to mention anything about transporting fuel. This is top secret."

Albert I and Tijani almost collapsed. Matters of life and death concerning Belgium’s fate seemed like child’s play in Shire’s mouth.

"But this doesn’t seem quite right." Colonel Edison, who was unaware of the details, looked puzzled, "If we already have fuel, why do we still need to collect it from civilians through the guerrillas?"

This was also what Albert I wanted to ask.

"To trick them into breaking through from Tibet." Tijani briefly explained the situation, and both of them suddenly understood.

Colonel Edison looked at Shire in astonishment, "So, the guerrillas can safely collect fuel while the Germans don’t think we lack it. It’s a great idea, General, there couldn’t be a better one!"

Albert I laughed heartily and patted Shire’s shoulder, "Now I understand why only you can reach Antwerp. No one else has such wisdom, Brigadier General."

Tijani still had a bit of worry on his face, "What about the British? They know the truth."

Albert I and Colonel Edison instantly turned pale, not having considered this point.

Colonel Edison hesitated and said, "They probably won’t do anything, right? After all, we are allies..."

"No, they will." Albert I shook his head and said through gritted teeth, "I know the Minister of the Navy, he is someone who will do anything for profit. If he doesn’t get his way, he might indeed leak the truth."

The command room fell silent instantly. No matter how they circled around, they couldn’t get past the British.

Shire, however, looked relaxed, "We’ll do our own thing, no need to mind the British."

Everyone looked puzzled, how could they ignore them?

Once the British expose it, everything will be for naught!

Tijani thought of something. He "oh"ed softly and nodded slightly, looking at Shire in admiration, "You have everything calculated, Brigadier General, flawless!"

...

That day, a dense fog rose in London, covering everything in a layer of white muslin.

The lights on the streets became hazy, with golden halos diffusing through the fog, like diluted paint.

The sound of Big Ben penetrated the mist, bearing a steady and resolute rhythm, like a messenger of time arriving at the villa of the Minister of the Navy.

(The picture above shows one of London’s iconic buildings, Big Ben, built in 1859.)

The study of the Minister of the Navy was equally shrouded in smoke. He held a lit cigar in his hand, with his favorite brandy placed on the desk, taking turns with smoke and drink, looking at the telegram sent by General Winter with slightly intoxicated eyes.

No, nothing at all.

All were reports about the Dardanelles Strait, which he didn’t care about.

The Minister of the Navy stopped his actions and stared for a while. Shire hadn’t responded at all!

After thinking for a while, he had the butler send a telegram to inquire, and the reply was: "Shire has not answered yet."

The Minister of the Navy frowned, shouldn’t Shire be the one anxious?

Not long after, General Winter sent another telegram: "I just asked Shire, and his reply was ’then we’ll just have to wait for the German submarines to leave.’"

The Minister of the Navy looked at the telegram incredulously.

Did Shire misunderstand the telegram’s meaning and simply interpret it literally?

No, impossible!

After hesitating a bit, the Minister of the Navy sent a telegram to the French Navy Minister to inquire: "How is the battle in Antwerp progressing? I heard there’s some trouble there."

The two being heads of their respective navies had a good relationship before.

The Navy Minister replied, "Yes, I heard they have issues with fuel. They’re relying on guerrillas to collect gasoline from civilians."

The Minister of the Navy was instantly stunned. Wasn’t the fuel deficiency a military secret? Shire actually had guerrillas collect it from civilians? Wouldn’t that make it common knowledge, including to the Germans?

Soon, the Navy Minister sent another telegram: "Your country should send fuel to Shire. This can decide the outcome of the battle. You ought to do something!"

The Minister of the Navy casually replied: "Sorry, it’s because of the German submarines. You know, the Germans likewise don’t want Shire to get fuel, so they’ve deployed numerous submarines in the related sea areas."

This made sense. The Germans had indeed dispatched submarines in an attempt to blockade Antwerp.

But the truth was, as long as Britain was willing, they could still dispatch a powerful fleet to escort transport ships into Antwerp. This was not a difficult task.

The Minister of the Navy’s thoughts were elsewhere. He was puzzled about where the problem was. Why did Shire dare to do this?

He paced back and forth a few steps at his desk, then sent another telegram to the Navy Minister: "What about the Germans? How did they react when they found out Shire was short on fuel?"

The Navy Minister replied: "The Germans didn’t seem to react much. They’re still breaking through around Mons."

This was one of the reasons the French military wasn’t anxious.

The Minister of the Navy was perplexed. There really was such a strange situation?

One side is not afraid of exposing their weakness, while the other side knowing the opponent’s weakness yet chooses to ignore it...

Suddenly, the Minister of the Navy understood.

He laughed heartily, "This is Shire’s tactic, a brilliant maneuver. This little fellow is playing the Germans like a fiddle."

Then he shook his head with a sigh, "Too bad, he still can’t fool me."

The Minister of the Navy joyfully sat back in his chair, with a hint of coldness gleaming in his smiling eyes.

It’s time to put some pressure on Shire!