Tianjing- Heavenly City
"My Lord, as directed, we have searched for and obtained the wanted documents from the Terncan company operating in the Baoshan. It seems as though they have managed to come into possession of various pieces of new technology with which valuable resources, particularly coal and oil, can be detected."
The regional police commissioner paused.
"They predict oil and coal fields of up to 3 billion barrels and 8 million tonnes respectively, as well as extensive gold and mineral reserves, though they are still conducting reconnaissance over the area to determine how much of it could be feasibly extracted."
The Foreign Minister, who went by the name of Pu Ting En shot him a question. "How did you obtain the documents?"
"As instructed, we were to conduct surveillance and permit cross-border activity between the various undeclared Terncan citizens. Enquiries by the local administration came to nothing. Therefore, one night we closed the border and visited the company headquarters. As they refused to comply to an inspection, we had them arrested and upon searching we came upon this treasure trove."
Minister Pu Ting En nodded. Bowing to the Emperor, who as usual remained silent until it came to making a decision, he said, "My Lord, this is a matter of grave concern. I have spent the past weeks monitoring Terncan diplomatic activity and our agents in Ternca have provided us with good information. It does not bode well. As it looks, Ternca might look to use military threat to coerce us into giving them privileged operating rights in the Empire, or invade outright. The raid on the Terncan resource exploration company which is operating in the Baoshan on a small scale- as of now- and on basis of mutual agreement, will drive them to vexation when they hear of it. The Terncans have already been apprehensive at our outstretch toward foreign powers and they feel that our rapid modernization is threatening them."
"Minister Pu, it is not us that are threatening them!" The voice of Interior Minister Ta Ken Ou rang out. "The slavic dogs have been incessantly spreading their toxic beliefs in our country, and it is spreading like the plague! That is why we have been deliberating on cutting ourselves off from them, but they heed not our demands to pull their missionaries out."
Minister of War Wai Shi Ting said, "The Treaty of Jindao of 1560 has led to two hundred years of peace between Ternca and Chen. It set out the boundaries of our realms: along the Baoshan river, and Chen would possess Jindao Island, but would offer no restrictions to Terncan trade through its port. Since then, however, many regimes have taken power on either side, and it would be easy for Ternca to nullify the Treaty. Us cutting off trade could be seen as act of war, as it breaks the Treaty. Most of the Baoshan lies under our control; the question is, is it worth fighting a war over?"
Minister of Economy Wan Mo Ni said, "I have studied the documents. In addition to the resources on our side, their side has extensive fields too, particularly in the western Baoshan area under their control. Even if only half of it can be extracted, it would provide the stimulus and basis for an industrial miracle, one that we really need if we are to compete with the rest of the world."
"Minister Wai, are we capable of fighting a war with Ternca? What are your suggestions?" Minister Pu said.
War Minister Wai said, "A war in the Baoshan would be significantly in our favor. Our foreign friends have provided us with incredible new weapons which are starting to be mass-produced here in Chen, as well as imported from their old stocks at discount prices. The Baoshan provides us with excellent defensive terrain if Ternca is to invade; an offensive executed by our side would however predominantly focus on using our superior numbers. I must warn, nevertheless, that this may entail a war of attrition, which we will win, but which may ruin our country as well as theirs and open us to exploitation by the foreigners. My proposal is to partly mobilise the Wuding Field Army and move an Imperial Corps to the Baoshan; if the Tercans want war, we will give them war, but we will not start it. Meanwhile, we will look to carefully access the resource exploration and extraction equipment that Ternca has as its disposal so we will be able to make use of our treasure lands."
Minister Wai knew how to phrase his proposals to get the Emperor to agree, and sure enough, when it came to it, Emperor Hu of Chen gave his plans green light.
Chen Military ORBAT
OOC:
- I'm OP; Ternca is Co-OP
- Time is late 1800s, we probably should not fix exact dates just yet
- Tech is round about WW1