I was a knight in the Middle Ages

Chapter 401 International Situation

"Captain Wesley, what are your thoughts on the current complicated international situation?" Prince Ahmed sat upright in a luxurious chair, his expression showing a scrutinizing look.

Ahmed specially summoned the chief of staff who had recently joined him. His purpose was self-evident. He wanted to take this opportunity to evaluate whether it was worth using his deep connections to promote Wesley to the position of head of the group. In the eyes of the prince, Wesley might be a chess piece that could be carved and played a key role in the future situation.

"Your Highness, what specific aspect of the international situation do you want to know?" Wesley bowed slightly, his tone respectful and cautious. He knew very well that every word he said at this moment was like walking on a tightrope. The domestic situation was complicated and the forces of all parties were intertwined. If he was not careful, saying a wrong word could lead to unpredictable serious consequences and put himself in an irreparable situation.

"Then let's talk about the overall international situation!" Prince Ahmed waved his hand gently, with a barely perceptible fear flashing in his eyes.

Even though Ahmed was extremely powerful and could call the shots in the Ottoman Empire, he did not dare to touch upon the extremely sensitive topic of domestic affairs. The struggles hidden in the dark could easily detonate the bombs hidden in the dark, plunging the entire empire into deeper chaos.

"Okay, Your Highness." Wesley nodded slightly, his face showing a thoughtful expression. He paused for a moment, sorted out his thoughts, and then slowly spoke, "The current international situation is unpredictable and turbulent. In this era of change, the old forces are gradually shrinking their defenses and trying to maintain their shaky positions; while new forces are springing up like mushrooms after rain, quietly rising in every corner, trying to break the old pattern. This is undoubtedly a critical period full of opportunities and challenges. Every decision and every action may become a turning point in rewriting history."

As he spoke, Wesley strode to the side and spread out a huge map on the table. On the map, the borders of various countries, important cities and strategic locations were clearly marked. He pointed to the map and began to elaborate on his profound understanding of the international situation. Every gesture and every look revealed his confidence and professionalism. He knew in his heart that this was a great opportunity. If he could win the appreciation and trust of Prince Ahmed, he would be able to gain higher-level support and be one step closer to his ambition. His goal was not just to be an ordinary head of a regiment. He was ambitious and wanted to become the iron-blooded prime minister of the Ottoman Empire and control the fate of the empire.

Looking at the Ottoman Empire, only Prince Ahmed in front of him still maintains a rational mindset and has a clear understanding of the situation. The other princes and crown princes in the country are still immersed in the glory of the past empire, turning a blind eye to the many crises hidden in the dark. Wesley sighed in his heart. If these people continue to control the government, then in no more than a hundred years, the once powerful Ottoman Empire will completely sink and will never rise again.

"The current situation is mainly reflected in the continuous chaos in Central Europe, in which the old German empire is deeply trapped and at the center of the storm. They have been severely damaged by the baptism of war, and it is almost impossible for them to restore their former strength in the short term. However, the most far-reaching influence on our Ottoman Empire is the pirate alliance headed by the Netherlands and Portugal. With their advanced navigation technology and powerful naval force, they have an absolute advantage on the ocean. Even in the most powerful period of our Ottoman Empire, it was difficult to confront their maritime hegemony head-on." As Wesley spoke, he slid his finger along the coastline on the map, pointing out the sphere of influence of the pirate alliance. With a serious expression, he emphasized the threat of the primary enemy to the prince.

"They are powerful enemies at sea, but what does this have to do with our strongest army? Our cavalry is invincible on land, so why should we be afraid of pirates who are rampant on the sea?" Prince Ahmed frowned slightly, with a look of disapproval on his face. Obviously, he was still deeply trapped in the old thinking of the great empire and did not really realize the huge threat of enemies at sea. In his mind, the Ottoman Empire's army was the foundation of its hegemony, and he did not pay enough attention to the power on the sea.

"Originally, the impact of these powerful enemies at sea on us was indeed limited. After all, our main battlefield is on land, and the strength of the army gives us absolute say on land. But now, the situation has changed dramatically. The advent of the magic gun has completely broken the original balance." Wesley said, turning and pointing to a magic gun placed on the ground.

The magic spear gleamed with a cold metallic luster in the dim light, as if telling of its extraordinary power. "This small magic spear, though seemingly inconspicuous, has amazing power. It has greatly weakened the combat effectiveness of our strongest knights. In the past, our knights were wearing heavy armor, holding sharp blades, charging on the battlefield, and no one could stop them. But now, facing the attack of the magic spear, their advantages have disappeared, and the gap in combat effectiveness on land has been drastically reduced." Wesley's eyes revealed deep worry, as if he had seen the precarious fate of the empire in the future.

At first, Wesley, like most people, did not take the appearance of the magic spear seriously, thinking it was just a flash in the pan and would not cause any big waves. However, when he witnessed the tragic scene of three elite knights being almost annihilated by the attack of three thousand ordinary soldiers armed with magic spears, he woke up from his dream and truly realized the coming of the crisis. The bloody battlefield and the fallen knights became an indelible shadow in his heart.

"Although these magic gunners still have some defects, such as slow reloading speed and low accuracy, please think about it, Your Highness. As long as they are properly developed and improved over time, and the magic guns continue to improve and eventually develop to the point where ordinary people can use them easily, what will happen? By then, the knight, a once glorious profession, may be completely abandoned by the times, and the armor we are proud of will no longer be able to guarantee our safety." Wesley said, and fell into deep thought about the future. In his mind, a series of terrible pictures emerged: on the battlefield, knights fell one after another, the empire's defense line collapsed, and the people fell into dire straits...

"If the magic spear technology cannot be improved, it will be a blessing for us. But if they succeed, it will have an immeasurable impact on our future." Prince Ahmed's face became very solemn and he said worriedly. He finally realized the seriousness of the problem and prayed silently in his heart, not wanting to see that terrible era come.

Wesley stood in front of the huge military sand table, his expression focused and determined, his eyes fixed on the flag representing the Ottoman Empire on the sand table, and a grand blueprint was outlined in his mind. He was well aware of the huge potential contained in the magic gun technology. In his opinion, even if the magic gun technology did not make any breakthroughs in the short term, with the existing technical foundation, as long as he was given ten years, he would be confident that he could achieve the great goal of universal cultivation.

Imagine how powerful it would be when every citizen of the Ottoman Empire could master combat skills and possess a certain level of combat effectiveness. By then, it would only take five to ten years for the magic spear to be widely used in the empire without restriction, and become a powerful weapon for the imperial army to defeat the enemy.

In the Ottoman Empire, there is another unique advantage - the magic pool. The mysterious power contained in the magic pool can greatly enhance the strength of practitioners. Wesley knew that if the magic pool could be used reasonably and combined with the promotion of magic spear technology, the knights who were once majestic on the battlefield would become a burden in the empire's military system in three to five years at most. He knew too well the high cost of knight training, which was simply a bottomless pit. The reason why the Ottoman Empire could barely support such a huge expenditure on knight training was that it continuously exploited the resources of all colonies. Once the support of these resources was lost, the knight system would collapse instantly.

"You mean, even without knights, we can still dominate the continent?" Prince Ahmed was excited when he heard this. He sat on the gorgeous chair, leaning forward slightly, his eyes flashing with excitement.

As an important figure in the empire, Prince Ahmed is well aware of the difficulties the empire is facing today. The biggest burden is the huge military expenditure and the nobles' unrestrained extravagance and waste.

Every penny of military expenditure is closely related to the fate of the country, but what is heartbreaking is that the nobles of the empire seem to be blinded by greed. Not only do they not realize the seriousness of the problem, but they have further cut necessary military expenditures and indulged themselves in extravagant and wasteful behavior. This indifference and short-sightedness to reality is like a time bomb that will sooner or later shake the foundation of the empire's rule.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wesley answered affirmatively without hesitation, his tone firm and full of confidence. He straightened his back and looked at the prince firmly, as if showing him a glorious future that had already been realized.

"Please continue to talk about the international situation!" Prince Ahmed was very excited. He originally felt that his hope of becoming king was slim, but the blueprint drawn by Wesley made him see a new dawn and ignited infinite longing in his heart.

On the international stage, the situation is turbulent and unpredictable. The major forces are like giant beasts hiding in the dark, spying on each other and checking and balancing each other.

The political landscape is like an intricate web. The game between powerful countries is thrilling, the competition for resources is fierce and cruel, and territorial disputes are on the verge of breaking out. Every slight change may trigger a chain reaction, making the international situation more complex and tense.

Prince Ahmed knew very well that in such a chaotic situation, if the Ottoman Empire wanted to seek development and rise, it must have keen insight, be able to accurately grasp the pulse of the situation, and have decisive decision-making ability to make the right choices at critical moments.

Wesley walked to the map, moved his finger slowly on it, and made an in-depth and detailed analysis of the strength and trends of various countries. He pointed out that some countries are investing a lot of resources to step up the research and development of new weapons and technologies in an attempt to gain an overwhelming military advantage and thus dominate the international stage.

For example, the powerful countries in the north, their scientific research teams worked day and night, and have made major breakthroughs in the research and development of new artillery, which is several times more powerful than traditional magic guns. Other countries are actively carrying out diplomatic activities, hoping to achieve a win-win situation through alliances and cooperation. Several small countries in the south have united to form a trade alliance, not only supporting each other economically, but also reaching a mutual assistance agreement in the military to jointly resist external threats.

However, Prince Ahmed sneered at the proposal of cooperation and was not interested at all. In his mind, the Ottoman Empire was the most powerful empire, with supreme glory and dignity. In his opinion, cooperation with other countries would only make the empire lose face and undermine the majesty of the empire. His eyes revealed arrogance and stubbornness, as if the whole world should revolve around the Ottoman Empire.

Wesley was very disappointed with Prince Ahmed's limitations. He knew that this blind arrogance would become a huge obstacle to the development of the empire. But he also understood that this was caused by the empire's glorious history and arrogant culture, which was difficult to change in a short time. In this case, he could only try to find a relatively good solution among many less than ideal options, trying to open up a new path for the empire, even if this path was full of thorns and bumps.

"The Maritime Alliance is now firmly seated on its position as the overlord of the sea, and its power is at its peak. Once they make a breakthrough in magic gun technology, or have a considerable number of magic gunners under their command, the whole world will inevitably fall into an abyss of turmoil. Therefore, our top priority at the moment is to do everything we can to limit the development of the Pirate Alliance." Wesley looked solemn, his eyes fixed on the area on the map that represented the Pirate Alliance's sphere of influence. He regarded it as the number one rival of the Ottoman Empire, and his words were full of worry and vigilance about the situation.