The problem of the entire Suez Canal has become complicated. If you want to understand the cost, you must think about what kind of canal to be built. The Empire’s demand in this regard is that this canal must be able to navigate 5,000-ton ships, which is also the maximum tonnage that wooden sailboats can build. If this can be done, the main fleet of the Imperial Navy can appear in the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic. You must know that the tonnage of the largest first-class battleship in the Imperial Navy is about 3,500 tons.

Of course, as a person who has been entrusted by his father to all the secrets, Li Junwei knew that there would be a large ship of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of tons in the future. However, in his opinion, by successfully digging the Suez Canal, he could reach into the Egyptian region and take one step at a time to fully control this area. After all, the canal can also be excavated and dredged and expanded.

The Ottoman Empire did not have such a great demand. The mainstream maritime trade ships are still less than 1,000 tons. Even if the intercontinental trade ships that the Suez Canal need to serve, their tonnage is only about 2,000 tons, so there is no need to dig such a large canal.

Faced with Hussein's request, Li Junwei directly gave an alternative plan, simply not digging the canal, just build a Suez Railway that communicates between the north and the south. Li Junwei also gave a preferential condition. The Ottoman Empire should not pay anything or care about anything. After the Suez Railway is completed and put into use, the annual profit generated can be 35% of the Ottomans.

At the end of the negotiations, not only Hussein was too strong, but even Li Junwei felt a little overwhelmed. The two sides were forced to stop the negotiations and agreed to restart a new round of negotiations in Suez Port, and each went back to prepare for bargaining chips.

In fact, the negotiations lasted for two years. During this process, Ottoman also hired engineers to explore the Isthmus of Suez from countries such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, which had developed water transportation and had experience in building canals. After receiving this news, Li Junwei immediately protested because before that, Ottoman had proposed that the empire be responsible for all the technical work of the canal to obtain 10% of the shares in advance.

However, the Ottoman exploration continued, but Li Junwei's protest was just a plan. He secretly arranged for Zhao Mingde to suspend the construction of the Suez Canal. At that time, the canal from Cairo to Suez Port had been completed, but the branch line to the north of Said Port was still under planning. The reason for the canal was to prevent the Ottoman Empire from using the canal to discover a major secret.

As Li Junwei expected, what the Ottomans' exploration results were outrageously wrong? They discovered that the surface of the Red Sea was more than ten meters higher than that of the Mediterranean Sea? This means that the canal must be built to operate the sluice gates? And this size of sluice gates is completely impossible to achieve by current technology.

But Li Junwei and his son knew very well that the Suez Canal in later generations was completely a bright river? It was digging a river directly in the desert and there was no need for a lock? This is also why Li Junwei proposed to guarantee the technical risk of opening the canal from the beginning? Ten percent of the profits were completely profitable.

The Ottoman exploration did not bring much profit to it, but instead led to the Ottoman Empire making many wrong decisions on its own interests. The transfer of 10% of the shares to the Empire was only a trivial aspect. In order to avoid the failure of the Suez Canal? The Ottomans asked the Empire to build a Suez Railway together with the Port of Said and Port of Suez? As a backup of this canal, because the railway technology is unique to the Empire, the Suez Railway Company was entirely undertaken by the Empire, but because the Ottoman Empire provided land, it occupied 25% of the shares.

Therefore, the Suez Canal plan became a gradual plan, first digging the canal? Then open the railway, and finally digging the Suez Canal. For the new plan? The empire also chose to agree, because Li Mingxun, who came from later generations, knew that the canal in later generations used more than one million workers? More than one hundred thousand died? A large number of mechanical equipment was used to finally pass. Even if the canal excavated now is not that large, it is not something that can be borne.

If the Suez Canal is to be opened, there must be a country that dominates the local forces. The Ottomans cannot control the empire, and only the empire can control Egypt. The canals, immigration routes and railways are the steps that the empire can control Egypt step by step, and in the end it is the empire to dominate the Suez Canal.

In the end, the so-called Suez Canal plan is more like a pyramid scheme in a short period of time. Although the Ottoman and the Empire have not reached an agreement on the canal issue, and there is not even a timetable for the opening of the canal, both sides are sincerely handling this matter and are more sincerely promoting it.

The empire needed the Suez Canal to develop the Suez Canal and even all the border areas in Xijin to provide an explanation for the empire's foreign policy in Europe. The Ottoman Empire was even more direct. They needed the Suez Canal Plan to join forces with the sacred alliances in Europe. In fact, this is indeed very useful.

The Suez Canal was finally started in the twenty-eighth year of the empire, that is, four years later, and it was not until the thirty-eighth year of the empire, that is, the first year of the next century. However, at that time, both the Suez Canal, Egypt, and even the Ottoman Empire had changed.

"Actually, I don't think it's so troublesome. Now that the Ottomans are going to war with so many countries, we simply join the battlefield and take down the Sinai Peninsula and the Isthmus of Suez. We are not developing as much as we want, so why do we look at the faces of the Ottomans?" Pei Yuanqi was quite unhappy after receiving the news.

Li Junwei said: "If that is the case, it will destroy our continental strategy and offshore balance. Although we are bordering many European countries and can be said to be a country that trans-European territory, there is still no need to intervene in the continental war.

If we end up and give the Ottomans a knife behind our back, I am very worried that this knife would stab the wrong place and kill it directly. Without the Ottoman Empire, the Tianfang Cult will lose its backbone. Who will balance the power of Christianity? Russia and Poland are close to us because of the existence of the Ottoman Empire. Once this country is gone, they will be closer to us than us, and we will become their biggest threat."

Pei Yuanqi nodded: "Actually, the biggest problem is lack of strength."

"Yes, whether it is the war in the continental region or the development of the Suez Canal, it is an excellent development opportunity for Xijin and even the Nanyang region. There is no need to do anything now, so it's better to work hard to develop. With more cards in your hand, you can be at ease in this game." Li Junwei smiled and comforted his friend.

Li Junwei was also quite helpless in this regard. Although the empire was strong and had an advantage in all aspects, it was still at the edge of the geopolitical structure. There were many powerful countries in the continental countries, and the power of the empire was difficult to radiate here. After all, it was necessary to have a strong backing in the region. The Xijin area was the top priority. Only the strength of the Xijin area could lay the foundation for the expansion of the empire's interests in the continent.

"Are you going back to China or to fight with me?" Pei Yuanqi asked directly.

Li Junwei said: "I still have to return to China. The current situation in the continental region is not only a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Xijin, but also a strategic opportunity period that is rare for the empire. When Istanbul, Hussein introduced me to the messenger of the French king. The French proposed that we should adopt a consistent attitude on the issue of the merger of Britain and the Netherlands. Do you know that this means that a world war is about to begin."

When Pei Yuanqi heard this, he immediately understood that if there is the country in Europe now, it must be France under the leadership of King Louis XIV of the Sun. After he ascended the throne, he had won the War of Legacy and the French-Dutch War. These two wars have made France the hegemon of Europe, not only the first on land, but also the first on the navy. France's power in the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic Ocean was unparalleled.

France is a typical feudal royal country. Louis XIV monopolizes the power of the country and can even control the nobles of the country in Versailles. The country is full of famous generals and the country is prosperous.

Now Central and Eastern Europe and Southern Europe have been involved in the war between the Holy Alliance and the Ottomans. If France starts war due to the merger of Britain and the Netherlands, it means that the entire continent will be in a state of war, and a world-class power like the Empire cannot stay out of the matter.

"Are you going to take the land or sea route?" Pei Yuanqi asked.

Li Junwei said: "Walking on the sea road, Suez is still open. I have agreed with Hussein that the Black Sea Fleet will carry out a large-scale operation and set off from West Bin to Port Said. On the one hand, it is to show the existence of the Imperial Navy in the Mediterranean, and on the other hand, it is to tell the Europeans that our determination to develop the Suez Canal.

Of course, when you go back by sea, the most important thing will be to stop in Nanyang cities such as Penang and Huacheng. Recently, the expulsion of illegal labor in Nanyang is getting more and more intense. Instead of expelling them, it is better to identify and send Xijin to Xijin. Normal immigrants are difficult to change Xijin's demand for labor. Since Xijin has now accepted Jews who believe in Judaism, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Romanians who believe in Orthodoxism, then accepting some Burmese, Siamese, Vietnamese and other Buddhists is naturally not a problem. In Nanyang, these people are worthy of vigilance, but in Xijin, they can only unite closely around us, right?"

Pei Yuanqi is very grateful to Li Junwei for always taking his affairs to heart. He also said: "Indeed, we have always been to come to the Eastern Confucian cultural circle, or ethnic groups that do not have in Xijin, such as Buddhists. In fact, the Koreans are not good, and they are also one of the main immigrants in the border areas over the years, and the Japanese can do it too.

If the Tianfang scholars are inevitable, I suggest that they are Javanese in South China, with many Javanese people. Moreover, the Tianfang scholar they believe in is improved and can worship ancestors and Hindu gods. This is easier to manage and the belief is not so extreme...."

"Okay, okay, if you have any requirements, please tell Shen Jing. I'll just help you, and I won't do anything wrong in Nanyang." Li Junwei's arrogant attitude towards his friend was not ashamed of his face.

Two days later, Li Junwei sat on the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet to Port Said, and a guest accompanied him, Joseph, the Jewish merchant, drank coffee in the captain's room and said, "His Royal Highness Yu, I invite you to my Port of Haifa again."

"Your Haifa Port? What am I going to do? Should I support you or let you pretend to be a tiger's power?" Li Junwei shook his head lightly.

During the regime change in the Ottoman Empire, Joseph made the most profits. He became a privileged merchant whom the Sultan relied on. Not only did he have a title, but he also owned a port, Haifa. Of course, the transaction was that Joseph had to pay for the Sultan's extravagant life. After all, this Sultan had no real power and the treasury was used for war, so he could not get any benefits.

But Joseph did not just sit on this big tree. On the other hand, he also worked hard to serve the Copruri family. Hussein's negotiating delegation had members recommended. Joseph continued to contact the Republic of Venice, mediated on behalf of the Ottoman Empire, and also contacted Jewish bankers in Genoa to destroy the military loans of the Holy Roman Empire. Joseph also put the Suez Canal in his mouth and kept promoting. He was completely tied to the Ottoman chariot, but only a few people knew that he was also working for the Zion, and in this regard, he was an ally of the empire.

Joseph said carefully: "It was a few friends from the Netherlands who wanted to see you. In Xijin, your servant refused them."

Li Junwei shook his head: "I don't know the Jews in the Netherlands."

"It's not all Jews, there are the Netherlands, there are the British," said Joseph.

Li Junwei asked: "I have met Prince Orange's representative. My attitude has shown that I do not have the authority they want, so naturally I cannot give a positive answer."

"No, you misunderstood, not the official representative, but the private representative. They come from several companies, the East India Company in the Netherlands and the UK, as well as the West India Company in the UK, the Levant Company, etc.." Joseph could only tell the truth.

Li Junwei smiled: "You businessmen are really going to plan ahead."

The merger of England and the Netherlands is a big news in Europe. Although it has not yet been done, the current British king's rebellion has caused resistance from the old and new nobles. France's support for it has made him lose all the people's hearts. The merger between the Netherlands and Britain by making Prince Orange the British king was not only to maintain the Protestantism and the bourgeoisie, but also to consider the interests of the country. France is too strong. The rise of both sea and land cannot be confronted by one side of Britain and the Netherlands. The merger between the two sides is inevitable.
Chapter completed!