"Ha ha ha! Have the proud English finally decided to lower their noble heads?" Kaiser Wilhelm II's face was adorned with a broad smile, his complexion radiant.
To compel the once-mighty British Empire to bow in such a manner was, without doubt, a source of immense pride for Wilhelm II. For he had long sought to dethrone Britain from its position as the world's preeminent power; he once believed that this ambition would remain forever unattainable. Yet now, the realization of this goal seemed astonishingly within reach. The British, it appeared, were formidable in appearance but weak at heart!
The other high-ranking officials in Germany were equally buoyed, their faces aglow with satisfaction. To bring the British to such a state was undeniably a monumental victory. This was, after all, the British Empire—the former dominator of the world! They boasted the largest and most extensive colonial holdings, their fleet patrolling the global seas, instilling fear across the world.
Yet here they were, barely six months into the war, on the verge of collapse. This remarkable turn of events left the German leadership both astonished and elated.
QinTian, too, felt a surge of satisfaction; the British initiative to negotiate indicated their imminent inability to sustain the war. For Germany, this was undoubtedly a fortuitous development. However, QinTian was not in favor of negotiations. After all, any agreement reached before decisively defeating Britain would yield only minimal benefits. It was only when the German Navy triumphed over the Royal Navy and the German Army landed on British soil that the English would truly tremble in fear, like a vulnerable lamb awaiting slaughter.
Although Britain and Germany were at war and their ambassadors had returned home, severing direct diplomatic channels, this did not preclude communication altogether. Both nations maintained embassies in neutral countries, providing a means to relay messages and facilitate ongoing negotiations.
This time, the British government reached out to Germany through their embassy in Switzerland, expressing a desire to end the conflict and indicating that they were willing to pay a substantial price for peace.
It was this maneuver that brought great satisfaction to Wilhelm II, for aside from Germany, there was scarcely another nation that could force the British to stoop so low.
"Gentlemen, should we accept the British proposal?" Wilhelm II inquired.
"Your Majesty, the British appear to be quite sincere this time. However, if we are to fully realize our objectives, it is essential that we defeat the British to obtain what we desire. Otherwise, they will never acquiesce to our conditions," replied Foreign Minister von Kiderlen-Waechter.
"Indeed, Your Majesty. At this critical juncture, the British must perceive their chances of winning the war as negligible, which has compelled them to seek peace. Otherwise, given their usual approach, they would never consider surrendering. Rather than negotiate, it would be more effective to thoroughly vanquish them through warfare. Only then can we extract the maximum benefit from the British," asserted Chancellor Bernhard von Bülow.
The government clearly preferred to avoid negotiations at this stage. As for the military, Wilhelm II was well aware, even without asking, that they were eager to continue the conflict. The military men were all ardent war enthusiasts, relishing the prospect of prolonged hostilities.
Turning to QinTian, Wilhelm II sought his opinion.
"Oscar, what is your view?" he asked.
"Father, my perspective aligns with that of the other ministers. The British approach us for peace solely out of desperation. They understand that if the war continues, their chances of success are dwindling. To avoid a complete and utter defeat at our hands, they aim to negotiate a ceasefire, hoping to mitigate their losses. However, such an approach clearly does not serve our interests. Our goal is to completely dismantle the British Empire during this war. We intend not only to usurp their status as the world's hegemon but also to eliminate any threat they pose to us. Thus, we must extract as much from the British as possible, which is unattainable through negotiation. Therefore, I believe we must continue the war until we achieve a total victory over Britain," QinTian stated.
Wilhelm II nodded, "So, shall we reject the British this time?"
"Father, there is no need for outright rejection. However, we can propose conditions that the British would find unacceptable. In that case, they will naturally retreat," QinTian replied with a smile.
"Very well, you shall take charge of this matter," Wilhelm II said.
As QinTian matured, despite his youth, he had become increasingly adept at handling state affairs and international relations. In this regard, Wilhelm II placed complete trust in him, allowing him to exercise his talents freely.
"Indeed, Father!" QinTian accepted the task with enthusiasm.
After the meeting, QinTian and Foreign Minister von Kiderlen-Waechter discussed and devised several conditions that would be unacceptable to the British. These stipulations included territorial concessions and reparations, along with restrictions on British military capabilities. Unless the British were utterly irrational, they would surely refuse such demands.
Regarding territorial concessions, QinTian insisted that the British surrender all their colonies to Germany. Furthermore, he sought to grant independence to Ireland, a movement that had consistently received German support.
As for reparations, QinTian boldly demanded that the British compensate Germany with five hundred billion marks—a sum that equated to approximately two billion pounds in British currency. Given their substantial losses in the war, the British were unlikely to muster such an amount for reparations.
Lastly, QinTian demanded limits on British military forces, prohibiting the construction of warships exceeding ten thousand tons, as well as banning submarines and aircraft. All existing warships over this tonnage and those under construction were to be handed over to Germany. Only under these conditions would Germany consider granting peace to Britain.