"Ladies and gentlemen, the Imperial Army has endured a prolonged struggle in India for several months, finally defeating the British and their loyal Indian forces. However, the Imperial Army has paid a tremendous price, with casualties exceeding one hundred thousand and an incalculable consumption of military supplies. The Empire had only just emerged from the World War, with wounds that have yet to heal. Thus, the campaign in India has placed the Empire on the brink of collapse. The lands of India will be allocated to the various princely states, with the hope that they will contribute what they can to help the Empire overcome this crisis," Prime Minister Bilow declared.
Of course, much of what he said was exaggerated. Despite facing an enemy many times their size, the Imperial Army's struggle in India was not particularly arduous, and the casualties were not as severe as claimed. The real purpose behind this speech was simply to justify extracting money from the princely rulers.
"Your Excellency, Prime Minister, we are deeply grateful for the Empire's immense sacrifices in the battle against the evil British for the future of India. In light of this, the state of Hyderabad is willing to offer our assistance," Mir Osman Ali Khan spoke first.
The other rulers, not foolish, quickly voiced their support. They were well aware that the allocation of land and the donation of military funds were closely intertwined. In other words, to secure better land, they would have to part with the immense wealth their families had accumulated over generations. Although this caused them great distress, no one refused. They all knew that land, not wealth, was the true foundation. With land and people, wealth could be accumulated once more in due time.
"Excellent, gentlemen, I am quite pleased with your responses. I am certain His Imperial Majesty will also be pleased. This matter will be finalized tomorrow," Prime Minister Bilow stated. In order to extract as much wealth as possible from the princely rulers, the German government had already devised a plan.
"Gentlemen, there is one more matter to address. Among the lands allocated to the princely states, Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata will not be included. These three cities will be directly governed by the Empire!" Prime Minister Bilow continued.
Germany's decision to distribute India's land to the princely rulers did not mean they would relinquish control over the subcontinent. By retaining control over the three largest cities, Germany also ensured its foothold in India. The Imperial forces would primarily be stationed in these cities, which served not only to maintain stability but also as a deterrent to the princely rulers.
The faces of many rulers changed at this announcement. Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata were highly coveted by them, being the largest and wealthiest cities in India. To control these cities would greatly enhance their power. However, since Germany had spoken, there was little they could do but comply. In the face of such overwhelming power, resistance was out of the question.
These three cities would serve as Germany's stronghold in India, strategically positioned in the north, west, and east of the country, forming a triangle. Should any disturbances arise, the German forces could swiftly move from these cities to suppress unrest and ensure the stability of German rule in India.
"Additionally, the Imperial Navy will be establishing several naval ports in India. The exact locations have not yet been decided. Once the Navy finalizes their plans, further details will be provided," Prime Minister Bilow added.
For now, the Imperial Navy's fleet in the Indian Ocean was planned to be stationed in India. As for Diego Garcia, which would later become a U.S. military base, Germany had no plans to establish a base there at present.
The other princely rulers raised no objections. They understood that when it came to the stationing of troops, there was no room for negotiation. Even if Germany granted them the land, it did not truly become their territory. Germany could reclaim it at any time, should it choose to do so. Therefore, they had no choice but to abide by the orders of the German government.
"India will be governed by the princely states. However, as a colony of the Empire, India must generate a certain annual income for the Empire. In other words, the Empire will receive a portion of the taxes collected by the princely states. The exact tax rate will be determined by each state, and the Empire will not interfere. However, to ensure the Empire's interests are safeguarded, we must establish a fixed amount," Prime Minister Bilow continued.
The princely rulers were not surprised to hear that the Empire would continue to extract resources from India. After all, when the British ruled India, they too drained vast wealth from the subcontinent each year. While the Germans may have been different in some ways, at their core, they were no different from the British. However, the princely rulers were unconcerned. After all, the wealth would ultimately fall on the shoulders of the common people. The German demands could easily be passed down as increased taxes on the lower classes, and they could even profit further from it. The Germans, after all, would not interfere in the taxation policies of the princely states.
"Although the Empire will not collect taxes from India this year, starting next year, the Empire will require an annual contribution of two billion marks from India. The tax rate will be renegotiated every five years, based on the land area, population, and resource distribution of each princely state," Bilow declared.
This system of distribution was seen as fair by the princely rulers, and none of them voiced any objections.
Subsequently, the larger princely rulers, such as Mir Osman Ali Khan, proposed that the Kaiser be crowned as the Emperor of India, which was met with unanimous approval from the others. It was now clear that QinTian's accession as the Emperor of India was inevitable.
The following day, the meeting to donate military funds took place. The Imperial Minister of Finance announced the rules for the donations to the princely rulers. Each ruler was given a form to fill out, indicating the amount of military funds they would contribute. The process was to remain confidential, so that the contributions of each state would not be known to the others. Once the contributions were revealed, the princely state with the highest donation would have the privilege of choosing their lands first. The selection would proceed in order of the amount contributed.
This method caused many of the rulers' expressions to shift. Initially, they had expected a bidding process, which, while costly, was at least predictable. But this donation system forced them to give their utmost, lest they lose out to others.