An excuse is certainly needed, something like āfor the overall safety of the Eastern Cosmos Domainā, or talk of āeconomic construction internal circulationā, can all be made up on the fly.
But everyone knows what this embargo is really for.
Along with the embargo, Yinbasim issued orders to detain all currently docked Alliance merchant ships on a total of 18 planets, including the Cosmic Domain Capital - Wuji Star, and arrest all Alliance personnel.
This is tearing things apart!
Heās completely betraying the local forces of the Eastern Cosmos Domain, itās stirring up rebellion in the Eastern Cosmos Domain!
In the previous years, no matter how fiercely Yinbasim clashed with the Allianceās agents on the dark front, he never reached this point.
In the shadows, the Alliance lost people, no matter how Yinbasim arranged the evidence, the Alliance could refuse to admit these were theirs; even undeniable evidence was useless, theyād simply harden their stance and accuse it of being falsified.
Of course, most of the time the Alliance succeeded; Yinbasim would say they did it, but the Alliance wouldnāt admit it.
Quite normal.
If one day the Alliance actually admitted it, Yinbasim would be in trouble: If you admit it, what can you do?
Better to maintain some tacit agreement like now, isnāt that the best?
However, now openly exposing the conflict and directly directing the accusations at the Alliance, that spells trouble.
This is like stepping on the gas towards the abyss in the relationship between the Alliance and the Central Empire.
Regarding the situation analysis, Yinbasim also reported to his superiors.
He has suffered enough from the Alliance in the Eastern Cosmos Domain; theoretically, he should loathe the Alliance. Yet, precisely because of this, he is fully aware of how influential and powerful the Alliance truly is, compared to those on Holy Terra. In fact, heās less optimistic about overturning the table with the Alliance.
But he isnāt the one making the decisions; heās just an executor.
Nonetheless, his position isnāt too low, so his superiors wouldnāt just tell him to shut up and follow orders without any explanation.
They still explained the reason:
"The Alliance refused the Empireās tax proposal; we must exert some pressure on them in certain areas."
Yinbasim agrees with this decision.
If the Alliance refuses to increase taxes without any consequences, how will negotiations proceed? How will the Empireās authority be maintained?
From this perspective, the Empire does have to take action, indeed.
It would be better if someone else were to execute the actions.
Yet, he has no room for refusal, so he has to go along with it.
How will things develop next?
To be honest, Yinbasim himself doesnāt know.
He sent several requests to Holy Terra, hoping to get stronger military support.
When departing from Holy Terra, he had a Star Realm Army Group and a fleet along. These were almost enough to suppress the internal disturbances within the Eastern Cosmos Domain. However, facing the Alliance truly, itās quite flimsy.
The Central Empire agreed but told him not to worry so soon. Troops need time to arrive, given the distance.
Even if the worst-case scenario happens, with such a vast Eastern Cosmos Domain, Yinbasim would possibly integrate forces, plus his available resources, sustaining for two or three years shouldnāt be a problem; surely support would arrive by then.
Yinbasim feels the folks on Holy Terra have gone mad.
What are they thinking?
Integrate what, integrate nonsense! Surely when the Allianceās fleet arrives, local dignitaries, governments, Peopleās Army, each would joyfully welcome them.
The Alliance doesnāt even come to fight; theyāre simply conducting armed marches, directly taking over territories.
The only one who might actually engage the Alliance is himself, personally overseeing Wuji Star.
But probably not even then.
His troops will certainly be like a lonely army, low morale at the lightest. Moreover, outside of fighting intense battles, there are likely waves of uprisings causing chaos on the ground.
His troops would face a strong Alliance externally, and internally be swallowed by a peopleās war... Win? Hold? Donāt even think about it, itāll shatter upon contact.
He is truly scared.
He can only pray to The Emperor, hoping that it doesnāt actually spark a war.
Should... it wonāt happen, right?
It should not happen.
Starting a war remains a very low-probability event.
If war breaks out, there would likely be several steps in between.
...
"Hey brother, where are you from?"
In the prison, Fan Xiaocheng bored out of his mind, called out to the detainee in the other cell: "Hey, buddy, come out and have a chat; itās so dull."
No response from the other side.
"I know youāre there, I saw them lock you up yesterday."
Still no sound.
Yet Fan Xiaocheng continued speaking to himself: "Ah, wonder when this is going to end... You came in a bit later, got any news? Share with your brother!"
The neighbor finally spoke: "No news, our ship almost departed but was detained in the end."
"Oh! Finally willing to talk."
The neighborās voice was rather helpless: "If I donāt speak, Iāll be driven mad by your noise."
"Haha, itās because itās too dull! I was worried they beat you up, making you unable to speak."
"Havenāt been beaten, they treat Alliance people quite politely."
"Thatās right! We Alliance people have backing! Let me tell you, that knucklehead from Holy Terra will eventually let us go. Arresting us, impose trade embargoes, just putting on a show. Without us, the Alliance, these Eastern Cosmos Domain folks would be stinky beggars!"