Beiping.
"Your Excellency Li, you know that East Africa's economic interests in the Far East have been growing ever larger. In particular, German merchants have built a great number of factories and facilities in the Far East, while the demand for trade between East Africa and the Far East Empire has also risen steadily. Therefore, we hope to establish a transit station in the Ryukyu Kingdom, your country's tributary state, to ensure the safety of passing East African vessels and facilitate trade between our two countries," the East African Ambassador said bluntly when he approached Li Hongzhang.
At that moment, Li Hongzhang was indeed troubled by the issue of the Southern Ryukyu Islands—or rather, the entire Ryukyu Islands—especially Japan, that short and stunted wretch of a country, whose wolfish ambitions toward the Ryukyu Kingdom were utterly undisguised.
Li Hongzhang sighed. "Ambassador Richard, it is not that I do not wish to help you resolve this matter. The situation in the Ryukyu Kingdom is extremely complicated now. Japan, in particular, has disregarded international rules, directly invaded the Ryukyu Kingdom, and illegally manipulated Ryukyu politics. To speak frankly, we can no longer call the shots for the Ryukyu Kingdom's government."
"I heard that Japan has only occupied the central and northern parts of Ryukyu, while it has not taken control of the southern region. Therefore, we do not care about Japan's or Ryukyu's attitude. So long as your country nods in agreement, that will be enough."
Li Hongzhang looked at Richard with suspicion. Ryukyu was now a place where right and wrong swirled together; did East Africa truly want to plunge headfirst into it?
"Your country truly possesses the bearing of a great power. However, I still urge your country to think thrice before acting. Japan has always been an ungrateful white-eyed