Zhang Meng likes to seize food from a tiger's mouth.

It’s not about pursuing excitement and challenges, but about survival.

He set his sights on Fiji because Fiji was a natural barrier for the Tang Empire. He expanded the strategic defense depth of the Tang Empire to the north, kept the Japanese enemies outside the country, and ensured the safety of Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty.

At the same time, Fiji is very close to Australia and New Zealand to the west, guarding the major transportation route from the Coral Sea to the Pacific Ocean, and is one of the key points to ensure the transportation supply line between the Tang Empire and Australia. To the east is American Samoa.

It is impossible for Zhang Meng to be at a small place of six or seven hundred square kilometers now. He had planned to expand long ago. However, he had not had enough strength before and had to be honest with his tail. Now, as the military strength of the Tang Empire continued to expand, his demand for territory has naturally become stronger.

The Tang Empire lacked strategic depth, and in order to ensure the absolute security of the capital Chang'an, Zhang Meng determined the absolute defense circle in the Pacific Ocean within a radius of 3,000 kilometers around the Tang Empire, with the capital Chang'an as the center point.

The absolute defense circle shoulders the future airspace and territorial sea defense tasks of the Tang Empire, and completely keeps the enemy away from the country.

On the circular nodes drawn with a radius of 3,000 kilometers where the absolute defense circle is located, the Baker Islands to the north, Kiribati, Polynesia to the east, the Raoul Islands to the south, New Caledonia to the west, the Solomon Islands and Nauru, etc.

This absolute defense circle is currently occupied by the five countries of Britain, France, the United States, Japan and the New, especially Kiribati and Nauru in the north and northwest directions, which are actually occupied by the Japanese army, posing a serious threat to the absolute defense circle of the Tang Empire.

In this way, within the 3,000-kilometer absolute defense circle, Fiji, 500 kilometers away from the Tang Dynasty, became the only barrier between the Tang Dynasty and the Japanese forward stronghold, and its importance was self-evident.

In Zhang Meng's expansion plan, Fiji was the first stop. Only by controlling Fiji can you have the opportunity to expand to the surrounding British, French, American, Japanese and new colonies.

If the first step cannot be done, then the follow-up will be even more difficult.

A day later, a British army of about 1,300 people, composed of New Zealand and Australia, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Cadyland, landed in Tawua, the northern part of Viti Island, Fiji's main island.

Although the troops of the Chief Latu had stubborn resistance, dozens of people were forced to retreat under the fierce bombardment of warship artillery.

The British army occupied Tawua that day and planned to recruit more British supporters on the spot. As a result, the Indian chief McGrady was stunned when he returned to his tribe.

His tribe had long been razed to the ground, and there were traces of burning everywhere. His tribes were all massacred by the Latu's Fei army in several mass graves.

McGrady was extremely angry. He had no chance to make a comeback.

Lieutenant Colonel Cadylan immediately reported to his superiors, saying that the Indians in Fiji had been slaughtered. Even if the regime and army of Chief Latu were destroyed, it would not be possible to rule Fiji as before, because only the natives of the Fiji were left, and they could not be loyal to Britain.

Henry immediately ordered Cadillan to capture Suva as quickly as possible, overthrow Chief Latu, rescue the seized Bain and hundreds of British prisoners of war, and consider other matters later.

So Kadir stayed in Tawua for a day, made up for various weapons and supplies, and then captured Vailuotu, Klovo and Latu's army along the Tomanivi Mountain Road, which was much stronger than the British army in terms of weapons and equipment. Unfortunately, it was not well trained. After seven days of resistance, it was broken through by the British army at night. This time, hundreds of people were lost, which immediately made Latu panic.

At the same time, under the instigation of Meddy, Kadiran carried out retaliation against the Fei people along the way. How did Latu's army and the Tang army slaughter the Indians? Now the British army and Meddy's remaining Indian troops slaughter the Fei people as usual.

Along the way, tens of thousands of civilians in Fei tribes were killed and injured, and the Fei tribes and villages became deserted.

War has always been like this, either revenge or counter-retaliation.

Latu asked Zhang Meng for help again and promised more benefits to Zhang Meng, and was even willing to rent Vanua, the second largest island in Fiji, and the surrounding islands to the Tang Empire.

Zhang Meng wanted to eat away Fiji step by step and immediately accepted Latu's promise. However, Zhang Meng knew very well that Latu's promise could not be recognized by the British, and only by keeping Latu.

But Latu's army lacked actual combat effectiveness, and even if they were given good weapons and equipment, they could not defeat the British army. However, Zhang Meng could not openly use the Tang army to fight against the British army.

After thinking about it, Zhang Meng selected more than 500 Tonga soldiers from the Tang army. Since the Fei and Tonga people belonged to the same branch and the same language, Zhang Meng used these more than 500 Tonga soldiers to pretend to be Latu's subordinates.

After these more than 500 Tang soldiers who had been strictly trained entered the Latu army, they immediately exerted great strength. When the British army arrived in Suva, they were immediately subjected to tenacious resistance.

The British army was unimpeded, and Latu's army was vulnerable to the hearts of every British officer and soldier, and they were a little proud. Lieutenant Colonel Cadylan had even reported to Henry that he would capture Suva in three hours, which showed that he thought he was in control of victory.

The strength of the Latu army soared, and the British army underestimated the enemy. As one went on and the other disappeared, the British army suffered a great loss, and more than 300 people were defeated in one charge.

Cadillan was furious and organized the attack again, but he was not aware of the seriousness of the problem.

In the next few attacks, the British army was shot back by the fierce firepower of the Latu army, and hundreds of people were lost.

Cadillan suddenly became nervous and carefully observed that there was nothing unusual about the Latu army opposite him. He thought that the other party had fought to the death when the end of the world knew that the end of the world was coming.

Cadillan decided to use the same trick again and avoid the opponent's superior firepower by using night attacks again.

That night, the British army launched a night attack.

Unexpectedly, the Latu army obviously lacked night battles and lost several positions one after another.

Cadylan was relieved immediately. The Latu army was defeated by him before, so the British army immediately launched a general attack.

But what he didn't know was that this time the opponent deliberately retreated, and the defensive position was the real Latu's subordinates, who pretended to be Latu's subordinates and divided into two groups, and were circumventing from the rear of the British army.

At two o'clock in the morning, the British army successfully captured the Suva Municipal Government, but at the same time, the British army's rear supply station and flank cover troops were completely wiped out by the Latu Army.

When Kadiran heard the news, he was shocked and hurriedly organized troops to prepare to regain the supply station.

In the darkness, a cold gun rang out, and Cadyland was shot and died.

This was the gun fired by a sniper who was ambushing the Tang army in Suva. As Kadiran died, the remaining more than 400 British troops were headless.

When the Latu army counterattacked like Suva, they surrendered one after another.

The next day, the news reached Henry. Henry was extremely shocked and immediately reported the battle to Downing Street.

All signs indicate that the Tang army is likely to have intervened in the war, but there is no evidence in Tangning Street, and the Tang Empire even denied it.

After careful consideration, Downing Street asked Zhang Meng to send troops to help Britain suppress the Fijian rebels.

Either they show up with the UK or send troops to Fiji to suppress the Latour army. The British government gave Zhang Meng a single choice question.

When Henry met Zhang Meng again, he truthfully conveyed the meaning of Downing Street.

Zhang Meng was surprised by the British's behavior, but he was calm in his heart. He had already prepared a solution to the situation.

"You can ask me to send troops! But what are my benefits?"

"The British Empire will pay you all the military costs and combat losses as compensation. As a result, Downing Street will no longer be investigated for the construction of an air force base with Latou before."

"That doesn't seem to be enough!"

"What is the conditions for Your Highness?"

“I want the entire Fiji Islands and I can buy it for money!”
Chapter completed!