African Entrepreneurship Record-Chapter 808 - 112: Brothers in Adversity

In the face of a one-sided parliamentary situation, Prime Minister Cecil was helpless. Without the parliament's approval for funding, there was no way to increase the military budget. The only supporters of Cecil, besides his close aides and political allies, were primarily the interest groups from Cape Town.

However, the largest interest group in Cape Town, which included the diamond merchants from places like Kimberley, although powerful, couldn't change the situation. After all, the diamond business wasn't very important to the British Empire, given its status as a World Overlord with numerous giants across various industries.

Moreover, the military expenditure in South Africa alone now exceeded all the economic gains the UK could reap from Cape Town, making it entirely unprofitable for the British government.

The UK was also one of the world's most calculating nations, and it hadn't engaged in such "unprofitable" ventures with no sign of future profits for years.

Of course, as the British Prime Minister, Cecil did not give up lobbying the parliament, trying to amplify the East African threat from a strategic perspective.

Thus, the British parliament once again descended into squabbles. However, soon they wouldn't need to argue anymore, as the changing situation in South Africa forced them, including Cecil, to make a decision.

Three days later.

"Bang."

Cecil slammed the intelligence report from South Africa onto his desk with an angry expression.

"What the hell is Roberts doing?"

"Even if it were 400,000 pigs, they shouldn't have been completely captured in less than a month, let alone over 400,000 fully armed soldiers. If the world finds out about this outcome, how can we maintain our reputation globally?"

Faced with the furious Prime Minister, the Secretary-General comforted him: "Roberts, Count, probably has fewer than 100,000 troops at his disposal, and the fighting ability of the Portuguese and Indians is questionable, not to mention the Black soldiers, who have quantity but not quality."

Although what he said was the "truth," it did not change Cecil's mood. As a key promoter of the South African war, Cecil had hoped that Roberts, this seasoned British general, could bring him surprises. Instead of pleasant surprises, he received shocks. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Even ignoring other factors, Roberts had nearly 100,000 British troops under his command. This number, apart from those in Cape Town, represented more than half of the British forces in South Africa. A force of 100,000 British troops, Cecil could confidently say, was enough for the UK to launch a medium-scale war anywhere in the world and achieve victory.

Yet, Roberts took less than a month to lose all of it, becoming an "East African captive" himself, unprecedented in British history.

Cecil was utterly disappointed in Roberts, filled more with resentment.

"Maputo has fallen, the Mozambican Allies have been completely wiped out by East Africa, and now we only have the Cape Town colony left as a foothold in South Africa. But now, the East Africans are probably already launching a new round of military actions against Cape Town. If we don't come up with a solution soon, Cape Town might not hold on for long. In such progression, Egypt and British Somaliland might also face military threats from East Africa, so we must respond to the South African war immediately," the Cabinet Secretary said.

Furrowing his brow, Cecil finally had to concede. Apart from a cease-fire, there was no other way at present. The parliament had vetoed continuing the war, leaving no room for maneuver on the matter.

Especially once the news of Mozambique's fall became widely known, even more so.

...

Compared to the woes of British Prime Minister Cecil, King Carlos I of the Kingdom of Portugal, as the highest ruler, was even more distressed.

"Maputo has already fallen, and the British, along with our forces, have been completely defeated in Mozambique," Prime Minister Joao Frank reported to the new Portuguese monarch.

That's right, like Cecil, Carlos I was also new to his position, only assuming it three years later than Cecil. Just a few months ago, the old King Luiz I died of agitation caused by the loss of Angola, departing several months earlier than in history, leading Carlos I to ascend nearly a year ahead of the historical timeline.

But the Kingdom of Portugal that Carlos had inherited was a complete mess, especially with the Portuguese army's repeated defeats in the South African war.

Today, he finally received the most painful news: Mozambique's fall. Would Portugal's glory end under his reign?

"What do the British say?" Carlos I asked Joao Frank, the Prime Minister he had personally elevated.

"There has been no reply from the British side yet, but the situation seems grim. They too are among the losers in this war, especially since Roberts, Count, has surrendered to East Africa, and the British forces in South Africa are essentially wiped out. Now only Cape Town is managing to hold on bitterly."

This news was an absolute bolt from the blue for Carlos I, because he himself had a "fear of Britain" complex. Therefore, in his previous life, his diplomatic policy completely tilted towards Britain.

Even to the absurd extent that shortly after Carlos ascended to the throne in the previous life, the British sent an ultimatum demanding Portugal withdraw its troops stationed between Angola and Mozambique, and this monarch agreed to the British terms under the threat of British warships (at the time British warships had entered Lisbon).

Of course, Carlos I was certainly not willing in heart. In the rotten swamp that was Portugal, facing a powerful country like Britain, Portugal literally had no power to resist.

Of course, with the emergence of East Africa, the situation had significantly changed compared to previous times. Firstly, the old King Luiz I died earlier, and unexpectedly at the unfavorable juncture of the South African war. The saying "debt dies with the man" slightly shifted domestic contradictions in Portugal, with the hatred towards the monarchy transferring somewhat to hatred towards East Africa.

Secondly, Carlos I neither had the time nor encountered the "treason" dilemmas of his past life. In this era, Britain's main adversary in Africa was East Africa. Portugal, holding colonies in Angola and Mozambique, instead became a target for British courting.

During the war, especially under British backing, Portugal's economy and politics actually showed improvements, and Carlos I's accession was smoother compared to the past.

So, despite East Africa's appearance causing Portugal to lose Angola and Mozambique earlier, for the Portuguese royal family, it actually became a "benefit."

It can be imagined that once Portugal completely lost its two South African colonies, the Portuguese government would become even more reliant on British support. Such a "loyal" ally is exactly what Britain needs.

Of course, Carlos I couldn't foresee any of this. He didn't know his previous life was much worse than now. He was just headaches with the various predicaments he was facing, especially the issue of political stability in Portugal after losing large amounts of colonies.

Now, Portugal had no means to deal with East Africa, so Carlos I could only continue down the path alongside Britain, filled with uncertainty about the situation in Portugal.

Prime Minister Frank had no solutions either. Frank's only merit was his loyalty to the monarch and the country — a staunch member of the Royalist Faction. He was skillful in dealing with Republicans, an area he excelled in, but dealing with East Africa was completely beyond his capabilities.

Unbeknownst to them, the South African war, for both, was a "crisis," but it offered more opportunities than dangers. If East Africa hadn't intruded, Carlos I, following historical trajectory, would have been assassinated and killed by Republicans, and his fate had already diverged onto a new path. What the future holds remains unknown.