Because of Zhu Youcong's personal habits, he always tried his best to shield the battlefield during the two large-scale wars launched by the Ming Dynasty. Even though those Western allies knew the outcome of the Liaodong and Japanese battles, they were never able to get first-hand information.
Intelligence cannot make an accurate assessment of Daming's true strength. That's why people only regard Daming as a kind and wealthy local rich man, rather than a brutal and extremely aggressive bandit.
The wealthy locals can fill their bellies, teach them farming skills, and teach them how to build stronger walls to prevent others from robbing them. However, this is not what Western gentlemen want. They believe that offense is the best option.
With good defense, even the strongest Great Wall can be conquered by barbarians, so what kind of wall can give them peace of mind? They don't dare to provoke the Ming Dynasty now, not that they don't want to.
Wealthy but cowardly allies can be associated with each other, but they are not worthy of respect. Since we can't afford to offend them now, we should first please the Ming Dynasty and let the rulers of this empire relax their vigilance. No matter how many kind words you say, it is just a waste of saliva, no matter how generous the gifts are.
It doesn’t cost much. It doesn’t matter if the Ming Dynasty takes the opportunity to make some war wealth. Just leave it as a deposit. There is always a chance to get it back with interest. Send the princess to marry? How big a deal is this? Western
There are so many beautiful but unpopular princesses in the small country, so let's give some face to the lustful and foolish king of the Ming Dynasty.
For Western gentlemen, sending people to learn Ming's technology and spending money to buy Ming's weapons is just to enhance their own strength. Once they find a way to tear down the copper and iron walls that Ming used to protect themselves, they will rush forward without hesitation.
He entered the house and tied up the rich man wearing gold and silver.
Han Xu and other treacherous sycophants know this very well. They know that it is useless to deceive Western allies with great principles, but there is no need to let them know that Ming Dynasty is actually a beast in sheep's clothing. Regarding the ongoing Western affairs
The Ming Dynasty did not have the ability to intervene immediately in the war. All they could do was find ways to change the course of the war.[
However, Shivera and his new master did not have this ability. At least until they obtained the support of the Ming Dynasty to form their own fleet, they could not serve as the main force to influence the war situation in the West. Therefore, Han Xu and other old tricksters set their sights on
Only the power behind this guy can change the outcome of the entire war.
With Devine, who had just returned from the West, and the elites sent from the West in the Imperial Academy and Zhao Prison, and after secretly summoning Bowery, Han Xu and others already had a good grasp of the strength of the major Western warring countries.
Louis XIII is not brandy, he is the king of the Bourbon dynasty. Whether it is him or Cardinal Richelieu, the politician known as the most strategic and affectionate in the West. They support the Protestant princes to fight against Rome, not
Out of different beliefs, they wanted to weaken the Habsburg royal family and then replace it as the Western hegemon.
For such an extremely ambitious country, Han Xu and others will not try to prevent them from participating in the war, but they will use them to help Severa clear obstacles. They will also delay their upcoming steps and leave room for the Roman Empire.
Enough time to send envoys to Ming Dynasty to obtain the support they deserve.
Since everyone thinks that Spain is a soft persimmon compared to the powerful Roman Empire, let the French focus their main attention on this unlucky guy.
Sun Chengzong is not a time traveler who cannot predict the future, but he is a strategist who can use the intelligence at hand to accurately analyze the course of the war. In a small courtyard of Honglu Temple, Sun Chengzong and Mao Wenlong stood on the map of the West drawn by Galileo.
Formerly, he kindly taught Ansel, the French envoy who paid the highest price for Ming Dynasty arms, a lesson.
Strictly followed the Western military habits, and the deployment was completely based on the strength of each country. When Ansel saw Spain and the Holy Roman Empire attacking from the north and the south together, heading straight to his home base of Paris, this personable envoy
He was so frightened that he became incoherent. He knew very well that this was not a magic trick played on him by the Ming people. Once France officially joined this war, it had become the enemy of the two empires. Since the Ming Dynasty thousands of miles away
The generals of the country could see this clearly. Ferdinand and Felipe IV could not have thought of it foolishly.
Other small countries in the West have been beaten to the ground. At this time, France, the most powerful country, is bound to be targeted. As long as this new force is eliminated, the glory of the Habsburg dynasty will be continued. The most terrifying thing is that after Ansel
What's cool is that Sun Chengzong also brought up a past event, the Hundred Years War that broke out to compete for the Flanders region.
Who can guarantee that after seeing the fall of Paris, Britain, which is still an ally, will put aside its past grievances with the Habsburg dynasty and join forces to stab it in the back? If such a situation really occurs, will it have to wait again?
The emergence of the next saint?
Of course, this is just the worst-case scenario. Based on the current strength of the French, Sun Chengzong still believes that they can destroy the invading enemies and successfully launch a counterattack. After all, there are so many small countries in the West joining in, and they are
No matter how incompetent he is, he will not watch his biggest pillar fall.
However, when Sun Chengzong analyzed another outcome, Ansel, who had just lost all hope just now, couldn't help but want to curse. According to Sun Chengzong's analysis, France would eventually win this war, and it could also
They will be able to sit on the throne of the Western Overlord as they wish, but the price they will pay will be high. Both they and the Roman Empire will be severely damaged, and neither will be the biggest gainer.
As long as the power of the Habsburg dynasty is weakened, those countries that have been nominally ruled by them will become independent one after another. The Netherlands, which has a maritime tradition, will definitely take the opportunity to replace Spain and become the maritime hegemon. And it has already been beaten.
The breathless Sweden will occupy a large area of land along the Baltic Sea and become a powerful country that no one can ignore, and can even intervene in France's affairs at any time.
In other words, France took huge risks and did this series of bad things. In the end, they only got a name and a few pieces of land, which was not a big territory for them. But they cultivated two powerful people.
A strong competitor is likely to give the British, who are watching indifferently across the strait, a huge advantage.
"Dear Lord Ming, why are you telling me all this?" People who can serve as envoys are at least not stupid enough to think that pie can fall from the sky. Since the ministers of the Ming Dynasty are so concerned about everything happening thousands of miles away,
It is impossible for them not to have a conspiracy. What Ansel wants to know most now is the purpose of the other party.
"Before answering your question, I would like to know to what extent you can represent your country?" Sun Chengzong certainly would not be stupid enough to reveal his true purpose. Since he intends to deceive others, he must at least understand the other party's intentions.
Identity is the right remedy. If this guy is just a trade representative, then he is really not of much use. He will definitely disappear inexplicably on his way back home after leaving this door. But according to Vinier's explanation, this guy is their prime minister.
The identity of an envoy appointed by the king himself should not be so simple.
Ansel entered politics because of the suppression of the peasant uprising in Kelsey, and successfully deceived the Queen Mother Mary into filing a criminal complaint. As a result, Richelieu successfully eliminated his political enemy Ansel. Of course, his origins are not simple. This mission is
Daming. On the surface, he wanted to send Princess Amandine here, but in fact, he wanted to use his extraordinary knowledge to comprehensively analyze Daming's strength and recruit those highly intelligent spies. But he didn't expect that in this mysterious
There are a large number of traitors in the East who are more cunning than him. The people he sent were either directly exposed because of their poor performances, or they stayed in Zhao Prison to enjoy torture, even if there were one or two who really wanted to come to Ming Dynasty to learn advanced knowledge.
He was also thrown into the Imperial College to teach and educate people.
"Sir, what do you mean..." Although he didn't expect to get away with it this way, Ansel still put on a very guilty expression. It was impossible for him to tell Sun Chengzong how old he was before he understood the other party's intentions.
right.
"Let me tell you this, if I, the Ming Dynasty, want to conclude other alliances with you in addition to commodity trade, how much help can you give us?" If you want to play Tai Chi, Kong Yanzhi can play with Ansel for more than half a year.
, without revealing any of Ming’s true intentions.
But there is no such time now, and the war in the West cannot wait. If France has already sent troops when Ansel returns, then Ming Dynasty will not be able to make any plans. The things purchased by the Western allies have already been prepared to complete this task.
Han Xu and others did not even agree with Zhu Youcong to continue his nonsense. Instead, they prepared to pretend to be busy for a few days and then ordered the shipment to start one after another and ship to Macau.
"A new alliance? Sir, what do you mean by this? Aren't we allies now? You know, our most beautiful and touching Princess Amandine..." Although Ansel also thought that Daming would have something else for them.
I am asking for it, but I am still pretending to be confused, as if I am really unwilling to be misunderstood like this.[
"Mr. Ansel, if your beautiful princess hadn't already won the favor of our emperor and mentioned the strength of your country in our conversations over the past few days, I don't think we would have the time to talk to you!"
Ansel didn't know that the princesses in the West were still receiving closed training, and Chongzhen didn't have time to meet them, but this didn't stop Kong Yanzhi from talking nonsense.
"We don't have common interests yet, but I think there will be opportunities for cooperation between the two parties in the near future." Qiao Yunsheng, who is in charge of the work of the Criminal Department, always looks so upright and upright, and some words he says have an unpleasant effect.
."And now, we have a common enemy!"
"Are you referring to Spain?" When Roy explained the alliance between the Ming Empire and the West, he had already mentioned that Luzon had been classified as the sphere of influence of the Eastern Empire, so it was easy to draw this conclusion. Again
In addition, Ming Dynasty is willing to use advanced army weapons in exchange for warships that are not the most powerful. If you still can’t guess who they want to deal with, then Ansel is really fooling around. “But, we are here
East……"
"According to the description of our other loyal ally, Shivella, our enemies have a huge fleet at sea. With the warships I got from this transaction with you, I, the Ming Dynasty, have no problem in destroying their colonial fleet. But...
..." Sun Chengzong did not continue, but poked at the map.
"Sir, are you worried about Spain's home fleet, afraid that they will sail across the ocean to retaliate?" According to what Roy saw, Ansel also believed that the Ming Empire did not have a decent navy. Although he did not think Spain would be like this.
Tan ignored the victory or defeat in the main battlefield in the west and dispatched the local fleet to take revenge, but he also admitted that Sun Chengzong's worries were somewhat justified.
In terms of strength, the twenty Western two-masted schooner battleships purchased by the Ming Dynasty, plus the ten Dutch battleships captured in previous years, really cannot compete with the Spanish fleet. Let alone mobilize the mainland after the West frees up its hands.
The fleet, even the colonial fleet in the New World, was enough to give the Ming Empire a headache for several years.
"If your Excellency, you want me to go back and convince His Majesty the Emperor to help you contain the Spanish fleet, I'm afraid..." The two sides can't see any common interests yet, and Ansel will not make any promises easily. Even if he feels that this
Things should be done, but if you can safeguard your own national interests and at the same time get some benefits from Ming Dynasty, making this eastern land power feel that you owe them a large favor, then why not do it?
"Mr. Ansel, you misunderstood! We are not asking you to persuade your king to help my Ming Dynasty, but we are asking you to tell him our analysis. I think your king will make the wisest decision!"
For an envoy to make an effective promise, this was simply a waste of time in the eyes of Han, who knew the virtues of his own diplomats. As long as he was willing to help bring the results of the analysis back home, let France, which was preparing to join the war, first pay attention.
It's enough for Spain.
"If you are just responsible for delivering the message, I think you can still do it!" Ansel is very realistic. The Ming Dynasty's request is so urgent, so the reward should be quite generous. "Maybe we should sit down and have a good talk.
Allow me to understand your Lordships’ requests seriously?”
"Thank you, Mr. Messenger. If you are willing to help, you can gain the most precious friendship from my Ming Dynasty!" Han took a long breath in his heart. What Han was afraid of was that he would not be able to interest his opponent once he started to express interest.
, then we can continue talking. For the rising Ming Dynasty, the least valuable thing at this stage should be friendship. For national interests, this thing can be used as a stepping stone at any time, perhaps for the so-called Western allies.
That's what happened.
"I think we should sit down and have a glass of wine, as we Western gentlemen often do?" Negotiations, there has to be a good atmosphere, and this one thing is not worth the trouble. "
Perhaps, besides common enemies, we can also find some common interests, so that our great King, His Majesty, will be more receptive to your friendship!"
"Of course!" Han is happy to do this. Even if Ansel is not qualified to talk to Ming about anything important now, it would be okay if he can use him to lure his master to send a higher-level envoy as soon as possible. (To be completed.