One gold louis is equivalent to three Ming Dynasty silver coins, and five million gold louis is equivalent to fifteen million taels... This is a huge sum of money!
Moreover, the Holy See is no longer as wealthy as it used to be. Due to the Thirty Years' War, the multiple bankruptcies of the Kingdom of Spain, and the independence of the Kingdom of New Spain under the rule of the Regent Don Juan Jose, etc., the Holy See has suffered Tithes were greatly reduced.
The Holy See, which was originally collecting money, has begun to make ends meet in recent years. Fortunately, the Holy See has been rich for hundreds of years and has a rich family fortune, and there have been several popes who were good at investing in history. Therefore, the Holy See still has a lot of capital, which can not only support the various expenses of the Holy See, but also support Poland and the Holy Roman Empire in their fight against the Ottoman Empire... But giving out five million gold louis at a time is not enough for the Holy See. Considering the current financial situation of the Holy See, it is still a bit too much.
Moreover, the Holy See is now preparing to allocate a large sum of money to support the Poles in fighting the Ottomans!
"Your Excellency, Minister of Foreign Affairs!" The old pope was so anxious that he stopped speaking French and instead spoke to Hugo Leonardo in urgent and fast Latin. "The Holy See cannot afford five million gold louis at all, and I Nor does it believe that defending America is a top priority. The church's top priority is to defend Poland. The commander-in-chief of the Polish army, Jan Sobieski, has issued a statement expressing his firm opposition to the Treaty of Bucic... Now the entire Poland has Mobilized, the Holy Roman Empire is also ready to provide support to Poland, and the Holy See will also provide funding to Poland! As long as all assistance is in place, the Poles will definitely defeat the Ottoman Empire!"
The old pope was a little excited. He stood up and walked a few steps in the hall. He turned around and said again: "If we sit back and watch Jan Sobieski fail, the Ottoman army will soon rush to Vienna! By that time , the whole of Europe will tremble in front of the Ottoman Empire's army. If Vienna cannot hold it...then Paris and Rome may become the next targets of the Ottomans! If Paris falls, are you French prepared to abandon it? Are you going to live in France in the New World?"
Hugo Leonard looked at the Pope, whose face was flushed and his white beard was trembling, and he began to pray in his heart - he couldn't make the Pope angry to death!
It should be a big sin to make the Pope angry to death, and you might go to hell...
"Your Majesty the Pope," Hugo Leonard quickly spoke to comfort the furious Pope, "your worries are unnecessary... The Ottomans have not broken Vienna's strength at all, and the Polish issue does not require A satisfactory solution can be achieved through war. As long as your majesty supports France's cause in the New World, King Louis can intervene. The Ottoman army is nothing in front of our French army, and Ahmed Koprulu will be willing to modify it. of the Treaty of Bucic.”
What he said was not entirely nonsense. The Ottoman Empire's army was a bit reluctant to bully Shinra and Poland. If the Poles themselves were not too lax and did not agree to pay taxes to Jan Sobieski and let him form a sufficient number of troops, the Kamenets Fortress would not have been occupied by the Ottoman army at all.
If Louis XIV is willing to send troops, the Ottoman Empire is not an opponent at all - France sends troops not to challenge the Ottoman Empire, but France, the Netherlands, Shenluo, Dabobo, and maybe the Rakshasa Kingdom, oh, and Spain. and Portugal, as well as the half-dead Holy See, Venice, and Genoa.
Basically, the Ottoman Empire was beaten by the entire Europe!
The Pope finally felt a little relieved after hearing what Hugo Leonard said, but he still didn't quite believe in the French Sun King.
"But the relationship between France and the Ottoman Empire has always been very close!" the Pope pointed out, "Is King Louis really willing to give up this pagan friend?"
Of course Louis XIV would abandon the Ottoman Empire! Leonard thought to himself: When the Ottomans completely defeated the Habsburg family, he would definitely be willing to be the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire - Louis XIV had sought this position, but he did not succeed.
"Your Majesty the Pope!" said Leona, "King Louis is a principled Catholic... We French people also love God. The reason why we maintain a certain degree of friendship with the Ottoman Empire is because doing so will safeguard the Catholic Church. Profit is what is most beneficial.”
What? And the Ottomans were most beneficial to Catholicism? The Pope was not yet confused, so he looked at Leonardo with confusion.
Lionel solemnly pointed out: "Facts have proved that the Kingdom of France is the most favorable supporter of the Holy See and the most important defender of Catholicism.
Therefore, the development and strength of the Kingdom of France is in line with the fundamental interests of Catholicism! And maintaining a certain degree of friendship with the Ottoman Empire can promote the prosperity of France.
So that’s what’s in the Catholic interest! "
It can be explained this way!
The Pope was speechless.
Leonard then deceived and said: "Your Majesty the Pope, our Kingdom of France will not allow the Ottoman Empire to overexpand on the European continent... because we need the support of a stable, united, and strong Catholic Europe. Only In this way, we can compete with the most powerful world empire in the East in the Americas, the Indian Ocean, Central Asia and other places!
Especially in America...it is vast and fertile, which is extremely attractive to the Ming Empire with a population of more than 200 million. There are so many of them that there is no way to support them locally. Therefore, these Easterners who believe in heavenly principles are flooding into the American continent like a tide. Just sixteen or seventeen years ago, there might not have been a single Chinese on the American continent. And now, there are a million Chinese people there! And it’s still growing rapidly!
Think about it, once the Ming Empire owned the entire America, how much would their population grow? Three hundred million? Four hundred million? Five hundred million... or one billion? How many people are there in the whole of Europe? How many Catholics are there in the world combined? Forty million? Fifty million? If there are one billion people in the world who believe in heavenly principles, then who has the truth? "
The Pope trembled and his face turned livid. Religion is still about numbers. The truth that one billion people believe is truer than the truth that 50 million people believe! Why can the Roman Church be called the “Catholic Church” and the “Universal Church”? Isn’t it just that many people believe?
If there were one billion believers in heaven...
The Pope has been convinced by Hugo Leoner: "The Ecumenical Church can fund King Louis's cause and can give 5 million gold Louis... But I have two conditions.
First, King Louis must support Jan Sobieski to become the next king of Poland and sign an alliance treaty with the Republic of Poland to protect the territory and sovereignty of the Republic of Poland. If the Ottoman Empire refuses to withdraw its troops from Polish territory, France must enter the war!
Second, the City of God established by King Louis in New France must be ruled by cardinals appointed by the Ecumenical Church! "
"Okay! No problem!" Hugo Leonard was relieved in his heart, and he also admired his diplomatic skills... He actually fooled the old fool like the Pope. It was really suspenseful just now. If the Pope is really angry, things will be in trouble.
The Pope was deceived, but he would not "transfer money" to France immediately. He must get more guarantees. And we must save Poland, a loyal Catholic country, from the iron heel of the Ottomans!
"Minister of Foreign Affairs," the Pope said, "I hope to meet with the French King in Rome as soon as possible. The Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army Jan Sobieski will also attend. If the alliance treaty between France and Poland can be signed in Rome, I can pay 100 Ten thousand gold louis... If the Ottoman army retreats from Polish territory, I will pay another 1.5 million gold louis. As for the remaining 2.5 million gold louis, it will be used by the Catholic Church for new territories on the American continent. The building of the city of Rome!”
