Rome, Palazzo Colonna.
When Louis XIV looked at the son of his first love as a boy, Marie Mancini, he couldn't help but think of his own youth. He was so filled with emotion that he couldn't express!
The young king who was once trapped in the castle of Saint-Germain by the stoners, almost alone, now finally grew up to become the great emperor who restored Rome.
What the emperor regrets most is probably that he gave up Marie Mancini and chose Maria Theresa of Spain. This was really a huge mistake!
If it weren't for this mistake, then the emperor's successor would not be the lazy, ignorant, slow, and disappointing Louis. Perhaps he would be as tall, handsome, and smart as the Henry in front of him! At least it should be similar to that short but very smart Francois Eugen...
Both Henry and Eugen are capable of inheriting the Roman Empire founded by Louis, but the lazy, ignorant, and slow prince Louis is really worrying!
What made Louis even more worried was that he had chosen a political marriage for Prince Louis early. When Prince Louis was seven years old, he was engaged to Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria... It is said that She is an ugly girl, not in good health, and probably not very smart either.
If I had known I could become the Roman Emperor, I should have followed the Ming Dynasty’s approach and passed the exam to select a princess like the Mancini sisters for little Louis!
If the prince is stupid, he can still rule with a smart princess...
Thinking of these troublesome things, Louis XIV could only sigh softly and change his mind: "Henry, Hugo (Foreign Secretary) told me that you spent a large sum of money to buy the Archduke of Austria from the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. position?"
Henry Chu replied with a smile: "Your Majesty, what your Foreign Minister said is not completely correct... I purchased the position of Archduke of Austria from the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire."
"Emperor of Eastern Rome?" Louis XIV frowned, looking a little unhappy, "This is really ridiculous...I will never admit that the Ottoman Empire is Eastern Rome!"
Henry Chu smiled and said: "Your Majesty, the Sultan rules Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Transylvania, Moldova, Bulgaria and other places in the name of the Eastern Roman Emperor without your recognition."
"But I will eventually regain those areas!" Louis said, "The Roman Empire will eventually regain all the lost territories, and no one can stop us!"
Henry Chu smiled and nodded, saying: "I believe what you say...but that will happen a long time later! Before that, there should be a Grand Duke in Austria, right?"
"Is this your father's idea?" Louis XIV asked.
“How is that possible?” Henry Chu shook his head, “He never thought that the Ottomans would really occupy Vienna… This is really surprising!”
Louis XIV asked again: "So, you made your own decision?"
“This is a good deal!” Henry Chu sighed, “Your mother is my father’s mistress…so I am an illegitimate son, and it is impossible to get a kingdom like the king of the United States. So I have to find a way to buy it myself. The Archduke of Austria is a good opportunity. Besides, I don’t have to pay for the 3 million pesos.”
"Really? Who paid for you?" Louis asked curiously.
"Aurangzeb," Henry Chu laughed, "he will pay for it!"
"What good does this do to him?" Louis XIV was a little confused. "Does he still want to turn Austria into an Indian colony?"
"Of course not," Henry Chu shook his head and smiled, "He just wants India... all of India!"
"What does this have to do with Austria?" Louis XIV still didn't understand.
"German mercenaries!" Henry Zhu said, "Those are the best mercenaries in the world... If there can be two to three thousand cavalry, artillery, engineering departments and officers from Germany in Aurangzeb's Serving in the army, who can stop the Timurids from unifying India?”
"What a good deal!" Louis XIV said, frowning and looking at Henry Chu seriously, "Why are you working so hard to help Aurangzeb?"
"Because my father believes that there will definitely be Indians in this world!" Henry Zhu explained, "No one can turn India, with such a vast land and such a large population, into his own vassal for a long time. country or colony.
So he was willing to make the Ming Empire and the Indian Timur Empire a strong and lasting alliance!
And, he also wanted France, oh, the Roman Empire now, and he wanted you to adopt the same Indian policy. "
Zhu Cihong's India policy has always been very "progressive". He does not want to colonize India, but only wants to conduct large and fair trade with India!
Because in his opinion, India has such a large population and the area is not too big, so there seems to be no place for colonization.
Moreover, he also opposed Li Jicheng's policy of plundering India - this was killing the goose to obtain the egg!
India is a big market and has a lot of output. If trade with India can be fully developed, it can even surpass trade with China and Europe.
As the seedlings of local capitalism in the Ming Dynasty grow stronger and stronger, the Indian market will become increasingly important in the future.
Therefore, any attempt to "monopolize" or destroy the Indian market will not be tolerated by Zhu Cihong.
Moreover, Zhu Cixi also knew the urine nature of India. Without the "enthusiastic" Western colonists, India would not be able to unite at all - Aurangzeb's efforts were ultimately in vain.
"I understand!" Louis XIV nodded, "Neither Rome nor the Ming Dynasty can conquer India!"
He knew that Henry Chu was discussing the issue of dividing time with him!
India is not in line for partition - considering the relationship between Zhu Cihong and Aurangzeb, "not partitioning" is obviously beneficial to the Ming Dynasty.
"Agree," Henry Zhu said, "At the same time, both parties are not allowed to destroy or seize ships heading to the Indian coast for trade during peacetime!"
"It can be considered... What about peace in America?" Louis XIV asked, "Your people have invaded the territory of New France!"
“It is no longer the territory of New France!” Henry Chu smiled, “The war changed the ownership there, and with all due respect, your population in New France is too small to maintain such a large colony for a long time.
Moreover, the confederation of Indian tribes there did not recognize French suzerainty. "
New France is actually a map of the territory. It is not that big at all. How much land can more than 10,000 people occupy?
Zhu Lundun, who had been silent before, interjected at this time, "Your Majesty, our court's suggestion is to delineate the core territories of the United States of New Zealand and New France, and the two sides will not infringe on each other's core territories."
What this means is that the competition outside the core territory will continue!
"How big is the core territory?" Louis XIV asked.
"We can discuss specific issues slowly," Henry Chu said, "but we should adhere to the principle of reciprocity - the core areas of the United States of New Zealand and New France should be the same size."
This is the principle of land distribution in America that wants to ensure that the United States of New Zealand is the same size as New France!
Louis XIV did not raise any objections. After all, the population of his New France was too small... only a few tenths of that of the United States of New Zealand.
"Where are our prisoners?" Louis XIV asked again.
“It can be redeemed.” Henry Chu smiled, “It doesn’t cost a lot of money… Let’s do this slowly!
Let’s discuss the big principle issues first today! "
Louis XIV asked: "So what big questions of principle are there today?"
"There are also issues of Rakshasa and Central Asia," Henry Chu said with a smile. "Of course, there is also the issue of me converting to Catholicism and becoming the Archduke of Austria."
"The Rakshasa are allies of Rome!" Louis XIV continued, "But there is a limit to France's support for them!
As for you... I can agree that Henry de Mancini, who believes in God, will serve as the Archduke of Austria and temporarily rule the half of Austria occupied by the Ottoman Empire until the legions of the Roman Empire go there. "
(End of chapter)
