London, England, House of Commons.
Prime Minister William Pitt once again delivered a long roaring speech, and finally shouted loudly at the surroundings:
"Today is the last day of 1808, and now we must make the final decision.
“Either open the banking and financial industries to Ming Dynasty in exchange for loans from Ming Dynasty Bank.
“Either postpone the repayment of government assets again and issue new bonds.
“One of these two directions must be chosen, otherwise the United Kingdom government will go bankrupt!
"Please, Your Excellency the Speaker, preside over the vote!"
When Peter saw the conditions proposed by Zhu Jingyuan a few days ago, he felt like yesterday was reappearing.
If you consider it completely calmly and objectively, then the conditions given by Ming Dynasty are actually acceptable.
Opening investment licenses to Ming Dynasty in finance, steel, machinery and other industries would certainly give Ming Dynasty the opportunity to control the British economy.
However, when Ming Dynasty continues to invest in Britain, the two parties will bind each other through these investments and eliminate the hostility between them.
However, such a decision would never be passed in the UK.
The power of the British House of Commons is actually very great, although in name it only has three powers: legislative power, financial power, and supervisory power.
But these three powers, combined with the British legal system, make their coverage very broad.
The new fiscal plan requires legislation, and the liberalization or prohibition of certain things also requires legislation.
Things that were regulations and resolutions in the Ming Dynasty were bills in the UK.
All requests put forward by Zhu Jingyuan on behalf of the Ming Dynasty must be decided by the parliament and must be passed through legislation before they can be implemented.
At the same time, the British court had transitioned from a traditional kingdom court to a bourgeois regime.
The representatives in the House of Commons are the spokespersons of the bourgeoisie in all walks of life.
Opening up certain industries to the Ming Dynasty will inevitably damage the interests of existing British manufacturers in the corresponding industries.
Spokespersons for corresponding manufacturers will inevitably oppose such a proposal.
The free trade policy that the United Kingdom has adhered to in history is actually from the completion of the first industrial revolution. The United Kingdom intended to use its own technological advantages to cooperate with only trade to suppress the technological development of other countries.
Before the completion of the Industrial Revolution, they had long been trade protection policies, of which the Corn Laws were the representative.
In this world, Britain has never achieved technological superiority, and certainly no one supports free trade policies.
Peter knew that none of these proposals would be passed, so he discussed them very seriously and even violently.
Peter was a very strong supporter of opening up various industries to the Ming Dynasty.
The purpose is to retreat in order to advance.
If you don’t support opening up these industries to Ming Dynasty, then invest yourselves.
If you don't let the United Kingdom court ask for Ming's loans, then you will give more low-interest loans and at the same time extend the debt.
The British court has gradually transformed into a compromise platform for the bourgeoisie.
But to make them compromise and maintain the operation of the court, reasons and methods are often needed.
Zhu Jingyuan's demands on behalf of the Ming Dynasty became a force that forced Britain to compromise in all aspects.
So Peter is now more grateful to Zhu Jingyuan for these requests.
Finally, under the auspices of the Speaker, the official voting results came out.
More than two-thirds of the representatives opposed opening the financial market to Ming Dynasty and could accept the debt extension.
When the bill was finally formed into a bill and the final draft was confirmed, Pete breathed a sigh of relief again.
This level has finally passed.
…………
Palace of Versailles outside Paris, France.
The discussion on Daming's requirements has also reached the final stage.
In the palace of Louis XVI, there were only two people present, Louis XVI and the Duke of Richelieu.
The Duke of Richelieu expressed his final judgment to his monarch:
"Your Majesty, I still think that we should trust His Highness Charles's decision..."
Louis XVI said with a very troubled expression:
"Ciel's decision... I'm worried that he was completely deceived by Prince Dashi and lost his mind..."
Richelieu immediately reminded:
"According to His Excellency Talleyrand's report, Prince Dashi really treats His Highness Charles as a close friend.
“The level of closeness and friendship between them far exceeds the etiquette of ordinary royal members.
"There are no unnecessary aristocratic etiquette between them anymore. They are just like ordinary people when they are together.
"When His Highness Charles met Prince Dashi, he always climbed directly onto his bed to chat.
"The low-interest loan terms given by Prince Dashi are really extremely favorable."
Louis XVI was still hesitant:
"However, the opening up of the financial industry...and Charles also requires that it be fully accepted and fully supported by the Ming Dynasty..."
The Duke of Richelieu said:
“We believe in His Highness Charles’s decision, but that doesn’t mean we have to do exactly what His Highness requested.
“In terms of diplomacy, we are leaning toward the Ming Dynasty, but it may not be a one-time direct move, there can be a process.
“Relevant industries can also be opened up step by step.
“Conventional manufacturers such as food factories and textile factories can directly open to Ming Dynasty.
“The banking and financial industry... can also be opened directly for loans.
“The opening up of these industries has allowed Daming to see our attitude, and it will not be too hostile to us in the future.
“Power plants, steel plants, and machinery plants can try to establish joint ventures with Daming and require Daming to gradually transfer technology during the cooperation process.
“Roads, railway transportation and shipbuilding can temporarily only open the French Canadian colonies promised by His Royal Highness Charles.
“Schools, newspapers, theaters, radio news broadcasts and other industries can temporarily limit the scope and categories, and decide whether to expand the scope based on subsequent situations.
"At the same time, His Highness Charles and Prince Dashi can coordinate privately. These cooperations should not be carried out at the same time. They should also maintain a step-by-step pattern.
“Finally, in order to avoid over-stimulating domestic manufacturers, both parties should refrain from publicity.
"Don't do public promotion right away, just start investing in construction quietly."
Louis XVI hesitated for a few seconds this time, and finally sighed softly:
"Just do as you say... I really hope Ciel and Prince Dashi can really become friends..."
Duke Richelieu bowed seriously and agreed:
"Your will."
France, unlike Britain, does not yet have a permanent parliament.
The country is still managed by traditional kings, courts, and officials, and it is still a traditional monarchy.
So the king and prime minister can decide most things privately.
Historically, Louis XVI convened the Estates-General to make money.
Now when we are preparing to open it, we have received conditions from Daming.
Since Daming is willing to grant loans, there is no need to bother with the three-level meeting.
This decision-making model can certainly reduce constraints, but dangers also exist.
Due to the new bourgeoisie and the traditional aristocracy and the new aristocratic class, there was a lack of direct means of compromise with the monarch.
After the conflict between the two parties intensifies, it is difficult to eliminate it through coordination. Once it breaks out, it will be violent.
The status of the Ming court was similar to that of France, and the authority of the Ming emperor was higher than that of the French king.
But the Ming royal family was also the largest bourgeois group in the Ming Dynasty.
Therefore, although the Ming Emperor was a traditional monarch, he was also a bourgeois emperor.
…………
In the next two days, the decisions of the British and French courts were sent to the delegation of Xintianfu.
Representatives from Britain and British America gathered together after receiving the news.
Queen Charlotte of the United States looked at Grenville and asked:
“What did the telegram say, and how did Dad, Parliament, and Prime Minister Pete decide?
"Do you want to accept Ming's conditions? How many conditions should you accept?"
British Foreign Secretary, Grenville handed the telegram to the little queen:
"I rejected them all and didn't agree to any of them."
Charlotte stopped reading the specific content of the telegram and asked directly with a very shocked face:
"Why? Why refuse?"
Monroe on the other side explained to his queen;
“If Ming Dynasty’s capital enters the British mainland, it will definitely harm the interests of the members of parliament.
"Britain is a bourgeois court and cannot allow an uncontrollable competitor to come in.
"So Prince Dashi's request was completely rejected by the parliament as a matter of course."
Charlotte was stunned and silent for a few seconds, then suddenly asked Monroe:
"The United Kingdom has refused, but can we in the United States accept it?
"I am the Queen, Lord Monroe is the Prime Minister, and Mr. Jefferson is the Speaker.
"The three of us are here, can we decide directly?"
When Monroe heard this question, he was obviously stunned for a moment. He didn't expect Charlotte to think so.
Monroe thought about it carefully and found that this problem was really a problem:
“Da Ming’s investment…is not necessarily a bad thing for the United States.
“In the future America, the current industry will basically be plantations.
“Whether it is the steel industry, education or transportation, they are all relatively backward.
“The backward local manufacturers in the corresponding industries are simply not strong enough to compete with the Ming Dynasty royal consortium.
"So overall, if Ming Dynasty can open up its investment in the United States, it will be a good thing for the United States."
Charlotte clapped her hands a little excitedly after hearing this and said:
"Then we, America, will accept the request of His Highness Prince Dashi!"
Monroe hesitated to speak. I was just explaining the possible situation. I didn't say that this kind of thing could be done.
Jefferson, who was next to Monroe, reminded with a serious expression:
"It is useless for the United States to accept it. Our decision will be rejected by the British Parliament again."
Grenville nodded and said:
“Yes, according to the regulations, matters decided by the United States Parliament and laws enacted cannot be contrary to the laws and decisions of the United Kingdom Parliament unless they have the permission of the United Kingdom Parliament.
"Now that the peace talks have ended, the cooperation with Ming Dynasty does not need to continue to be paralyzed, so we can prepare to return to London or Richmond..."
After hearing this, Charlotte shook her head vigorously and said:
"No, I don't want to leave, I haven't lived enough or played enough.
“And it’s the coldest time in London and New York right now, so I don’t want to go back now.
"If you want to leave, you can go on your own. I will continue to live here."
Charlotte said, turned around and left the scene, and the maid behind her quickly followed.
After Charlotte went out, she found the driver in the yard and asked him to drive her into the palace to see Zhu Jingyuan.
Zhu Jingyuan was reading a report on the construction of the Panama Canal when he heard the servant outside announcing that the Queen of the United States was visiting.
Zhu Jingyuan put down the report and asked the servant to bring Charlotte in.
Before Zhu Jingyuan had time to speak, Charlotte trotted all the way to Zhu Jingyuan:
"Your Highness, I don't want to go back to London or Richmond. I want to stay in Xintianfu..."
Zhu Jingyuan asked in surprise:
"What's wrong? What happened?"
Charlotte said immediately:
“My dad and Uncle Pete rejected all your requests and now they are ready to pack up and leave.
"I don't want to go with them. I want to stay here. It's much more comfortable here than London or Richmond."
Zhu Jingyuan has not yet received a positive response from the UK, but now that he heard Charlotte leaked the news, he was not too surprised.
When Zhu Jingyuan first proposed conditions to Britain, he had already anticipated this outcome.
Zhu Jingyuan knew the situation in the UK and knew that it was basically impossible for the other party to agree.
Therefore, we did not discuss it in detail with the British at that time.
Now hearing Charlotte's complaint, Zhu Jingyuan reminded him noncommittally:
"Your family has returned to London and you are left alone. Your father may think I kidnapped you."
Charlotte was stunned at first, and then she was happy again:
"Yes, Your Highness, please kidnap me! If you kidnap me, I won't have to go back..."
Zhu Jingyuan subconsciously wanted to say that Charlotte was fooling around, but as he spoke, he realized that this plan seemed feasible:
"Well... I intervened for the sake of the British, who are not on good terms with me, and arranged for planes and warships to transport you to Xintianfu.
"After signing the armistice agreement, the British didn't give me anything in return. Should I be angry?"
Charlotte immediately echoed:
"Yes, Your Highness, you should be very angry...but why, you don't seem to be angry?"
Zhu Jingyuan smiled and said:
"There is no point in being simply angry;
“You can’t make your own life better, and you can’t let your opponent be punished.
“So when you want to be angry, find a way to punish the person who made you angry instead of sulking yourself.
"I'm going to give the British and Americans a little punishment now.
"Detain Britain's second-in-line heir, the Queen of America, in Xintianfu."
Charlotte was a little confused by Zhu Jingyuan's words, but she quickly understood what Zhu Jingyuan was going to do.
Isn’t it just to leave yourself behind?
Charlotte happily took two steps forward, reaching a distance where Zhu Jingyuan could reach out and reach out:
"Then, Your Highness, please detain me!"
Zhu Jingyuan couldn't help but feel funny when he heard her repeating this strange request. He raised his hand and touched the girl's hair:
"Okay, then I will detain you and won't let Grenville and Monroe take you away.
"Until the British show enough sincerity!"
Charlotte quickly added:
"Until the British agree to all conditions!"
Zhu Jingyuan almost laughed:
"It's impossible. Even if I keep you here forever, they won't all agree."
Charlotte shook her body slightly and said:
"Then just never let me go."
Zhu Jingyuan shook his head again.
Zhu Jingyuan cannot hold Charlotte forever.
Zhu Jingyuan needs Charlotte to go back and be the spokesperson for his new products.
Whether it's antiperspirant or new women's clothing, they have to be showcased in the West and the United States.
You have been staying in Xintianfu, how can you be this spokesperson:
"The current conflict between Ming Dynasty and the British is not deep. I can't keep you here forever.
“But I will at least keep you till the British and American summers come.
"In the meantime, let's see what conditions the British are willing to offer."
When Charlotte heard that she couldn't be detained here forever, she felt a little regretful.
But spring in the northern hemisphere is still at least three months away.
For children, March is a very long time, so there is no loss.
She knew that she couldn't stay here forever.
That’s it for today. Recently, I discovered that a hard drive on my computer may be broken. I bought a new hard drive for the computer in the past two days. I spent the last night flipping data and didn't sleep well. Today, the system has another problem. It took me until the afternoon to fix it. I barely finished writing this chapter, and my eyelids were so sleepy that I went to bed first.
