When Grenwell, Monroe, Jefferson and other British and American representatives faced Zhu Jingyuan's questioning, they realized that what the British did this time seemed to go too far.
Zhu Jingyuan came to mediate the Yinzhou War and helped bring three royal members back safely from Napoleon.
In the end, Zhu Jingyuan proposed a series of cooperation intentions, but they were all rejected by the British House of Commons.
While refusing to cooperate, he also did not take the initiative to provide any compensation, and did not show any practical expression for Zhu Jingyuan's hard work.
No wonder Zhu Jingyuan was a little angry.
The atmosphere at the scene became slightly depressing.
Grenville considered how to respond.
Monroe took the initiative to speak at this time:
"Your Highness, actually...our Majesty the Queen once proposed that the United States accept your cooperation proposal.
"It's just that the U.S. Congress has not yet voted on this matter, and there is no clear result yet..."
Monroe obviously found a way for himself.
Use the reasons of America's vote and Britain's review to delay the current situation.
Wait until today's meeting is over and then think about how to deal with it.
At least there is a buffer, instead of just staring at each other on the spot.
Monroe subconsciously felt that Prince Dashi would also give him this opportunity to go back and coordinate.
Zhu Jingyuan directly exposed it without any concealment:
“The Yinzhou War has just ended, and your king, regent, prime minister, and speaker are all here.
“Has your Congress of America resumed its duties?
“Is this something that you, the United States, can decide on your own?
"If it is still up to the British Parliament to decide, wouldn't things be back to square one?"
Monroe was a little confused, what on earth was this big food prince going to do.
At this time, Jefferson stood up and said more bluntly:
"These matters do require a final decision by the UK Parliament.
"But opening up a specific industry in the United States is a very different matter than opening up the same industry across the UK.
“We can produce proposals and applications and we can argue for it to the UK Parliament.
"So... please give us some time to deal with these things..."
Zhu Jingyuan waved his hand noncommittally:
"Then you guys go deal with it."
Zhu Jingyuan saw off the guests directly, and the British and American representatives left the Forbidden City feeling disappointed.
After the group returned to their residence, they gathered together to discuss again.
Monroe was the first to speak:
"Prime Minister Peter and the UK Parliament have been too reckless this time.
“The self-righteous one rejected all the proposals and demands of Prince Dashi.
"It directly pushed Ming, who had shown a cooperative attitude, into the opposite direction.
"If I were Prince Dashi, I would respond similarly."
Grenville's expression was very ugly:
“It’s meaningless to talk about this now, what we want to discuss now is how to eliminate the anger of Prince Dashi.
"How to satisfy Prince Dashi and Ming Dynasty without directly putting Britain on the opposite side."
Jefferson chuckled bitterly and said:
"Is there any option? Let the United States directly accept the request of Prince Ming, accept investment and open up corresponding industries.
"This is the only option that Ming Dynasty should be able to accept reluctantly, and the Parliament of the United Kingdom can also accept it."
Monroe looked at the absent-minded Charlotte:
"So Your Majesty, let us draft relevant proposals in your name and send them to the Parliament of the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Pitt, right?"
Charlotte pursed her lips:
"I said at the beginning that America would accept Prince Dashi's conditions, but you all didn't take it to heart."
Monroe, Jefferson, and Grenville all looked embarrassed and speechless.
Charlotte waved her hand and said:
"If you don't have any other ideas, just write a telegram proposal..."
Monroe picked up pen and paper and prepared to write a report.
Grenville next to him seemed to realize something:
“Wait a minute, we haven’t discussed what specific requirements we should accept and which industries should be opened, right?
"You can't say that we accept all the conditions proposed by Prince Dashi, right?"
Monroe stopped writing and looked at Grenville:
"The United States is just a colony, and its importance is not the same as that of the mainland.
“We are only opening up related industries in the colony, but we have actually discounted greatly on Prince Dashi’s proposal.
“The point is, America needs investment now.
“Now that the United Kingdom has too much time to take care of itself, it certainly has no spare capacity to invest in the recovery and reconstruction of the United States.
“Daming’s funds can just fill this gap.
"This is good for the United Kingdom and good for America."
The reasons Monroe spoke of were certainly true, but they were incomplete.
Monroe and Jefferson, as officials from the American colonies, stood on the side of the United States.
It is definitely a good thing for the United States to open up various key industries to Ming Dynasty and accept capital injection from Ming Dynasty.
The United States was a British colony, and Britain regarded the United States as a source of raw materials and a dumping ground for goods.
The UK would never invest in technology-rich industries in the United States.
Especially after Adams in the northern part of the United States fought for independence and followed Napoleon's break from the United States.
When Britain recovers, it will surely tighten its control over the United States.
Accepting Daming's investment is the only way to break this restriction.
At the same time, allowing Daming to invest and operate various industrial enterprises in the United States is equivalent to giving the United States an additional choice when selling raw materials and purchasing products.
In the future, we will not only be able to cooperate with local British manufacturers unconditionally.
Finally, even if the British are willing to invest in industry in the United States, their technological level lags behind that of their counterparts in the Ming Dynasty.
If Ming Dynasty continues to invest and build in the United States, it may even have a chance that the technological level of the United States will surpass that of the United Kingdom.
Under normal circumstances, the UK would certainly not allow such a thing.
So after hearing this, Grenville asked directly:
"Banks, railways, highways, shipping, electricity, steel, machinery, schools, newspapers, theaters and other industries are all open to the Ming Dynasty. So is the United States a colony of the Ming Dynasty or a colony of the United Kingdom?"
For a colonial country like the United Kingdom, which had a small mainland area and a relatively sparse population, the colonies were exclusive markets and sources of raw materials, and control over the colonies was originally absolutely exclusive.
If the forbidden treasure is shared with others, can it still be regarded as forbidden treasure?
Monroe couldn't help but frown when he heard this question.
Should a colony be a colony? Was he the subject of a local blood draw?
This time, before Monroe could refute, Jefferson had already spoken:
"America is of course a colony of the United Kingdom because the taxes belong to the United Kingdom.
"The point is this - the United Kingdom is now in no position to preside over America's recovery.
"If the United States cannot gradually restore order and Ming Dynasty is placed on the opposite side by the United Kingdom, it will be difficult to predict the consequences.
“Accept Daming’s investment and eliminate the hostility between Daming and Prince Dashi.
“At the same time, use Ming Dynasty’s money to restore order in the United States and build the colonies of the United Kingdom.
"In this process, Ming Dynasty can certainly make profits, but in the end it is the United Kingdom that benefits the most.
"This is a matter of killing two birds with one stone."
Under normal circumstances, Britain would certainly not allow others to meddle with its colonies.
But now the situation is special.
Grenville was silent for a long time, and finally nodded feebly:
"Then write it down and let the regent, prime minister, and parliamentarians decide..."
(End of chapter)
