Niu Jian stayed in Moscow for one night and took a plane again the next day to set off westward.
Starting from Moscow, Niu Jian's special plane could actually fly directly to London.
But Niu Jian is Zhu Jingyuan's personal representative, so he has to go to Paris after arriving in Thailand.
French Crown Prince Regent Louis Charles also went to the airport to greet him personally.
It has been three years since the Yinzhou War ended. Thanks to the efforts of Crown Prince Charles, France has barely stabilized.
At the same time, from the capture and elimination of rebels to the continuous and in-depth Minghua reforms, Crown Prince Charles has basically controlled the situation inside and outside the French court.
Louis XVI, who was not strong in the first place, actually retired with peace of mind.
Louis XVI juggled his own locks at Versailles, and Charles guided the French people at the Palais Royal in Paris.
Crown Prince Charles and Liu Muyu’s son was born at the end of last year.
Louis XVI also agreed to the promise he had made to force Charles to marry.
At the beginning of this year, he once again made a formal commitment to officially abdicate when his grandson turns one year old.
In fact, it no longer mattered whether Louis XVI abdicated or not.
Charles is already His Majesty the "King of Paris."
At the new airport that had just been put into use on the outskirts of Paris, Charles wore a pure Ming Dynasty crown prince robe, and looked at the eastern sky with a telescope in a specially prepared open-air rest area.
Following the prompts from his entourage, Charles found the flying machine flying from a distance.
Then, while observing with the telescope, he praised himself and said in the elegant language of Ming Dynasty, as if talking to himself:
“Larger aircraft, faster aircraft, the key is the manufacturing quantity of Ming Dynasty, which is in the hundreds or thousands.
"From now on, it will take less than a day to cross the entire Shenou Continent and send tens of thousands of soldiers from Yingtian Mansion to Paris!"
When the surrounding officials and servants heard the crown prince's words, most of them exclaimed excitedly, but there were also some who sighed and worried in complicated moods.
Charles put down the telescope and looked around:
“The Ming Dynasty can span tens of thousands of kilometers to attack distant enemies, and of course it can also span tens of thousands of kilometers to support distant allies.
"Since the French don't want to fight now, they should be Ming's strategic partners..."
While Charles continued to educate his followers and subordinates, Niu Jian's plane finally landed steadily.
After the supporting facilities were ready, Niu Jian got off the plane first.
Niu Jian looked up and looked around, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity in his heart.
Because of the aircraft factory in Paris, France, the surrounding architectural styles are all Ming-style.
The terminal building where the plane stops is a Xinming-style concrete frame structure with traditional cornices and brackets.
When Zhu Jingyuan wanted to build the World Garden, Charles supported Zhu Jingyuan's craftsmen in building the French palace.
If Charles wants to carry out more in-depth Minghua reforms, he must build Ming-style civilized buildings, and Zhu Jingyuan and Ming Dynasty will not refuse to provide him with suitable craftsmen.
Starting two years ago, most of the new official buildings of the imperial court in Paris, as well as the buildings of the joint venture manufacturers of Charles and Zhu Jingyuan, all use Ming style appearance.
The new airport is certainly no exception.
The service staff at the airport also changed into Ming-style clothes.
So much so that the members of the mission from Daming, headed by Niu Jian, felt a little confused in time and space.
But at the same time, I felt a lot more comfortable.
A new round of Minghua reform, completely Minghua appearance and rules, replaced the original Thai-Western tradition.
The most important thing was to change their clothes again.
Paris is still the center of fashion, but the direction and trends of this world center have changed again.
If the eyes are not full of men wearing stockings, it will be much more comfortable visually and psychologically for the envoys from the Ming Dynasty.
Niu Jian stepped out of the plane and looked at the surrounding environment and the French officials waiting not far away, with a smile on his face.
He immediately walked down the gangway quickly and went up to say hello with a smile on his face.
Ciel took the initiative to pick him up, but he couldn't show off.
From the perspective of outsiders, the friendship between Charles and Zhu Jingyuan is really deep and personal.
From time to time there are some weird rumors...
The atmosphere at the scene was very harmonious, with both parties saying hello and saying hello.
Niu Jian greeted Zhu Jingyuan on his behalf, and Charles also asked Niu Jian to say hello to his close friend on his behalf.
Then we go to dinner together and have an informal chat.
The way of dining this time was the semi-buffet format that Zhu Jingyuan had hosted for Charles in Xintian Mansion.
The food and drinks are not completely Ming style, but a combination of Ming style and French style.
French food is not British food. It is the most outstanding in Thailand and the West, and the combination has a unique flavor.
After taking the food, Charles directly pulled Niu Jian to sit at the same table with him.
After eating a little, Ciel felt a little anxious and asked the question he was concerned about.
"Mr. Niu, my close friend came to tell me that Ming Dynasty is going to open up the technology related to Ming Dynasty's 40,000-ton warship to the countries in Europe and the West. You can discuss the relevant details with Mr. Niu.
"The Ming Dynasty must have made a new breakthrough in shipbuilding, right?"
Niu Jian was even more straightforward with Charles:
"Indeed, the Ming Dynasty has completed the related technology of the new warship with 60,000 tons and 420 mm caliber naval guns. The construction of this level of warship has officially started, so the related technology of the 40,000-ton warship can be opened to the countries in Europe and Asia. .
“The requirements for other countries will be more complicated. They need to be divided into direct export of components and weapons, export of finished warships, partial technology transfer and full technology transfer to different standards, requiring them to open various key basic industries to Ming Dynasty.
"This request from Ming Dynasty is actually not malicious, nor is it just to create benefits and markets for Ming Dynasty manufacturers. It is also to integrate the Thai and Western countries into Ming Dynasty's system from the economic level and eliminate the possibility of conflicts through exchanges at the economic level.
“The exchanges between Ming Dynasty and France have been deep enough, so the requirements for France are very simple.
“The Ming Dynasty can directly send a team of craftsmen to guide France to complete the design and construction of a warship that is basically the same level as the Ming Dynasty’s 40,000-ton warship, including the transfer of the required technology that can achieve the corresponding capability indicators.
"If France is ready to accept it, and if it is determined that the next-generation warship is going to be built in this way, the two sides can immediately arrange personnel to discuss and sign a specific cooperation agreement.
“Of course, France still needs to pay normal workers’ compensation and subsidies, as well as the agreement consideration for technology transfer.
"Given the relationship between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness Prince Dashi, these prices will definitely be very reasonable."
When Charles heard Niu Jian talking about the 60,000-ton warship, the expression of the crown prince who had been in control of France for two years almost lost control.
However, he quickly returned to his own thoughts and began to confirm the more important things he wanted to guide:
"I'm not sure if my dear friend arranged for Mr. Niu to come here with the intention of promoting a shipbuilding competition between the countries in Thailand and Spain?
"Of course I am willing to cooperate, but the current situation in France can only be regarded as a state of waste and waiting for improvement.
"A small amount of shipbuilding, as a means of restoring and training French industry and workers, is an option.
"But if it enters a real shipbuilding competition, it is really not what France can afford at the moment."
This question is a bit sensitive. Others must not ask it like this, and nothing will come out of it.
But Charles and Charlotte are probably the only two people in the West who can do this.
Niu Jian was not worried when he heard this inquiry. Zhu Jingyuan had analyzed various possibilities for him before coming.
Tell yourself the arrangements that may require him to make decisions and make decisions in advance as much as possible.
If we really can't decide on the spot, we can postpone it for a day and go back and send a telegram to inquire in the evening.
Charles's question happened to be basically what Zhu Jingyuan had warned him about.
Niu Jian smiled and complimented:
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness Prince Dashi are truly close friends. Prince Dashi did specifically give instructions on this matter.
"To say that the shipbuilding competition between the European and European countries is deliberately promoted, it can be said that objectively it may happen, but subjectively it does not.
“Providing the technologies needed by the European and Spanish countries may indeed promote the implementation and construction of a new generation of warships.
"But Ming also did not want the countries in Europe and the West to enter a state of 'militancy'.
“His Majesty the Ming Emperor, his court, and Prince Dashi all hope that the mainstream of the world will remain peace and development.
"So Ming Dynasty will not ask France to deliberately build more warships, nor will it take the lead in promoting an arms race."
When Charles heard that "peace and development", he subconsciously wanted to ask jokingly: Then why did the Ming Dynasty continue to build larger 60,000-ton battleships.
But as soon as this question popped up, Ciel himself gave a reasonable answer.
This is an upgrade of deterrence corresponding to strength.
The most advanced warships of the Ming Dynasty are one level higher than those of other countries in Europe and America. This is of course reasonable.
Whether the Ming Dynasty went militarily depends not on the start of construction of such warships, but on how many ships to build.
Even if we build a dozen ships, it is not considered a militancy.
Charles thought and deliberated for a while, moved closer to Niu Jian, lowered his voice and asked in a low voice:
"Mr. Niu, please give me a reference. If I want my good friend His Royal Highness Prince Dashi to come forward and convene the countries of Thailand and Spain to sign an agreement to limit the tonnage and number of warships under the framework of the League of Nations, will my good friend support it? ?”
Niu Jian was a little surprised when he heard this question. This question was also specially arranged by Zhu Jingyuan.
Niu Jian quickly sorted out the language:
“As for the issue of limiting the tonnage and number of warships, Ming Dynasty has neither objection nor support.
“If the countries of Thailand and Spain want to enter into such an agreement, Ming Dynasty will not participate.
"Because Ming will not allow any external force to restrict Ming's own naval construction plan."
Zhu Jingyuan's naval treaty after World War I in his previous life was formed based on the special environment at that time.
World War I destroyed Germany, but it also destroyed Britain's world hegemony.
Britain's actual losses were very serious, and its production capacity and finances were no longer sufficient to maintain the size of its navy as a two-power standard.
Hood chopped down only one ship.
The key is that the UK has also encountered unprecedented challenges.
The industrial production capacity of the United States surpassed that of the United Kingdom at the end of the 19th century.
During World War I, the United States made another war fortune and became the largest creditor of the European and Spanish countries.
After World War I, the United States had both production capacity and abundant funds.
Although the shipbuilding technology is slightly weaker than that of the United Kingdom, it is still enough to build a large fleet that is not far behind.
At this time, the U.S. shipbuilding plan was unprecedentedly large, with six Lexington-class ships plus six South Dakota-class ships.
In the early 1920s, between 1920 and 1921, twelve large battleships of 40,000 tons were directly built.
This numerical scale directly destroyed all other naval countries.
But correspondingly, the United States has not yet achieved hegemony at this time, and the world's hegemons are still Britain and France.
The international status of Americans is still regarded as an upstart by old Americans.
The British want to maintain respectability, the Americans want to gain respect.
Therefore, the British proposed an international treaty that would give the United States the same status as the United Kingdom, but not more.
In this way, both Britain and the United States can accept this plan.
As for the Japanese, they were in a typical militaristic state. They did not have the strength to challenge the British directly, but they also wanted to gain status.
He has also obtained a high enough status in the treaty. Simply looking at the navy, it has surpassed the old Thai and Western powers like France, so he can accept this condition.
The French are truly powerless in the navy. France and Italy are even rich in the share they receive, and will not suffer substantial losses due to the treaty.
That's why this treaty can actually be signed.
In this world now, both in terms of status and strength, the Ming family dominates.
And it is a state that is far beyond the reach of other countries.
Under such circumstances, it is certainly impossible for Ming Dynasty to lose face and sign a treaty restricting itself with a group of secondary countries.
Because Ming could not get any benefit from this.
This is the behavior of a cat negotiating with a mouse and voluntarily tying a bell on itself.
Just like the world after the end of the Cold War, the United States will not try to attract "multiple powers" to sign a nuclear disarmament agreement.
Of course Zhu Jingyuan would not do this.
Ciel also understood that it was impossible to do this, and of course he did not think of doing so, so he immediately continued to explain his thoughts:
"I understand, I understand Mr. Niu and Daming's position.
“With Ming’s status, of course exceptions can and should be made.
“We will not have the luxury of restricting Ming Dynasty’s warship design and construction.
“But in my opinion, an agreement is not just a restriction on behavior, but also a confirmation of rights.
“The agreement can have a plan that does not harm Ming’s status and can once again consolidate and confirm Ming’s status.
"Da Ming can serve as an organizer and witness and lead us to discuss an agreement.
"While controlling the size and number of warships from various countries in Europe and the West, we should make the Ming exception clear as a premise."
Ciel felt that his idea was reasonable.
But Niu Jian shook his head directly:
"It is impossible for Daming to be the organizer of this kind of agreement, and Daming will not appear in the text of the agreement.
“The Ming Dynasty took the initiative to organize an agreement to limit the scale and quantity of shipbuilding in various countries in Europe and the West, which does not do any good to the reputation of the Ming Dynasty.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince should be able to understand the logic of this if he thinks about it carefully."
Charles was obviously taken aback, and then quickly realized something:
"Um... Daming's organization of this kind of agreement... means that Daming is worried that the shipbuilding competition in the West will pose a threat to Daming?
"So we use this kind of political and diplomatic means to restrict the development of the Thai and Western Navy?
"Perhaps some non-mainstream newspapers will analyze it this way. No normal politician would consider it this way."
Niu Jian once again explained to Charles according to Zhu Jingyuan's wishes:
“This kind of non-mainstream newspaper affects the public, and His Royal Highness Prince Dashi believes that the deterrent effect of weapons and military force on the people and public opinion is equally important.
“So Ming will not participate in this kind of agreement, let alone organize this kind of agreement.
"If you want to do it, you can do it yourself. Unless you do it too outrageously, Daming will not interfere."
Charles understood what Zhu Jingyuan meant. This indeed seemed to be Zhu Jingyuan's thinking logic.
But new questions soon emerged:
"But... didn't Mr. Niu say that he didn't want to see the countries in Europe and the West resorting to militarism?
"Isn't this meant to restrict the expansion of military power in the countries of Europe and the West?"
Niu Jian thought for a while, how should he explain this problem to the Taixi people like Charles:
"This kind of warning is completely different from the agreement.
"This kind of warning does not fall on paper, and the actual power of interpretation and judgment conditions are completely in the hands of Ming Dynasty.
"Furthermore, for countries that Ming deems to have violated such warnings, the response may be a direct military strike."
Charles was stunned again for a few seconds:
"The punishment is unpredictable and the power is unpredictable, so the people are afraid of superiors?"
Niu Jian nodded lightly:
"You can understand that the nature of the League of Nations and the relationship between the Ming Dynasty and most of the European and Western countries do not apply to normal vassal relations, nor to the relationship between the court and the people.
"It is closer to the relationship between a few lone hunters in the wilderness era, or pirates, pirates who were once enemies or even had battles. This may be easier for you to understand.
"Da Ming is the most powerful pirate, and he once defeated all other pirates by himself.
"Although everyone has ceased fighting now, they are all pirates themselves, and other pirates do not follow the Ming Dynasty as their main force.
“So Ming certainly has no obligation to uphold justice and order for you.
"Whether Ming will provide any protection to any other pirates, or whether to punish another disobedient pirate, will only be based on whether it is in line with its own interests, rather than justice and justice.
"Da Ming has not received your worship and allegiance, and of course it will not limit itself to the rules of protecting you. It will not provide you with any promises or guarantees, nor will it provide witnesses or guarantees for transactions and cooperation between other pirates.
"The Ming Dynasty is trying to establish order among this pirate group and turn lone pirates into members of their own team, but it is still not to the extent that a civilized country can be established.
"At the very least, this group of pirates did not pay tribute taxes to the Ming Dynasty on a regular basis. At most, they have established stable contacts and common principles of conduct among the group, which is far from the level of a country.
"France is already close to joining the Ming Dynasty's organization, so if we can explain these words clearly to His Highness the Crown Prince, it will no longer be unpredictable for His Highness.
"Your Highness already has a deep understanding of the Ming Dynasty's culture, but the focus of the sentence just now lies in the second half.
"Now we have made laws to establish them, and we have set up cauldrons to show them. The people know that their superiors dare not go beyond the law to sin against themselves, and they cannot bend the law to show mercy. The authority is transferred to the law, so the people are not afraid of their superiors.
“Make the specific rules clear and ensure that you will not punish anyone beyond the rules, nor help anyone beyond the rules, then people will choose to follow the rules and do things instead of paying special attention to the attitude of managers.
“In a standardized modern society, everyone acts according to clear rules, which is of course the best state. Managers also have relatively clear rules to refer to when dealing with things.
“But in an environment where there are no laws and systems, and no clear affiliation, a strong person within a simple group has no obligation to set clear rules for people who are not his subordinates.
“When Daming signed this agreement, the standard of judgment on related matters was transferred from Daming’s hands to the agreement itself.
"You will not be careful about whether your analysis will harm Ming's interests when making decisions.
“In particular, this agreement was negotiated and signed by the countries of Thailand and Spain, and it is even more impossible for Ming Dynasty to participate and sign it.
"And Ming Dynasty will not stand up and make laws in this area for you now...
"So, you can just handle this matter yourself."
