At the banquet after Pitt's funeral, French Crown Prince Charles proposed signing a naval treaty to curb the shipbuilding competition among European and Spanish countries.
Then directly gave some of the most basic directions and suggestions.
Limit the maximum tonnage of capital ships, limit the total tonnage of capital ships, disclose shipbuilding plans to each other, and uniformly arrange personnel to supervise each other.
This proposal is in line with the interests of most European and American countries.
Traditional naval powers such as Britain, France, and Spain have lost the possibility of competing with the Ming Dynasty's navy. The purpose of continuing to build their navies is to maintain a relatively leading position, or even to not lag behind, on the western continent.
Prussia, Austria, Lucia and other countries have vigorously built their navies in recent years, especially the primary goal of developing large capital ships, which is to try to maintain a force close to or even balanced with traditional navies such as Britain, France and Spain.
If the threats from other countries are eliminated and the role of the navy is only to protect the maritime routes from the mainland to the colonies, there is no need to build capital ships at all. Cruisers and destroyers are completely sufficient.
Countries such as Sweden and Denmark that have no overseas colonies or very few overseas colonies, as well as countries with extremely declining maritime power such as Portugal and the Netherlands, do not want the naval shipbuilding competition to continue.
The more intense the shipbuilding competition among navies of other countries becomes, the greater the gap between itself and other relatively powerful countries will become.
An agreement that openly limits the tonnage and number of warships from each country can meet the needs of almost all countries at the same time.
Even if it is a country that is desperate and trying to make big things happen, it is impossible to openly refuse under such circumstances.
At the very least, we cannot refuse to negotiate. The most reasonable solution is to ask for a larger share at the negotiating table.
Therefore, Charles's suggestion quickly gained the approval of the Thai and Western political dignitaries present.
So all parties agreed that after Peter's funeral, people would be arranged to start relevant negotiations.
Of course, this "after the funeral" does not refer to the second or third day after the funeral.
Instead, arrange this matter to be dealt with after the funeral.
Representatives from each country must first return home to discuss with their country's monarchs and ministers to determine their country's goals at the negotiating table.
Then communicate with each other and agree on the location and time for agreement negotiation.
Finally, formal negotiations begin.
The naval treaty can be regarded as an "accident". The key is that this accident will directly affect the original plans of the Thai and Spanish countries.
They were originally planning to start negotiations on a shipbuilding technical support agreement with Daming after the funeral.
The naval treaty must now be dealt with first.
Only when the shipbuilding plan is finalized can we determine which technologies to introduce from the Ming Dynasty.
The negotiation period for this treaty should not be as long as the World War Armistice Agreement, but it certainly cannot be completed in three or five days.
So after the banquet that day, representatives from Prussia, Lucia and other countries visited Niu Jian one after another to apologize.
All countries have made it clear that they must import equipment or technology from Daming, which means cooperation is definitely required.
However, it is hoped that the specific cooperation methods and the time for cooperation negotiations can be postponed until the signing of the naval treaty.
Niu Jian also understood their current situation, so he didn't say anything more and directly stated that he knew.
After the funeral banquet, the Prince of Wales returned to his residence and couldn't help but consider Daming's proposal.
I still think Zhu Jingyuan and Charlotte's joint venture to establish a consortium and company is a very good proposal.
It can be considered a good thing for the royal family... and even for the UK.
But the Prince of Wales is not a fool and can imagine that this is definitely not in the interests of British capital.
The Prince of Wales hesitated, not knowing what to do.
The Prince of Wales was sitting on his sofa, drinking wine with a sad face and talking to himself:
"It would be great if Prime Minister Pete was still here..."
"Uh, no, even Prime Minister Pete can't discuss this kind of thing."
"This is an option that puts the royal family in opposition to the British bourgeoisie..."
"This can only be discussed within the royal family. It would be great if my father is still awake..."
After drinking for a while, the Prince of Wales thought of his father.
After hesitating for a while, he finally went to his father's residence with the mentality of treating a dead horse as a living horse.
It is already 1812 AD.
According to original history, George III suffered from a long-term mental disorder shortly after the death of his youngest daughter, probably from 1811.
The George III of this world had frequent illnesses that started earlier.
But the overall severity is not as exaggerated as in 1811 in history.
The most critical reason is that George III's favorite youngest daughter, Princess Amelia, is not dead yet.
Ming's antibiotics allowed Amelia to barely maintain her health.
So at this time, George III would still indirectly regain some of his sanity.
So the Prince of Wales also harbors some hopes.
It would be great if his father was still sober. It would be great if he could be a prince who doesn't care about political affairs.
The Prince of Wales sometimes even envies his younger brothers and sisters.
The situation in Britain in this world is really much more difficult than that of Britain at the same time in Zhu Jingyuan's previous life.
The anti-French alliance faced difficulties against France and Napoleon, but faced despair against the Ming Dynasty.
The Prince of Wales came to the room of his father, King George III, and found that his father was still talking to himself as usual.
He didn't look at himself at all, even if he heard the report or even if he called seriously, he didn't respond at all.
The Prince of Wales waited for half an hour and called countless times, but to no avail.
When the Prince of Wales was hesitating whether to leave, Queen Sophie Charlotte, wife of George III and mother of the Prince of Wales, whispered to the Prince of Wales:
"George, if you really have something and want your father's advice, you can bring Amelia and Charlotte here to try. If they are here, your father may have a chance to wake up for a while..."
The Prince of Wales immediately realized that if his father's favorite youngest daughter and only legitimate granddaughter were present at the scene, it would be more likely that his father would be sober for a while.
The Prince of Wales immediately sent someone to inform his little sister and daughter.
Soon after, Amelia and Charlotte arrived at George III's room.
When the two greeted George III and his wife, George III's eyes visibly moved.
There seemed to be some different reactions than usual.
But that's all.
George III went from talking to himself with empty eyes to staring at his young daughter and granddaughter and mumbling.
Still no sign of regaining consciousness.
Amelia and Charlotte also looked at their father and grandfather helplessly.
The queen sighed softly, and the family gathered together to worry.
The scene was quiet for a while, and Amelia couldn't help but ask her elder brother:
"Brother, do you have anything to tell father?"
The Prince of Wales looked at his mother, sister and daughter with a sad face, understanding that they were all his own.
Even if they can't help them make decisions, they are still people they can talk to and discuss.
So the Prince of Wales told Daming's cooperation intentions brought by Niu Jian, as well as his own thoughts and worries.
The eldest queen reacted first:
“George, you think this can enhance the authority of the royal family, but this is obviously a very dangerous thing.
"I think this is indeed the case. This really requires your father's guidance. Unfortunately, your father is now... alas..."
Amelia was a little confused after hearing this, but Charlotte's thinking started to spread:
"Establishing joint ventures and companies in the name of His Highness Jingyuan and I? Isn't this the French model?
"Didn't the French succeed? Why can't we British?"
The Prince of Wales looked at his daughter and knew that she would eventually become King of France and now Queen of America.
So I explained to her the difference between Britain and France very seriously and explained the possible problems.
After Charlotte frowned and listened, she couldn't help but ask:
“The power of the British royal family is far less than that of France, and it is understandable that the British bourgeoisie does not want the British royal family to regain power.
“But this is the cooperation method and request proposed by Ming Dynasty, this is not the request of our British royal family!
"The British bourgeoisie refuses to cooperate. Are they going to continue to be enemies of Ming Dynasty?"
After Charlotte's rhetorical question came out, the scene suddenly became quiet.
The other three people all vaguely felt that there seemed to be something wrong with this, but they didn't realize it immediately.
Finally, it was the eldest old lady. After thinking about it, the queen reminded Charlotte:
"The king cooperates with foreign countries to fight against his own citizens. Isn't this treason?"
For the sake of his own interests, the monarch can betray the interests of the country. This happens in ancient times and in modern times.
This is actually one of the key reasons why the monarchy is not recognized by modern people.
The matter of monarch treason is a very sensitive topic in modern Europe and the West, where there are many countries and complex relations.
The key crime for which Louis XVI and his wife were executed was "treason."
But Charlotte has been following Zhu Jingyuan for a long time, and her way of thinking has been guided by Zhu Jingyuan to be different from ordinary people.
When she heard grandma's rhetorical question, Charlotte immediately asked back again:
“Does Britain belong to our Hanoverian family?
"No, Britain is a country of the British bourgeoisie.
“Are our Hanoverians British?
"No, our family is German and we don't intermarry with the British.
“We are not originally from this country, we cannot fully control this country, and the ministers of this country are not completely obedient to the so-called king.
“Then what qualifications do they have to accuse us of treason?
"Did we betray the Kingdom of Hanover or Germany?"
Faced with Charlotte's modern-day argumentative questioning, several family members present, who were already mentally ill, once again lost their minds.
This time it was the Prince of Wales who was the first to recover and reminded Charlotte very seriously again:
“Baby, it’s okay to say what you say, but it can only be said in our home.
“When you are outside, when facing ministers and the public, you must never mention it like this.
“We, the Hanoverian family, became the King of England in accordance with the Act of Succession signed by William III. Our rights are limited by the Act of Power signed by William III and Mary II, which we ourselves recognize.
"This is the legal basis on which we become King of England.
“Finally, even if we don’t discuss the logic of these laws and commitments, even if we simply consider the reality, we currently have no ability to change the current situation.
“It is okay to cooperate with the Ming Dynasty, or to use the power of the Ming Dynasty to enhance the authority of the royal family, but it is absolutely impossible to confront the British bourgeoisie and the entire bureaucracy.
"In that case...if they make revolution again, they will send your father and grandfather to the guillotine just like before..."
When Charlotte heard this, she immediately yelled back:
“Then I will become the natural king.
“And I will give birth to an illegitimate son with the blood of the Ming Dynasty royal family with His Highness Jingyuan.
"This illegitimate son will inherit the British throne.
"If the bourgeoisie refuses to let me become king, then His Highness Jingyuan will directly launch a war of succession to the British throne for me!
“Britain will soon be involved in a frontal war with Ming Dynasty again.
"No other country will intervene this time because this is a war of British succession, not a war between east and west.
"His Royal Highness Jingyuan once said that the bourgeoisie are all weak and easy to compromise.
"Father, you can explain this idea to them directly and see if they have the courage to face this future.
“If you don’t have the guts, you have to accept, at least some cooperation.
“The local consortium jointly owned by His Highness Jingyuan and I must be established, and the specific business scope can be discussed and negotiated.
】
"Isn't this just in line with your idea, father?
“Strive for power for the royal family without confronting the bourgeoisie and the bureaucracy.
“This is actually the roof-lifting strategy of Emperor Renwu of the Ming Dynasty.
“We have to push and guide things to the extreme, and they will definitely not dare to accept that kind of terrifying future.
“Then they have to compromise and we can achieve some of our goals.
"This is what Ming's deterrence can do."
After hearing what his daughter said, the Prince of Wales suddenly felt enlightened.
This is indeed the truth. The special relationship between Zhu Jingyuan and Charlotte cannot allow him to achieve all his goals.
But if the extreme future of another war with Ming Dynasty is presented, the British bourgeoisie will definitely be intimidated.
Then you can come up with actual conditions yourself.
However, the Prince of Wales was still worried and worried about his abilities.
The Prince of Wales is actually self-aware and knows that he has little ability to make decisions.
If he faced the siege of a group of ministers, he might not be able to say what he wanted at all.
While starting to worry again, the Prince of Wales looked at his daughter again.
The Prince of Wales suddenly had an idea in his mind that maybe his daughter was more suitable to be the king than himself.
She is sixteen years old this year and can actually directly participate in government affairs.
Maybe... I can take her to cabinet meetings and participate in parliamentary discussions together.
If you can't say it yourself, you can try asking your daughter to say it.
