Spain is too busy with things at home, so how much spare energy can be spent outside? It is certainly impossible for Gao pragmatism to organize an expeditionary force to conquer Spain, and it is equally unrealistic for Spain to organize an expeditionary force to force Gao pragmatism.
After all, frequent conflicts have become the norm in Europe during this period, and the costs after conflicts are an unbearable burden for every country. However, all other countries, whether France, England, Sweden, or even the Ottoman Empire, enjoyed a period of peace and recovery. Only the Habsburgs, and especially Spain, were constantly turning from one enemy to another.
Just after the peace with France came war with the Turks; as soon as the armistice in the Mediterranean came, there was widespread conflict in the Atlantic and the war in northwest Europe. In some difficult times, the Spanish Empire even faced enemies on three sides at the same time, and the enemies consciously supported each other diplomatically and commercially, even if they did not provide military assistance.
In the words of Europeans at the time, Spain was like a big bear that fell into a pit. It was stronger than any dog that attacked it. However, it was ultimately unable to defeat all opponents. As a result, it gradually became exhausted and drained of blood in the process. .
So how could the Habsburgs escape this vicious cycle? Gao Pragmatic felt that even if he were in Philip II's position, it would be very difficult to cope with this long-term situation of dispersed forces. Perhaps he should determine a priority for enemies in all aspects and clarify the priority defense plan. In other words, some areas can be abandoned, but which areas can be abandoned? It's hard for him to say either.
Reflecting from a historical perspective, it can be said that Austria, especially Ferdinand II, had been smarter and would not have moved forward with the counter-reform forces in northern Germany, because the gains outweighed the losses. However, the Holy Roman emperor insisted on maintaining a strong army in Germany to guard against the factional tendencies of the princes, the intrigues of the French, and the ambitions of the Swedes; and as long as the Turks stood proudly in Hungary, 150 miles from Vienna, The Habsburg army could not be reduced.
For its part, the Spanish government could not allow its Austrian cousins to fall into the hands of the French and Lutherans, much less the hands of the Turks, because this was also crucial to Spain's own position in Europe.
Ironically, Austria does not seem to think so. After Charles V abdicated in 1556, Austria watched Spain fight alone in Western Europe and at sea against many enemies, but did not feel the obligation to help; instead, Spain realized this higher interest and was always willing to do so. Help Austria.
Perhaps Philip II was too caught up in the compliments some had for him: King of the World.
Now, Gao Pragmatic plans to remind him that you don't have the capital to be a "world monarch". The person who really has this capital is Zhu Yijun, but he just doesn't have the desire.
In fact, Zhu Yijun certainly does not have this strength. Unless he can completely subvert the social system of the Ming Dynasty, and even change the spiritual core of the people of the Ming Dynasty, otherwise the Ming Dynasty, from the emperor, officials to traders and pawns, will not be able to treat the world outside the Ming Dynasty. On the issue, they all have the same mentality: live in China and govern all nations.
If most Chinese people after the end of the Qing Dynasty have a low spiritual self-esteem, then the people of the Ming Dynasty in this period are overconfident in spirit. The whole country firmly believes that as long as "China" is governed well, all nations will come. Congratulations to all directions, no matter where the barbarians are, they should pay homage to the Ming Dynasty.
Fortunately, while adhering to this self-confidence, the Ming Dynasty did not rest on its laurels like the Tatars. Therefore, after capturing the Portuguese artillery during the Jiajing period, the Ming Dynasty immediately discovered their advantages and immediately began to imitate them. Just buy the empty shelves from Shangguo.
Even for the small Japanese country, when they found that their muskets were better than their own, famous generals such as Qi Jiguang did not hesitate to use them, and the "Japanese Yiding" under Liu Xian and his son not only knew how to use Bird guns, and even all of them are proficient in Japanese swordsmanship.
Generally speaking, although the Ming Dynasty in this period was confident, it was still relatively pragmatic, with a spirit of "the sea is open to all rivers, and tolerance is great".
This is also one of the important reasons why Gao Pragmatic is confident that the Ming Dynasty can persist and will not be replaced by the Tatars.
After all, he had been a secretary for a long time and was a more practical person. If he were thrown to the late Qing Dynasty, he would be far more likely to become Zhang Jian than Sun Dapao, but he knew that Zhang Jian could not save China of that era. .
However, this was not the case in Ming Dynasty. He was confident that through "real results", he would lead others to follow his footsteps, and even eventually form a new trend.
His Jinghua Group now has imitators - some people followed his footsteps and entered the ranks of private military industry, such as Wang Chonggu's grandson Wang Qian; some people quietly built several terminals in Shanghai, and what's even more amazing is that these The owner behind the dock turned out to be Xu Yuanchun, the eldest grandson of Xu Jie; some people quietly bought one or two ships to join Jinghua's fleet, such as Zhu Yingzhen, Zhang Yuangong and other distinguished officials; some followed Jinghua's approach and tried every means to control the transport fleet on the Yangtze River waterway, For example, Li Zongcheng, the young prince of Linhuai Marquis Mansion...
Although most of the people here, except Xu Yuanchun, are close to Gao Pragmatic, as long as there is such a trend, Gao Pragmatic will be excited, because it proves that his approach is effective. of.
As long as I can set an example and make people believe that my approach can be profitable and profitable, more and more people will follow suit. And when the number of such people reaches a certain level, it will definitely make the entire country "turn around"!
In any politics throughout the ages, only interests are eternal!
Where there is benefit, people will follow.
To put it bluntly, if Zheng He had not controlled the voyages and the civil servants had not been able to intervene, how could they have been abandoned halfway? Later generations of scholars proved that the voyage to the West did not actually lose money, or that it might not have lost money. It was only because the civil service group was unable to get involved from the beginning to the end that it was later said to be a useless move that wasted people and money, and was finally thrown into the trash.
In other words, if the voyages to the Western Seas were an undertaking led by civilian officials, and the civilian officials regarded the voyages to the Western Seas as a good job to gain fame and career, look at what the Ming Dynasty's fleet looks like now. Maybe they even drove to Europe!
Rather than saying that the civil servant group was suppressing the specific matter of the Western Conference, it would be better to say that they were suppressing the eunuch group, thereby taking the opportunity to suppress the imperial power and strive for the civil servant group's own interests.
Why does Gao Qingshi dare to do so many outrageous things? Firstly, he has a close relationship with Zhu Yijun, and Zhu Yijun will not doubt him easily; secondly, because he is a pragmatic and civil servant!
Therefore, when the civil service group faced some of Gao Pragmatic's novel approaches, the first thing they thought of was not "You Gao Pragmatic are so brave!" but "Since you Gao Pragmatic can do it, can't I do it too?" ?Wonderful!”
This is the difference, and it is also the reason why Gao pragmatism must look for the "correct path of the imperial examination".
With this status, as long as he is not involved, all his actions are actually creating new "profit points" for the civil service group. How can the civil service group jump out and cause trouble?
Why is it that Wanli's mining tax collection in history caused the civil servants to curse and resist for decades, but now Gao Gong's commercial tax collection can continue to be implemented?
Because although some businessmen are "investors" of the civil servants, and the emperor wants to collect their money, the civil servants must speak for the investors; but if the money is collected and controlled by the civil servants themselves, then... this We can discuss it.
Therefore, the dispute over the mining tax in history was not because of how serious the tax was after it was collected - that little money was nothing to the wealthy people of the Ming Dynasty - but because the civil servants felt that you The emperor can't keep all the taxes in his own pocket!
Well...it is a great pity that the British did not ask the civil servants of the Ming Dynasty to help revise the Magna Carta.
Gao Qiuzhen briefly described the various forms in Europe, which already shocked Father Luo Mingjian to the point of being speechless - His Excellency Gao Qiuzhen was far away in Ming Dynasty, but he actually knew about many major events that had happened in Europe in recent months!
His knowledge of Europe must be unparalleled in the entire Far East!
However, what makes Father Luo Mingjian even more strange is that His Excellency Gao Qiuzhen seems to be clearly trying to warn His Majesty Philip II through his own words not to provoke the Ming Dynasty in the Far East, but there seems to be something in his words that sounds like... ...It seems like he is giving advice to Spain. Why is that? Could it be that he has a good impression of the Kingdom of Spain?
This is purely a misunderstanding. Gao Pragmatic hardly has a good impression of Europeans. He pointed out that Spain spread its power too thinly. In fact, it was completely ulterior motives. No matter what Spain concentrated its power on, It is absolutely impossible for them to ignore matters at home and use them to stir up trouble in East Asia.
This year, Spain will merge with Portugal - Gao Pangshi can't remember the specific month, maybe it has already been merged - and Portugal and Spain are now the largest forces in Nanyang. Once Spain really listens to his words, shrinks its strength, clenches it into a fist and punches it, it is absolutely impossible for this punch to reach East Asia.
As for whether Philip II will hit England, the Ottomans, France, or even the Netherlands... What does it have to do with his pragmatism? What happened to Guan Daming?
The more chaos you make in Europe, the better!
In order for England and France to rise, they must first pass through Spain. Therefore, Spain's current war with Britain, France and even the Ottomans will only benefit the Ming Dynasty, and there will be no harm!
That's why Gao Pragmatic doesn't mind doing some business with the Spaniards, so that their financial situation will be better, and they can be more inseparable from Britain, France, the Netherlands and other countries.
If you don't fight harder and the Spanish-Portuguese Empire doesn't shift its main force to the country, won't my Nanyang strategy be much more troublesome?
So, your Majesty Philip II, fight as much as you like, I am ready to be this oriole.
