After leaving the bishop's palace and getting into the carriage, Song Xiance realized that his underwear was already wet. He felt like he had just managed to escape from the mouth of a tiger, and he couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Although Peternats, who was sitting next to him, was curious about what Song Xiance had talked about with the terrifying cardinal, the fear of the cardinal in his heart still overwhelmed his curiosity, and he didn't ask anything along the way.

However, when the carriage was far away from the Bishop's Palace, Song Xiance suddenly broke the silence of the carriage and asked him in Chinese: "Peter, do you want to be a big man?" ”

Song Xiance's question came suddenly, and Peter Natz didn't know how to answer for a while, and after a long time, he replied at a loss: "What kind of big man do you mean?" ”

Song Xiance looked at the street scene outside the carriage and said slowly: "Naturally, he is a big man who can influence the politics of a country, just like the status of a cardinal in France. ”

Peternac couldn't grasp the other party's intentions at all, so he could only follow the other party's words and say: "Becoming a big man like the Dharma Throne is the wish of most people in the world to fulfill, but I am only a Dutch provincial councilor..."

Song Xiance withdrew his gaze from the window and turned to look at him, in Song Xiance's gaze as if he could see through people's hearts, Peter Natz subconsciously stopped. Song Xiance's gaze softened a little, and he said to him: "Don't be presumptuous, when the cardinal embarks on his official career, the starting point is not much higher than yours.

If you want to become a big person, in addition to opportunities and strength, the most important thing is to never question your own beliefs. Opportunities can be found, strength can be cultivated, but only self-confidence cannot be given by external forces. If you don't have faith in yourself, then consider yourself not to have heard what I just said. ”

After Song Xiance finished speaking, he turned his gaze out of the window again, as if what he said just now was just a whim. But Song Xiance can let go calmly, it doesn't mean that Peter Natz can really listen to it.

Regarding Song Xiance's methods of turning his hands into clouds and rain in Amsterdam and Paris, Peter Natz has already admired the five-body throw. Otherwise, he would not have been so willing to serve Song Xiance in front of the saddle and behind the horse, as if he were a servant of the Chinese envoy.

Peter Natz may have suspected that there was some conspiracy hidden in Song Xiance's words just now, but when he saw that the other party looked away and seemed to want to stop the conversation, his heart suddenly seemed to be scratching and scratching in his heart, and he couldn't hold his breath anymore.

Whatever Song is trying to plot, for Peternatz, this may be the only time he has the potential to become a real big man. Being able to become such a big man as the throne, even if it is to betray the Republic to the Demon King Satan, he thinks it is a worthwhile deal.

Therefore, after only a few breaths, Peter Natz couldn't help but puff up his chest and said to Song Xiance: "Actually, I am still very interested in becoming such a big person as the Dharma Throne, if Your Excellency can give me such an opportunity, I will become Your Excellency's most loyal servant." ”

Song Xiance couldn't help but look back at him when he heard this, a look of uncertainty flashed in his eyes, and Peternats lowered his head in fear, before he smiled and said: "If you want to become a big man, for Europe now, it is not as difficult as you imagined. In my country, there is such a proverb: Heroes come out of troubled times. Now Europe is the season when heroes and heroes are most likely to emerge, although Peter you are still far from heroes. However, with the support of our country, the fish eye may not be able to mix beads. ”

Although Peternats still has a good grasp of Chinese, he still has difficulty understanding Chinese allusions and idioms, so he subconsciously repeated: "Fish eyes mixed pearls? What does that mean. ”

Song Xiance waved his hand and said with a smile: "It's just an allusion, it doesn't matter if you don't know." Since you want to be a big man, do you know what the fundamental interests of the republic are? ”

Peternats suddenly cheered up and said: "I know this, naturally it is to gain the complete independence of the Republic and defeat the hateful King Your Majesty. ”

Song Xiance restrained his smile and reprimanded mercilessly: "Wrong, only those fools who are blinded by emotions will associate the independence of the republic with the defeat of the king." ”

Although Peternatz was a little unconvinced in his heart, out of awe of Song Xiance, he still put on a posture of humbly seeking advice, "Then in your Excellency's opinion, what are the fundamental interests of the republic?" ”

Song Xiance said confidently: "Naturally, it is the balance of power around the republic, and the independent status of the republic does not depend on the strength of its own strength, but on the balance of external forces. The commercial interests of the republic also depend on a Europe that checks and balances, not on the dominance of one country.

If there is only one powerful power around the republic, then the republic has no choice but to submit to it. And once the external forces are out of balance, the political struggle within the republic will also be one-sided, and for a junior parliamentarian like you, there will be no possibility of progression. ”

It took Peternac a long time to digest the message of Song Xiance's words, and he asked a little ignorantly: "According to Your Excellency, our complete expulsion of the Spaniards from the southern Netherlands is not conducive to the independence of the Republic?" ”

Song Xiance smiled and said, "What is independence?" It is called independence if it has the name of an independent country, but it cannot freely decide on its internal and foreign affairs. Or is it called independence to retain a monarch who cannot interfere in the affairs of the republic, and to keep the internal and foreign affairs of the republic in the hands of the people of the republic?

Judging by the current course of the war in Europe, the defeat of the Spaniards was only a matter of time. Although the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Spain were both Habsburg royal powers, they were not yet a unified state. Therefore, when this war is lost, the two countries will inevitably part ways because of the responsibility for the defeat and the loss of interests.

After the collapse of the alliance tied to the blood, the rise of France naturally became inevitable. When Spain pressed the Republic to cancel its independence, Britain and France still assisted the Republic in its rebellion against Spain. But when a powerful France appeared on the periphery of the Netherlands, what did the republic intend to use to preserve its independence? ”

Peter Natz was speechless for a moment when he was surprised by the future of the republic depicted by Song Xiance, and it took a long time before he reluctantly replied: "Maybe the British will not sit idly by and watch the Republic being annexed by the French, and France and the Republic are so friendly, why should it invade the Republic?" ”

Looking at the luck shown by Peternats, Song Xiance shook his head and said disdainfully: "Does Britain still have the strength to pay attention to the independent status of the republic?" Moreover, the land power countries could only rely on the land power countries to counterbalance them, and there was no sea between the Netherlands and France for the British to defend.

As for the friendship of the French, it is ridiculous that you are so afraid of His Excellency the Cardinal of France, and yet believe that France has an unwarranted affection for the Republic. I think you should look at it from a different perspective, the tiger helped the elk fight off the wolf, maybe not because he fell in love with the elk, but just to defend his own food. ”

Song Xiance's vicious metaphor did not make Peter angry, but he was genuinely worried about the future of the republic. Although he didn't mind betraying the interests of the Republic in order to get ahead, if the other party didn't need the refuge of them at all to swallow the Republic, then he consciously turned back to the position of a patriot.

It's just that with Peternat's wisdom, no matter how hard he racked his brains, he could not find a solution to the crisis of the republic from such a complicated situation. If he had stood up and spoken out for the preservation of the suzerainty of the Spanish king over the republic, he would have been torn to pieces by the wrath of the people.

Therefore, after pondering for a long time, Peter Nats couldn't help but turn his gaze to Song Xiance for help, and muttered: "Your Excellency is right, maybe it is the best choice for the Republic to retain the suzerainty of the King of Spain over the Republic, but the people of the Republic will not agree with this plan.

After so many years of war, the people's hatred for the king has surpassed independence itself, and the king's rule will not stop without completely overthrowing it. Moreover, the ruling power of the republic will not give up the victory of the war of independence, thus pushing back the crown of liberation of the republic.

Do we need to seek the help of the Habsburg royal family in order to eliminate the French threat to the Republic? However, the religious beliefs of both sides ..."

Song Xiance quickly interrupted him and said categorically: "Of course not, if the Habsburg royal family is allowed to annex the German region, the two sides may not contain each other, but it is possible to compromise with each other and divide the republic." In order to achieve a balance of power outside the republic, it is necessary to first achieve a balance of power on land and sea.

With the mutual vigilance of Britain and France, the navy of the Republic was able to grasp the maritime supremacy of Europe, thus replacing Spain and Portugal, which were once maritime empires.

The defeat of the Kingdom of Spain in the current war will make the land power of the Kingdom of Spain completely retreat to its own country and become a second-rate country in Europe. In this way, land hegemony in western Europe would be decided between France and the Holy Roman Empire.

Whoever wants to win hegemony in Europe will have to digest the German region, and the republic will be a casualty in this battle for land supremacy. Neither France nor the Holy Roman Empire would sit idly by and watch a republic with a powerful navy and wealth become an ally and part of each other. So as soon as the next war began, the Netherlands would have to be forced to choose its own side and thus be the first blow of the hostiles.

Therefore, in order to balance France and the Holy Roman Empire on land, the Netherlands needed the protection of a third land power. In my opinion, Denmark, Sweden, and Poland are far from quenching their thirst. In order to obtain a land power sufficient to contain France and the Holy Roman Empire, it will eventually have to settle in Germany.

The Netherlands needed a unified German kingdom that excluded the Holy Roman Empire and France, and the emergence of such a state would completely crush the ambitions of France and the Holy Roman Empire to dominate Western Europe, and would be the key to ensuring the independence of the republic.

Of course, in the process of contributing to the formation of such a kingdom, countless great men will be created, and this is your chance for Peter..." ", WeChat pays attention to "excellent reading literature", chats about life, and looks for confidants~