Begging for a monthly pass

Paris, Ming Embassy in France.

"Your Excellency, Your Majesty of China wishes to have a long-term agreement or treaty agreeing on the extent of the influence of the Ming, France, and England in East Asia, as a basis for further political and military cooperation among the three powers. His Majesty's demand in the south was only to expand the Grand Duchy of Lan Fong, hoping to expand the control area of the Grand Duchy of Lan Fong to the whole of Borneo except for the Kingdom of Sarawak. For this reason, His Majesty of China was willing to transfer his possessions on the islands of New Guinea and New Britain to the Dutch East Indies authorities as compensation for Dutch Borneo. His Majesty hoped that France would intervene to broker the deal. ”

It was Wu Chunqiu who was speaking in stammering French, and these days, France was also stepping up preparations for war, and Napoleon III was busy reviewing his army and navy, and was not in Paris. So I sent a man named Alexander. Colona. The diplomats of Count Valevsky were responsible for receiving Wu Chunqiu.

The person who is now talking to Wu Chunqiu is this middle-aged man who is very handsome in appearance, elegant in manners, and has a Polish surname. However, the Marquis of Wu Chunqiu did not think that Napoleon III did not attach importance to China in sending such a Polish count to negotiate with him, because before leaving China, Maria. Clementina had already told him that there were a few people in France who needed to be treated with extra respect. Among them was this Count Valewski, because he was the illegitimate son of Napoleon I.

Hearing Wu Chunqiu's request, the bastard smiled noncommittally: "A long-term agreement with Britain...... Who in all of Europe, except the Tsar in Petersburg, didn't want to get it? But Mr. Ambassador. Do you know that the principle of Britain's long-standing foreign policy is not to conclude long-term allied treaties? ”

Wu Chunqiu nodded seriously: "This agreement can be an alliance. It can also be not. Everything depends on the needs of the UK. However, our position cannot be changed, and if we cannot reach an agreement with Britain and France on the southern issue, the Ming Empire will not participate in the war against Russia. ”

Count Valewski was silent for a long time: "Well, I can convey this request to His Majesty the Emperor." Does your Chinese majesty have any other requirements for the south besides Dutch Borneo? ”

"There is also the territorial and sovereign integrity of the Kingdom of Siam, the Empire of Japan, and the Kingdom of the Ryukyus. Siam and Japan were allies of the Ming Empire, and the Ming Empire owed obligations to them. At the same time, His Majesty also served as the king of the Ryukyus, so he was also responsible for the Ryukyu Kingdom. ”

"In addition. His Majesty also wanted to reach an agreement with Britain and France on the rights and interests of Chinese nationals in Nanyang and Australia. Chinese nationals are the main force in the construction and labor of the above-mentioned areas, especially the Nanyang region, and they should not be excluded. They should enjoy fully all the rights and freedoms that citizens of a great power can enjoy abroad. ”

Because Emperor Zhu's method of stabilizing the interior was to encourage immigrants, and the place where Chinese immigrants mixed best outside was Nanyang. Therefore, Zhu Jishi has always spared no effort to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese in Nanyang, and sent a large number of envoys to the Dutch East Indies, the British Straits Settlements, and the Spanish Philippines. The Ming ambassadors to the Netherlands, Great Britain and Spain were instructed to negotiate with the governments of those countries in an attempt to sign agreements for the protection of Chinese nationals, but progress was slow.

Count Valewski tilted his head: "Well, of course the French Empire thinks that Chinese nationals can enjoy the same treatment in Vietnam as European nationals. Just the Philippines...... I suppose that Mr. Ambassador knows the traditional friendship between our country and the Spanish Empire, right? ”

"The Ming Empire has no ambitions for the Philippine Islands."

Wu Chunqiu hurriedly made a promise. Although Spain of this era has declined, it is still a naval power. If the Ming captured the Philippines, Spain's naval fleet would inevitably attack the Ming merchant ships in the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and South Sea Islands. And the future of the Spanish Empire was bound to go down. The Ming Dynasty's national power was rising, so it was not in a hurry to compete with Spain for the Philippines. For the Dutch East Indies. It's the same.

"Can this be included in the agreement?" Count Valewski asked.

"Of course, of course." Wu Chunqiu nodded, "It can be written into the "Three Kingdoms Entente", or it can be written into the treaty between the Ming Dynasty and Spain." ”

"Well, I will convey your demands and conditions to the French Emperor." Count Valewski nodded, calculating the possibility of the Triple Entente and the pros and cons to France.

This treaty does not seem to have the nature of an alliance, but only an agreement between the Ming Dynasty, France, and Great Britain to divide the sphere of power. This must have been in the interests of France, for after the defeat of Russia, France would also seek land under the sun, and it was necessary to reach some agreement with England to demarcate the sphere of power.

At the same time, such an agreement could be acceptable to the British, unless they believed they had the strength to suppress the three great powers at once, which would be almost impossible.

……

"The Triple Entente? Also wanted to exchange several ports in New Guinea for Dutch Borneo...... It seems that this old friend of mine is a little afraid of the UK! ”

In the Tuileries Palace, Napoleon III, who had just returned to the capital, quietly listened to the report of Count Valewski and sighed softly.

"Your Majesty the Emperor, if the Triple Entente can be signed, it will also be beneficial to France." Count Walewski said, "France can obtain a relatively advantageous diplomatic position by harmonizing Sino-British relations, and our colony in Asia, Vietnam, can also be fully secured." ”

"However, it is impossible for France to reconcile Sino-British relations and Sino-Russian relations at the same time." Napoleon III sighed slightly, "There is always no such thing as the best of both worlds!" If China wants to conclude a treaty with Britain, then Britain will certainly demand a limit on China's naval strength. For example, limiting China's naval power to 20 to 30 percent of Britain's. In this way, China does not have the navy it needs to expand to the south, and their only direction of expansion is the eastern territories of Russia! ”

"Russia's strength will be pinned down by China!" Count Valewski's brow moved, revealing a look of joy.

"Yes, if China's land power is really as strong as Peel Sr. and Maria say, then the Tsar will be absent from the European political arena for a long time!" Napoleon III stood up and walked up and down in his office, "a Europe without the participation of the Tsar is too quiet, too lonely......"

"Your Majesty, I think this situation is not bad for France for the time being, at least in the event of a war with Austria or Prussia, without worrying about the attitude of Russia." Count Valevsky made no secret of his support for the Triple Pact. Because he was a staunch anti-Russian, he was originally the king of Poland appointed by his father Napoleon I, but because of his father's failure to conquer Russia, Poland was re-partitioned by Russia and Austria. And he himself went into exile in France at the age of 14 for refusing to serve in the Russian army, and became the spiritual leader of the Polish exiles in France. If France had ever regained the glory of Napoleon's empire, he might have a chance to become king of Poland.

Napoleon III walked up to a portrait of Napoleon I on horseback and sighed: "Yes, don't worry about Russia." Unfortunately, I am not a genius commander like my uncle, and I do not think that I can easily lead the French Army to defeat Austria and Prussia and then storm Warsaw. Alexander, I don't have as much military talent as your father, my talent is mainly in diplomacy......"

The French emperor was silent, not saying a word, as if lost in thought. I don't know how long it took before he took a deep breath again: "Alexander, you should go to England now, as my envoy." ”

"It's good, Your Majesty. And what about the conditions put forward by the Chinese? Should France support it? ”

"Yes! Now we can only support ......," thought Napoleon III, "and we cannot offend both China and Britain without the understanding of Russia." This entente was proposed by China, and it was coveted by the British, so what else could I, the French emperor, do? (To be continued......)