In the splendid dining room of the Ludwig Palace of the King of Württemberg, lavish dinners are taking place...... It's just that there weren't too many guests tonight, and there were only four people at the table.

His Majesty Wilhelm I, King of Württemberg, sat on the throne, but did not seem to be interested in the delicacies in front of him, but kept looking at his niece Mathilde, who was sitting at the table. Bonaparte, the empress of the Mexican Empire, the second man in the glorious empire of Napoleon III.

"That is, His Majesty Napoleon III is preparing for the creation of a large customs union zone?"

"Yes, this large customs union area will include the French and Roman Empires, the current German Customs Union, the Mexican Empire and its dependencies, the Confederate States of America and perhaps the future Black African Empire."

Mathilde replied in a low voice, and as she spoke, she cut the beef in front of her into small pieces with a knife, and then ate it bite by bite, appearing to have a good appetite. Accompanying her to Prussia was Engels, the special envoy of the Ming Emperor and the general manager of the Ming Imperial Foundation, who was gently turning the glass containing the scarlet wine in his hand and looking at the Prussian Prime Minister Bismarck sitting across from him.

"Ah, Your Excellency, can you imagine what kind of prosperity this Great Customs Union zone will bring to the German economy?" Engels laughed, then took a sip of Württemberg wine.

"This will mean that German goods will have an extremely large market, and German industry will have access to cheap raw materials from South America, Africa and North America!"

Engels looked at Bismarck and said with a smile: "Mr. Xiang, I think you should know. I am the de facto instructor of China's industrialization. I have developed two five-year plans that have achieved great results. This experience made me understand the tremendous power of markets and cheap raw materials to industrialize a country. The industrial growth that China has experienced over the past 18 years. It is a miracle in any European country, and the only thing that can match it is what the United States has achieved in the past 30 years or so. And if there is anything that Daming and the United States have in common, it is that they both have a vast market and rich resources. And now, France and Germany can share this qiē, share a vast market and rich resources. ”

"Doesn't France want to have exclusive access to resources and markets?" Bismarck asked faintly.

"I think this question...... Mr. Xiang knows better than me, right? The French prefer a leisurely, comfortable and free life. Mathilde replied leisurely, with a faint smile on his face, "Of course." It's not that they're not industrious enough, it's that they won't be as industrious as the Germans, and they won't be as disciplined as the Germans. If France and Germany were in the same customs union, I think they would prefer to do something light and comfortable. ”

"And His Majesty Napoleon III also knows that you can't eat alone, otherwise you will choke." Engels smiled and told a bad joke.

"In fact, France's industrial strength simply cannot meet the needs of most of the Americas and possibly Africa, and if France does not share it with Germany, it must share it with Great Britain!" Mathilde I said coldly, "But Napoleon III and I will never forget Waterloo, never forget St. Helena!" ”

Belch...... Bismarck was speechless for a while.

Not so much because the Prussian army also took part in the Battle of Waterloo. Rather, he was embarrassed by the huge amount of empty promises issued by Napoleon III.

Prussia is a high-rise capitalist country in the Rhine Valley. In Galicia, in Berlin, new factories are opened every day, they need markets, they need raw materials, workers need jobs, factory owners need profits. As Prussian minister, Bismarck had better find a way to meet the demands of the workers and factory owners. Otherwise...... The next revolution will take his and William I's heads!

"Your Majesty, your words have deeply troubled me and all of Prussia, and you know that we Germans are the most peace-loving." Bismarck said worriedly, "And our Majesty Wilhelm I of Prussia was especially a pacifist, and he hated war. Whether the enemy is France or England......"

"I know, I'm half German, and I know how much Germans love peace." Mathilde took another sip of wine.

"And Germany is also half my homeland, how can I bear to let it fall into a long and brutal war? And joining a customs union doesn't seem to have anything to do with going to war......" Mathilde deliberately slowed his words and spoke slowly to the Kingdom of Prussia.

"Well, all the raw France wants is a customs union." Although he still pretended to be very calm on the surface, Mathilde could clearly see that the other party's brow was slightly furrowed.

"If Prussia needs the help of France, we can fight Austria as well......" Mathilde continued, seeing that the other side was already interested, "and we do not need to conclude a long-term alliance treaty with Prussia." ”

In the final analysis, diplomacy is an extension of a country's strength. Although a weak country may not be without diplomacy, it is certainly easier for a strong country to excel in diplomacy. In the original time and space, although Napoleon III's diplomatic activities were many, they ran into walls everywhere, and there were few successful examples. At present, due to the addition of the Ming Dynasty, the British Empire did not dare to tear its face with the French Empire, so Napoleon III's actions were also much less considered, and it can be said that the colonial expansion reached the point of unscrupulousness! As a result, the current French Empire has a strong capital to win over Prussia.

Similarly, the de facto collapse of the Austrian Empire led to a radical change in the current diplomatic relations within the German Confederation. The small German countries such as Württemberg and Bavaria, which were originally pro-Austrian, have now changed their doors and regarded Prussia as the boss of the German Confederation.

Therefore, Prussia was now fully sure of defeating Austria and did not need the help of France. But once it openly supported the unification of North Germany, it was highly likely that Austria would withdraw without a fight and withdraw from the German Confederation on its own initiative, so that bloodshed could be avoided.

However, openly standing in the same trenches as France to fight, in the eyes of Russia and Britain, I am afraid that it is a Franco-German alliance, right?

"Prussia is deeply grateful for the kindness of His Majesty Napoleon III." Bismarck said lightly, "But in the disputes within our German Confederation, France had better not interfere." lest the feelings of the German nation be hurt......"

"Oh, the ingredients." Empress Mathilde let out a long sigh. "Can I then understand that Prussia is interested in the Grand Customs Union?"

Although Bismarck knew that this customs union was also a trap used by Napoleon III to trap Prussia, he could not refuse, because the bait was too sweet.

"Mr. Xiang, I think Prussia and the Ming Empire can also sign an economic and trade cooperation agreement, although it is not a customs union, but it is very beneficial for Prussia's industrial products to enter the Greater China Customs Union area." Engels slowly put forward the possibility of economic cooperation between the Ming Dynasty and Prussia.

Bismarck looked up at Engels and Mathilde, probably the most prominent European diplomats of his time, as if he were being led by the nose by Napoleon III.

"Is the Ming also ready to open its market to Prussia?" Bismarck nodded, looking noncommittal, "Sounds tempting, but ...... The distance between the Ming Empire and Europe makes it difficult for our goods to be competitive. Considering the bad relations between Russia and the Ming Empire, I think this will be a cooperation that will not be worth the cost. ”

"It may be worth the loss now, but what about six or seven years from now?" Engels nodded lightly and said with a smile, "The Suez Canal will be completed 187o years ago, and then the steam sailing ships will be bigger and faster than they are now, and the distance between Europe and Asia will no longer be a big problem hindering trade shows." (To be continued......)

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