Wu Chunqiu walked quickly into the Zhengda Guangming Hall of the Old Summer Palace, where Zhu Jishi worked. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is very active in the arena of East Asian diplomacy and "internal relations," now looks dignified. He walked all the way with a wrinkled face and his head down, looking preoccupied.

The secretary Weng Tongyi was sitting behind a desk in the corner of the main hall, and when he saw Wu Chunqiu coming, he immediately got up to greet him and said in a low voice: "The emperor is now in the Changchun Immortal Pavilion, and Guo Yunxian, who has just come to Beijing, is talking about things. Wu Shangshu, the emperor asked you to go over to find him by yourself. ”

After returning to the Old Summer Palace from the Mulan Enclosure, Zhu Jishi moved to live in the Qingyan Hall in Kyushu, and gave the Changchun Immortal Hall adjacent to the Zhengda Guangming Hall to Maria. Clementina as a dormitory. However, Emperor Zhu spent at least half of his nights in the Changchun Immortal Pavilion, and even during the day, he often worked there to meet guests. Wu Chunqiu has also been there a few times, and he knows how to go.

He nodded, turned around and was about to go over, when he suddenly turned around and asked, "Is Guo Yunxian the vice principal of Huangcheng Public School Guo Songtao?" Weng Tongyi smiled and said: "It's him, he just came back from a foreign study and education, and he learned French from Rong Hong on the way." Yesterday, when I met him, I talked to the emperor in French for a while, and the emperor also praised him for his talent for languages, which seemed to be of great use. ”

Wu Chunqiu sighed: "Go to the army to fight, and then fight to fight, now is the time for us to show our skills in diplomacy." Then he turned around and walked towards the Changchun Immortal Pavilion.

At this time, Zhu Jishi was walking and talking with Guo Songtao, who had a serious face, on the edge of the pond in Changchun Immortal Pavilion. Imperial Princess Maria. Clementina and Aledle, the steward of Fort Maria, followed them, and Maria interjected from time to time.

"None of the European countries are easy to deal with, but the Ming must engage in diplomacy with them. And the key to European diplomacy is: whenever. All have allies in Europe. The European powers must not be allowed to unite and isolate the Ming dynasty. ”

"And France is the most important ally of the Ming in Europe, and if I am not mistaken, President Bonaparte is now Emperor Napoleon III, so it is time to send envoys to Paris with gifts. not only to congratulate the restoration of the Bonaparte dynasty, but also to use this opportunity to carry out diplomatic activities in Europe......"

"Also, by the time our mission arrives in Europe, it is likely that the Russian Empire will already be waging war against Turkey. This is a very rare opportunity for the Ming Dynasty, and the mission must make good use of it. Take advantage of the opportunity that the British Empire has to ask us to seize the benefits as much as possible, but at the same time make sure that the Ming Dynasty does not become the next target of British attack and containment......"

"While the Turkish Empire was a traditional ally of France, it was Britain that was really afraid of Turkey's demise by the Russian Empire, because Britain needed a weakened empire to rule the Middle East in order to shield the security of India, which was the key to the existence of the British Empire."

However, Britain had limited land force and could not defeat the Russian Empire in the Balkans and Asia Minor, so it was necessary to co-opt France and the Ming Dynasty to send troops to attack Russia, which was also Britain's long-standing policy of buying other countries to shed blood for the interests of the British Empire. But to what extent to weaken Russia. Again, it depends on the needs of the British Empire and France...... Because, a weakened Russia is also a potential ally of Britain and France.

In a word. There is no mortal enmity between European countries, the relationship between friend and foe is changing at any time, and today's enemy is likely to be tomorrow's friend, and today's friend may also be tomorrow's enemy. So, in Europe right now, no one is going to do things perfectly. ”

Hearing these words, Guo Songtao didn't know where he was going to be used. Most of them are going to Europe to be ambassadors, and most of them are envoys to first-class powers like Britain and France! However, the intricate relationship between these European countries is really painful to hear.

Not to mention Guo Songtao's headache, even Zhu Jishi felt dizzy, and what made him even more helpless was that the telegraph line connecting Europe and Asia was still on paper. It was impossible for Emperor Zhu to remotely control the envoys of the Ming Dynasty in Europe, and everything depended on the diplomatic skills of the envoys. But who in the Ming court can play European diplomacy? Speaking of which, the most suitable person to go to Europe for diplomatic activities is Maria. Clementina, this big horse, but unfortunately this is a Frenchman, and his loyalty to France is still above his loyalty to Daming!

Thinking of this, Emperor Zhu fell into contemplation again, and he didn't even notice Wu Chunqiu coming over. Or Maria reminded: "Your Majesty, Wu Shangshu has arrived, do you want to invite him over?" ”

Zhu Jishi raised his head and saw Wu Chunqiu standing at the entrance of the Changchun Immortal Pavilion from afar, waiting to be summoned. Emperor Zhu nodded, and Aledlai made a squat salute and turned around and walked towards Wu Chunqiu. After a while, he led the No. 1 diplomat of the Ming Dynasty to Emperor Zhu.

Wu Chunqiu knelt down on one knee as standard, and then stood respectfully in front of Zhu Jishi, waiting for the emperor to ask.

Emperor Zhu nodded lightly and asked, "Have you seen Puti Yating?" ”

Wu Chunqiu nodded silently: "The Russian ambassador has put forward the intention of a Ming-Russian-American alliance, hoping that the Ming Dynasty will rule the East, Russia will rule the West, and the United States will rule the New World. Of course, this was only an intention, and it was not authorized by the Tsar, it was Putiatin's personal idea. ”

"What do you think, Maria?"

"This is a fantasy, a Russian fantasy." Maria. Clementina sneered, "The Ming Dynasty does have the strength to rule the East, and the United States is also the number one power in the New World. But Russia simply cannot rule Europe! Because they can't beat Britain and France, and probably even Prussia. ”

Although it is clear that Maria. Clementina's position, but Zhu Jishi still very much agrees with her analysis. The current Russia is not the Soviet Union of later generations, it is just a giant with feet of clay, it will definitely not be able to defeat Britain and France, and it is just a fantasy to dominate Europe.

"Daming must be on the side of the victor, if Russia fights with Britain and France, it will definitely be defeated, so Daming cannot ally with Russia."

Zhu Jishi quickly made a decision. His diplomatic thinking was entirely influenced by Maria. Clementina's influence was to pursue a line of alliance with European powers - although most of the leaders of those European powers were real masters of diplomacy, it was difficult for the Ming to get any big bargains from them.

"Your Majesty, now the relationship between Russia and Austria is very close, and the Tsar's empress is a Prussian princess, and it is likely that Prussia and Austria will be on the side of Russia, at least remain neutral."

Guo Songtao had just returned from Europe and had some understanding of the relationship between European countries, so he opened his mouth to remind Zhu Jishidao.

"What do you think, Maria?" Zhu Jishi looked at Maria. Clementina. Since the Roman king (son of Napoleon) was the grandson of Emperor Franz I of Austria (Holy Roman Emperor Franz II), French Bonapartists were often on the move between Austria and France, and they were all too familiar with the situation in the Austrian Empire.

"Prussia will definitely not be on the side of Russia."

Maria. "Because the Russian Empire's strong support for Austria in 1850 forced Prussia to abandon the 'Little German Plan' with the threat of war, Prussia lost the opportunity to unify North Germany." Moreover, Prussia and Britain are traditional allies, having sided with each other since the Seven Years' War more than a hundred years ago, and it is impossible to side with Russia because a princess is married to a tsar. Moreover, the contradictions between Prussia and Austria are very deep, and they will not be in the same camp.

As for Austria...... If Metternich were to be prime minister, he would certainly try his best to mediate between Britain and France and Russia, and if his mediation failed, he would adopt a policy of neutrality leaning toward Russia. But Austria's current Prime Minister Felix. Schwarzenberg was a hardliner whose dream was to make Austria a great European power again. And his foreign policy is to unite Russia against Prussia!

If Austria had sided with Russia, Prussia would certainly have been forced to side with Britain and France. Although the Austrian Empire was huge, the combat effectiveness of the Austrian army was never as good as that of Prussia, so Austria's participation in the war was not of great benefit to Russia. (To be continued......)