"The benefits? I've just said so much, but I don't see much benefit, right? After making a call, Zhou Xuezhi's attitude also slowed down a little, "Director Kong, you are the director of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Cabinet, not a tiger in the army, and you want to solve everything with swords and soldiers, so what should we do?" When the time comes, just let the army do things, and the Ministry of Commerce and the Department of Foreign Affairs will simply close their doors? If nothing else, no matter how we help the Dutch, we will really have to turn against the Spaniards, and when the Spaniards don't bring silver from the Americas, what will we do then? Do you want to send the navy to bring people over again and occupy all the Americas? ”

Zhou Xuezhi's words were reasonable, and they were vaguely involved in the civil and military disputes, which suddenly blocked Kong Zhang's reasoning. Indeed, as a cabinet official, he also knew that the imperial court was now at a critical moment in reforming the currency system, and that a large amount of gold and silver were needed to be imported every year, and Spain, which possessed the Americas, was the largest source of silver imported by the Han Dynasty, and every year the Spaniards had to ship a large amount of silver from the Americas to Luzon, and then use it to trade with the Han Dynasty, exchange it for a shipload of silk and porcelain and sell it to Europe, and the importance of this trade route to China is self-evident.

"Prime Minister Shang, we didn't think about breaking with the Spaniards and cutting off the import ......of silver," Kong Zhang also had to soften, "It's just to teach the Spaniards some lessons, so that they can understand that the people of China are definitely not good at bullying, and by the way, let me be more able to have maritime superiority." The Spaniards, who were greedy and in need of our goods, would not break up even if they were angry and cut off their trade, but they would soon accept the reality and make peace with us, and trade would go the same way. ”

"Is there any basis for that?" Before the party Hou Zhou Xuezhi questioned it, Prime Minister Wang Zhaojing suddenly spoke.

The prime minister's sudden questioning startled Kong Zhang, but he quickly regained his composure. "Back to the prime minister, of course there is a basis for this statement. Presumably, the prime minister also knows that in today's Western Ocean, European countries are full of princes, fighting each other, and the war does not stop day by day, just like ...... Just like the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period many years ago. ”

"It's a metaphor, but it's true." The prime minister nodded in approval.

"The prime minister naturally knows that during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the diplomacy of the countries was impermanent, and today they fought bloodshed for some land and population, like enemies who do not share the same sky, and tomorrow they will suddenly reconcile because of common interests, as if they had never fought a war before."

"There's nothing wrong with that." The prime minister nodded in approval again.

In the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the countries were indeed divided and united, and the Qi Chu, Qin Chu and the Three Jin Dynasty made peace and fought many times. "What do you mean is that the European countries are also like the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States, fighting wars and wars, but they don't hold grudges, even if we are enemies with them, they will not die endlessly, but will easily negotiate peace?"

"That's exactly what I meant." Kong Zhang immediately replied, "These Yidi are the most impermanent, and they only have interests in their eyes, so we don't need to use **** righteousness to speculate on them, although we just think about it from a treacherous place." Spain is now a big country in Europe, but there are also many enemy countries around it, and these enemy countries are now uniting against him, and the war is in full swing, where will they have time to come back to us? Besides, we need the silver that the Spaniards have brought, and the Spaniards need our goods even more, and they will not die with us all the time, but they will bow down as soon as we give them the stairs. Therefore, in the opinion of our Foreign Affairs Department, we can help the Dutch to defeat the Spaniards until they can only survive, and then force them to agree to our terms and make peace, and then continue to trade with them. ”

“…… Are you sure? The prime minister frowned and looked at Kong Zhang inquiringly.

Obviously, when he heard that there was such an ideal result, he was already moved.

"Ten percent sure is no, but six or seven percent is definitely there." Kong Zhang's face was determined, and he seemed to be very confident in his idea, "We have already judged that as long as we do a good job and let the Spaniards have no intention of delaying, then they will break their wrists and admit the fait accompli we have caused, after all, Europe is the fundamental place for the Spaniards, and if they want to keep the fundamentals, they will not fight to the death with our dynasty." ”

"The result that the director said was indeed the best, but do we think that the Spaniards would do it?" Seeing that the prime minister was somewhat inclined to Kong Zhang's statement, the prime minister couldn't help but interject. "If the Spaniards don't do this, won't we all be in vain?"

"Aren't we already fighting Japan? As long as Japan is defeated, it will not beg the Spaniards, they will cut off trade for a few years, and we will make up for it from the Japanese. This time it was not Kong Zhang who answered, but the prime minister said directly.

"Prime Minister ......" Zhou Xuezhi was a little surprised.

He was not surprised that the prime minister did not accept his opinion, but the prime minister said this to mean that his previous manuscript was inclined to Kong Zhang, so wouldn't what he just said just now actually evil the prime minister?

"Japan is rich in gold and silver, as long as we make Japan submit, we should be able to get enough gold and silver to meet the needs of the imperial court, it is nothing more than to loot a little more ruthlessly or loosely." The prime minister's face was very calm, obviously he had already come up with an idea when the two ministers were arguing just now, "If the Spaniards are sensible, it will be easy to deal with them, and if they are not sensible, then we can get by." So it's they who ask for us, not us who ask for them. ”

"But...... But ......" Zhou Xuezhi wanted to say something, and then was interrupted by the prime minister making a gesture.

"The consideration of the business minister cannot be said to be wrong, national affairs are not a battle of will, let alone reckless. But...... You can't just care about interests and ignore the general righteousness, the enmity of the previous dynasty you just said has nothing to do with the new dynasty, this kind of thing our cabinet said in private It doesn't matter, if it is spread out, how hurtful will it be? Shangdanghou, I'm not scolding you, you are also doing things for the country, but the starting point is different. The prime minister waved his hand again, signaling Zhou Xuezhi not to defend himself, "But you are the prime minister of business, I am the prime minister, I can't consider the problem completely from the perspective of commercial interests, at least not let the people of the world think that we have to do this." For example, you know today's situation, the Ming Dynasty has died, and the Han Dynasty has settled in the world, but it has only been a few years, and the people's hearts have not yet adapted to it, and they always feel that the emperor and cabinet of the Han Dynasty are indecent. Think about it, if we beat the Spaniards under the banner of avenging the Chinese people, how much encouragement would this be to the people? At that time, they will feel that our court is the court that really thinks about the people of China! ”

This passage made the two courtiers change color at the same time. There has always been no taboo in the private meetings of the cabinet, but openly talking about the rights and wrongs of the Han court is probably something that only the prime minister dares to say.

However, the prime minister's meaning is clear, when the new dynasty was established, he wanted to use a war against Spain under the banner of revenge for the Chinese people to further win the hearts of the people and consolidate the authority of the new dynasty. In other words, his idea was more radical than Kong Zhang's, and he wanted to directly participate in the war against the Spaniards.

"The prime minister is so right, our court is a public instrument of the state, and we can't start from business in everything, business is important, but if we only consider commercial interests, we might as well go directly to be a rich man!" Kong Zhang immediately echoed the prime minister's words, looking elated.

His performance naturally made Zhou Xuezhi a little dissatisfied, but the prime minister's speech was naturally different from Kong Zhang's, and he couldn't openly oppose it.

"I'm busy with the war in Japan right now, so I'm afraid it won't be able to get out, right?" He objected in a roundabout way, and by the way found himself a step down.

"It doesn't matter, Japan has a sea frontier in the air, but it doesn't have a navy, and dealing with their broken copper and iron will not make the navy have nowhere to mobilize forces, as long as the army is transported to Japan, most of the warships can be transferred away." The prime minister shook his head, "Besides, the Dutch are only communicating with us now, and they don't want us to fight now, there is still time." ”

In other words, after the fight against Japan, will you immediately turn around and start with the Spaniards?

"Isn't that a little too eager? Everywhere there is a beacon fire, and the people should rest......"

"There are gains and losses in wars, and if you devote the whole country to attacking everywhere, it will naturally be a loss. But if you do what you can, if you just do what you can, if you just send force appropriately and you can get enough compensation, then you will make money. Since the business minister is in business, he naturally knows that a loss-making business would rather not be done at all, and the business that can be made is eager to be done from morning to night, right? The prime minister made a rare joke with the prime minister, obviously in a very good mood, "Fighting Japan is a business to earn, as long as you can dig out their gold and silver, such a little military expenditure is nothing." Playing Spanish ...... If it is done well, it will also be earned, and I have heard that the Spaniards have a lot of silver reserves in Luzon, and a large number of plantations, which are all wealth, and can meet the needs of the imperial court. ”

Then, the smile on his face became thicker, and there was more indescribable meaning, "Besides, when fighting Japan, it is the army that sings the leading role, and after the fight, it is time for the navy to sing the leading role." ”

……

Zhou Xuezhi and Kong Zhang looked at each other, and they were silent for a moment. They all felt that the prime minister's words were of great significance and involved extremely sensitive civil and military issues.

The prime minister took another sip of tea unhurriedly, and then exhaled softly. "I'm afraid you don't know that when I met with His Majesty a few days ago, His Majesty told me that he had decided that he should become a member of the cabinet in the future."