People in the Song Dynasty were lawless

Chapter 510: Fat Sheep
In Zhao Jun's eyes, the vassal relationship is the most solid relationship.

At that time, the Song Dynasty will be the suzerain state.

All countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia should become vassal states of the Song Dynasty.

As for the Indian Peninsula, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, they are too far away and do not require actual control. It is enough to have the influence of the Song Dynasty.

Didn’t the Abbasid Caliphate formally pay tribute to the Song Dynasty?

In the official propaganda of the Song Dynasty, the Abbasid Dynasty was naturally incorporated into its vassal state system.

Using this as a breakthrough, we can invite other Western countries to become vassal states of the Song Dynasty.

Even if only in name.

By then, even if the Song Dynasty could not interfere in the West, it would still be able to exert influence on the West through its status as a suzerain state and its ability to export industry.

As a result, after more than ten years of operation and development, the Song Dynasty punched the Liao Kingdom and kicked the Western Xia in the East, and controlled most of the countries in the East by force, forming a monopoly situation.

Including the entire East Asian region, Japan, Goryeo, Vietnam, Dali and other neighboring countries to exercise actual control. In the future, if the Liao Kingdom is destroyed, the situation in East Asia will be completely under control.

In Southeast Asia, the PLA stationed troops in the Strait of Malacca and actively explored the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia and other places to the south, deepened its influence on Thailand, Myanmar and other places, and exercised indirect control over Southeast Asia.

In the West, they took advantage of their own industrial and handicraft manufacturing advantages to export silk, tea, porcelain, clothing, currency, paper, pencils and other handicrafts or industrial products in exchange for large amounts of raw materials.

Finally, through its nominal status as a suzerain state and its actual economic dominance, it established remote control over present-day Europe, the Middle East, Africa and other places.

In addition, the Song Dynasty is currently sending ships to America every year to immigrate to America and gradually exercise control over America.

In this way, it can be said that most areas of the world will be affected by the Song Dynasty.

Under such circumstances, by utilizing the vassal relationship, in the next few decades, the Song Dynasty will establish a huge empire and achieve direct or indirect connection and control over the entire world.

This is why it is said that the current approach is more suitable for vassal relations rather than the United Nations of later generations.

Zhao Zhen obviously approved of Zhao Jun's strategic plan.

Therefore, with this strategy, the Song Dynasty court will take this celebration as an opportunity to capture all countries in the world.

On December 19th, the 12th year of the Qingli period, the main members of the diplomatic corps of various countries were invited by His Majesty Zhao Zhen, the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, to hold a banquet in Changqing Palace in the morning. Then everyone returned to the residence at noon.

Then, as expected, after returning to the embassy, ​​envoys from most countries, except for a very few, left the embassy almost simultaneously.

Including the Western delegation that arrived in the morning.

Those who stayed were basically from Vietnam, Dali, Goryeo, Japan, Liao Dynasty and other countries, and those who left were basically from Southeast Asia, the Indian Peninsula and Western countries.

Because almost all countries in East Asia were controlled or influenced by the Song Dynasty, they had either already negotiated with the Song Dynasty on their arms and trade needs, or their sovereignty was in the hands of the Song Dynasty and they had no right to negotiate at all.

So they came here purely to participate in the event and celebration.

But countries in Southeast Asia, the Indian Peninsula, the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe are different.

First, they knew too little about the Song Dynasty and needed to quickly gain a comprehensive understanding.

Second, after understanding the economy, military, education, culture and other aspects of the Song Dynasty, we will negotiate business with the Song Dynasty.

For example, arms trade, industrial system, education and culture, etc., will naturally be very busy.

In fact, the window period from December 20th to the end of the year when the celebration begins is originally for them to understand and discuss things.

However, envoys from most countries were more pragmatic and started working after noon.

In this case.

Just after noon, Count Friedrich Otto, the envoy of the Holy Roman Empire, walked out of the embassy accompanied by an interpreter and accompanying officials.

The Holy Roman Emperor at this time was Henry III, the most powerful monarch of the Franconian dynasty. In Henry III's hands, the imperial power was rarely greater than the ecclesiastical power.

He deposed and enthroned popes many times, appointed and dismissed bishops at will, and mediated and conquered many unruly kingdoms and principalities in the country, bringing the imperial power of the Holy Roman Empire to its peak in his hands.

But at the same time, it also intensified the conflict between the Roman Emperor and the Pope. Historically, after the death of Henry III, his successor Henry IV was soon retaliated by the Pope again because he was a child emperor.

The new Pope Gregory VII announced the abolition of Henry IV's church membership and throne, and called on the principalities to join forces to fight against Henry IV.

Under such circumstances, Henry IV was forced to brave the wind and snow to go to the Pope's residence to apologize.

This historical act is known as the Humiliation of Canossa.

This shows how serious the conflict between the Roman Empire and the Pope was at that time.

At this time, Henry III still maintained his suppression of the Pope, and the conflicts and contradictions between the two sides had become quite acute.

Count Otto was the younger brother of Duke Friedrich of Lorraine. Since the previous Duke of Lorraine, Gotzel I, had no children, Henry III appointed his confidant as duke.

So Otto actually came here as a confidant of Henry III to learn about the current strength of the Eastern Empire.

As an effective monarch, Henry III was very worried that the Pope would use his influence in the future to incite rebellion in the vassal states and drive him out of the position of Roman emperor.

Therefore, he had to understand why the Eastern Empire was so powerful, and he had to bring the secret of the Eastern Empire's power back to Rome, so as to make the Roman Empire great again and suppress the increasingly expanding Pope and other vassal states.

to this end.

Otto was entrusted with an important task, so naturally he had to start work immediately after arriving at the place.

After communicating with the accompanying officials many times, he finally obtained the qualification to visit factories, schools, shooting ranges and other places.

In the afternoon, the official from the Ministry of Rites arrived at a steel plant in Bianliang with more than a dozen officials from the Eastern Roman Empire's diplomatic delegation, including Otto.

This was actually something Zhao Jun had authorized a long time ago.

But officials must pretend to be embarrassed and not appear so direct.

Otherwise, if Westerners see it, they would think that what we are selling to them is some worthless and backward technology.

of course.

Backward technology is definitely backward technology.

After all, the basic industries of the Song Dynasty have been upgraded, including steel technology, weapons technology, and industrial system standards are all in their hands.

It turns out that those backward industries and technologies could be packaged and sold off in exchange for a large amount of resources from the West.

And rubber is currently in the hands of the Song Dynasty.

The West has not yet opened up America, which means that currently only the East has established rubber plantations and raw material production capacity.

The rapid development of science not only leads to war, but also to competition.

World War I, World War II, and the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union led to explosive technological growth in mankind.

So if the West also wants to have an industrial revolution, it will not be a bad thing for the East.

The first is to intensify the war in the West, while at the same time intensifying competition with the West and enhancing its own scientific and technological development.

Secondly, we can take this opportunity to get rid of backward industrial production capacity. At that time, it will cost money to buy industrial technology, patent fees will cost money, and various raw materials will also cost money.

Add to that tea, silk, porcelain, arms, ammunition, steel, etc., Zhao Jun couldn't even imagine how much the Song Dynasty could earn from the West in the next few decades.

What the Song Dynasty needs to do is to ensure that it is ahead of the Western world in overall technology.

Zhao Jun is not worried about this.

Because the Song Dynasty has already completed the establishment of an education system, with the support of the education system, a large number of engineering talents will inevitably emerge in the future.

In addition, the Song Dynasty will probably become a destination that all international students from various countries yearn for for a long time in the future. Therefore, it is estimated that within the next hundred years, it is only a matter of time before the Song Dynasty becomes the world leader in science and technology.

Resources from the Americas, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and even the West will continue to flow into the Song Dynasty. Under such circumstances, it would be strange if the Song Dynasty fell behind in technology in the future. As the group passed through the bustling streets, Otto finally understood that compared to the morning, the Song Dynasty at noon was the real Song Dynasty.

The scene of huge crowds of people, jostling each other and the wide streets packed with people, was an unforgettable one for him.

Although the distance was less than three kilometers, they took the carriage for more than an hour and finally arrived at their destination in the late afternoon, which was almost three o'clock.

"Count, please look, this is our steel plant. It uses advanced technology, and a steady stream of molten steel comes out of it, allowing us to have a large amount of steel."

The accompanying official from the Ministry of Rites took Otto to the hot steel plant. The steel plant was crowded with workers coming and going, busy at work.

From a high place in the factory, one can see another furnace of molten steel coming out from below, pouring onto the mold and beginning to cool.

Due to the lack of air conditioning, many workers suffered from the heat, even though the School of Physics manufactured large electric fans through electric drive in the second half of this year.

But the wind blowing out of the steel plant is hot air, which still makes people sweat even in winter.

"The Song Dynasty is so amazing that they were able to invent such an amazing thing. Compared with the Song Dynasty, our Roman Empire is like a backward tribal civilization."

Otto wiped the sweat off his face while flattering. He heard from the translator that people in Song Dynasty always liked to be praised by others, which would give them "face".

really.

The official from the Ministry of Rites smiled and said, "These are nothing. Bianliang is not an iron or coal producing area, so we can only transport them from other places. The output is not large. The steel mills in our coal and iron producing areas are much larger than here."

Of course, there was one more thing he didn't say.

That is, due to technological upgrades, the Wu'an Iron and Steel Plant and the Tangshan Iron and Steel Plant have undergone major renovations and their output has increased significantly. They are no longer the same as the Bianliang Iron and Steel Plant.

However, the most advanced things must be kept secret, and those shown to these foreigners are naturally allowed to be leaked.

"Okay."

Otto nodded repeatedly and asked, "I wonder if we can buy this steel-making machine from you?"

The official said with difficulty: "This is the best steel production line in our Song Dynasty."

“But no matter how good something is, it has a price, right?”

Otto smiled and said, "My friend, I hope you can help me."

As he said this, he took off an emerald ring from his hand, held the official's hand, and put it in.

"of course."

The official smiled and said, "What we in the Song Dynasty love most is making friends."

"That thing"

"Well, I will ask for you then. I just hope the Earl can understand that this is not something I can decide."

"Okay, okay, I hope my friends can help me ask as soon as possible."

"Of course, but Mr. Count, I can only try my best to help you. Even if I can sell it, I'm not sure whether I can sell it to you."

"why is that?"

Otto was puzzled. If he was willing to sell it, why wasn't he willing to sell it to them?

"Look over there."

The officer pointed in a direction and said.

there?

Otto looked in the direction the official pointed.

I saw another platform opposite the platform, and from afar I saw a few middle-aged men on it looking at the production line below.

The person opposite seemed to notice his gaze and also raised his head to look over, and their eyes met.

The two looked at each other, and Otto's brows suddenly frowned.

Of course he knew the other party, a bishop from the Papal States named Worm.

"I heard that you are not the only ones looking at the steel production line. Many big countries are also looking at it, including the Papal States, Byzantium, Seljuk, Chola, Chalukya, etc."

The official said: "Even if the court wants to sell, it will definitely have to consider it carefully. The quantity will not be large, and competition is inevitable."

Otto's face turned pale.

A steel production line is not a weapon. Only a big country can handle this kind of thing.

So there are not many countries coming to the steel plant, only a few.

But it's full of competitors.

Chola and Chalukya are far away from each other, so it’s not a big deal.

The key is still the Papal States and Byzantium.

It was even mainly the Papal States.

Although the Papal States are not large, their only ruling area is the city of Rome, Italy.

However, they have great appeal and financial resources.

Europe today is essentially similar to the Zhou Dynasty. In name, it is dominated by the Holy Roman Empire, but in reality, there are many kingdoms and principalities.

If the emperor of the Roman Empire wanted to govern or do something, he needed the approval of each vassal state.

The Papal States is the representative of divine power and has great influence in the secular world.

The struggle in Europe is the struggle between the Roman emperor and the pope.

Therefore, the various vassal states became the targets of the Roman emperor and the pope.

Whoever can win over enough vassal states will be able to control most of Europe.

In the past, the Pope had the upper hand most of the time.

It was not until recent years that Henry III used various means to form alliances and win the support of most of the principalities, which enabled him to overwhelm the Pope.

Now even the Papal States has sent people over. They are worshipped by a large number of believers and have sufficient financial resources to support the steel production line.

If they get firearms from the Song Dynasty, then the entire Roman Empire will probably be completely controlled by the Pope.

Therefore, facing the threat from the Papal State, Otto clenched his fists and whispered, "We are willing to pay any price. Anything! There is also a generous gift for my friend tonight."

The official narrowed his eyes immediately.

The Minister of Justice had long anticipated that with so many envoys, some would bribe officials in order to obtain various information, so he summoned many officials to give them instructions.

He allowed them to accept bribes from various countries, but the information disclosed had to be within the scope of his permission.

And all bribes received must be turned over to the national treasury.

One tenth of it will belong to these officials, and how much they can get depends entirely on their own abilities.

Now it seems.

The Holy Roman Empire is a fat sheep.

(End of this chapter)