The Ming Dynasty did not revolutionize

Chapter 113 Paris Talks
Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, as a traditional monarch of the Habsburg family, was deeply influenced by the Enlightenment ideas.

Compared with the Holy Roman Emperor, he would rather be the Emperor of the Habsburg Empire, or the Emperor of Austria.

As for the Holy Roman Empire, he agreed with Voltaire's comment that it was "neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire", so he had no good feelings towards it.

So although he was the legitimate emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, he hardly participated in the affairs of the Holy Roman Empire.

Joseph's ideal was to integrate the Habsburg territories and build a centralized empire, and he fought for it all his life.

Joseph and his mother Theresa were relatively successful in their reforms in Habsburg core areas such as Austria.

Limit the power of the church and traditional aristocracy, improve the status and rights of serfs, and gradually unify local and central administrative agencies.

But between the Netherlands and Austria, there are a bunch of large and small Holy Roman Empire states.

This geographical distance and jurisdictional isolation severely restricted and limited the Habsburgs' management of the Netherlands.

So Joseph tried his best to exchange the Netherlands, a highly independent and remote land, for Bavaria, a land predominantly inhabited by Germans and close to Austria.

At the same time, the heir apparent of Bavaria, the Elector Palatinate, was also happy to make this deal.

The original territory of the Elector Palatinate was closer to the Netherlands, and the key point was that the Netherlands was richer.

Joseph II also promised that the Elector Palatinate could be promoted to King of Burgundy.

(The map of the Holy Roman Empire is from 1789, before the outbreak of the French Revolution.

(The blue-gray is Prussia, the light orange is Saxony, and the dark orange is several Habsburg territories, including Austria and Bohemia, Moravia, Tyrol, etc.

(Prussian and Habsburg lands outside the Holy Roman Empire, such as Hungary, are not marked.

(The darker red is the Southern Netherlands, also known as the Austrian Netherlands, the green highlight in the middle is the Palatinate, and the darker blue is Bavaria.)
Both the Habsburgs and the Elector Palatinate were willing to trade.

But German states such as Prussia and Saxony did not allow the two of them to realize this ideal.

According to the original history, after the two men's first transaction attempt failed in 1779, they planned a second one in 1785.

It failed because Prussia brought in a bunch of German states to oppose it.

Now, after receiving the letter from his brother-in-law Louis XVI and his wife, Joseph II seriously considered the feasibility of trading with the Ming Dynasty.

What French Foreign Minister Gravier could think of, Joseph II could also consider.

The exchange of Canada had little practical significance for the Habsburgs.

If the Ming Dynasty built a trade center in Europe, it would only benefit France and the Netherlands, and at most the Southern Netherlands would also benefit.

But there was no obvious benefit to the Habsburgs.

Allowing the Ming Dynasty to interfere in European affairs would indeed affect France's status.

However, Joseph, who regarded Prussia as his arch-enemy, also considered the possibility of introducing the power of the Ming Dynasty to balance Prussia in order to complete the transaction between the Southern Netherlands and Bavaria.

This deal was exactly what Joseph II wanted to do most.

As long as the deal can be completed, there would be nothing wrong in cutting off a piece of the Netherlands and using it as a trading port for the Ming Dynasty.

Anyway, the lands are all prepared for trading, and they are lands that are difficult to control.

So Joseph II thought about it for a long time and put together a new territory exchange plan.

Then he sent a letter to the Elector Palatinate, asking him to go to Paris with him so that they could personally communicate with the Ming envoys in Paris.
-
June 1782, the 7th year of Xianning in the Ming Dynasty, July 20, in the Western calendar.

The Ming Dynasty envoys arrived in Paris - Versailles on the outskirts of the city.

Zhu Jianxuan's concerns and reminders were actually a little too exaggerated.

It’s not that Paris is not that dirty and messy, but because the king and his family do not live in Paris, but in the Palace of Versailles in the suburbs.

Liu Quanzhi, Shaoqing of the Honglu Temple of the Ming Dynasty, took his accompanying officials and translators and went directly to the Palace of Versailles in a carriage prepared by the French royal family.

In the magnificent palace filled with the aura of nouveau riche, Liu Quanzhi met the King and Queen of France.

and Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor.

Liu Quanzhi, along with several translators and accompanying officials, bowed to the three monarchs:

"Liu Quanzhi, the Junior Minister of the Honglu Temple of the Great Ming Dynasty and the Plenipotentiary Representative of the European Mission, greets the three Majesties."

Since Liu Quanzhi was in charge of diplomacy, he knew that the queen of Europe was also considered Her Majesty.

Louis XVI never thought of making the Ming envoys kneel.

Now they accepted the courtesy directly and enthusiastically asked someone to send the chairs behind Liu Quan and his party:

"Your Excellency, please take a seat."

After translation, Louis XVI changed Liu Quanzhi's identity to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

After Liu Quan and his entourage sat down, Louis XVI continued to greet the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and His Royal Highness the King of Wu with a very enthusiastic attitude.

Liu Quanzhi immediately thought of Zhu Jianxuan's arrangement, so he brought it up during this greeting and concern session:
"On behalf of His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and His Royal Highness the King of Wu, I thank His Majesty the King of France for his blessings.

“This time I came to France, in addition to bringing the second batch of loan goods delivered to France, I also brought gifts from His Royal Highness King Wu.

"An invitation from His Royal Highness the King of Wu to the Bourbon royal family."

Louis XVI was very curious:
"Oh? Is His Royal Highness the King of Wu inviting me to visit the Ming Dynasty?"

Liu Quanzhi said directly:

“Yes, His Royal Highness the King of Wu hopes to invite Your Majesty to visit North America at an appropriate time and then visit the mainland of Ming.

"But an invitation is not a gift. The gift is an invitation to use the latest medicines and treatments."

Liu Quanzhi introduced the effects of allicin under the name of "King Wu's Medicine".

Prevention and control of tuberculosis.

At the same time, restrictions were imposed on treatment only in North America.

After hearing the translation, everyone at the scene was visibly stunned for a moment, and then their eyes widened.

In this era, if you get tuberculosis, you basically lose half your life.

Although most people will not die immediately, they can only become half-dead and sickly.

If you are in poor health, you will die soon after getting sick.

Historically, Joseph II died of tuberculosis.

So now it can basically be said to be a terminal illness. Even if the wealthiest princes and nobles are diagnosed with it, there is basically no possibility of recovery on their own.

Now, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu of the Ming Dynasty actually has a drug that can control tuberculosis.

This is definitely explosive news.

Louis XVI almost instinctively asked and confirmed:
"Oh my God, is His Majesty the King of Wu serious? Can this drug really control tuberculosis?"

Liu Quanzhi did not answer directly, but looked at the accompanying doctor.

A doctor with a long flowing beard explained with a smile:
“Our Highness the King of Wu was the first to figure out the cause of tuberculosis.

“It’s a special bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. “It’s in the body of everyone who has tuberculosis.

“The drug invented by Your Highness can directly kill tuberculosis bacteria and can certainly control tuberculosis.

“We have done sufficient clinical trials to confirm that this is a therapeutic drug that can take effect directly.

“Your Majesty can arrange for patients who have just been infected with tuberculosis to receive treatment tests.

“We can’t guarantee that it will be 100 percent effective, but we can guarantee that the vast majority of treatments will be effective.

“For patients with long-term tuberculosis infection, the effect may not be very obvious.

"Because it can only temporarily stop the spread of the disease, but it cannot restore the damage to the body."

This time, before Louis XVI spoke, Jacques Necker, the French treasurer, had already swallowed his saliva:

“Can we buy the formula for this drug?”

Upon hearing Jacques Necker's question, Louis XVI and others immediately realized the same thing.

If there really is a drug that is directly effective against tuberculosis, even if it can only control the disease, it will bring extremely high profits.

In fact, Jacques Necker thought more deeply. If the disease can only be controlled but not completely cured, it will be the most profitable.

Liu Quanzhi thought about Zhu Jianxuan's instructions and refused decisively:
“That’s impossible. This drug is a product that is prohibited from export. Anyone found smuggling or leaking it will be sentenced to death.

“Anyone who wants to receive treatment can only live in His Royal Highness King Wu’s guard corps in North America and leave after being cured.

"And this treatment is only available to families and individuals who accept the invitation. Currently, the Bourbon royal family is the first family to accept the invitation."

Louis XVI was a little excited:
"This... Thank you for the invitation from His Royal Highness Prince Wu. I finally understand what His Royal Highness's gift is. It is really a great gift."

Louis XVI's queen Marie Antoinette couldn't help but interrupt at this time:
“Your Excellency, do we have to go to North America for treatment?

"If a person becomes ill in Europe, it may be too late to send them to North America.

“Doesn’t the Ming Dynasty want to trade with European countries and build a port and trade center in Europe?
“Your Highness, Prince Wu, can you build a Ming hospital in this port?

“Is tuberculosis treatment provided in the hospital?”

Liu Quanzhi felt that this plan was feasible.

He knew that King Wu's goal was to control the French royal family or heir.

Letting the opponent go to North America will certainly be easier to control, but the difficulty will obviously be higher.

At that time, North America was also a remote and poor place for European aristocrats.

If it were a Ming city on the European continent, it would certainly not be as safe as North America to control the French heirs.

But it would be easier to induce these nobles to live there.

However, Liu Quanzhi could not agree directly. This kind of compromising option could be used as a bargaining chip.

So Liu Quanzhi shook his head again:

"I don't have this authorization, but their Majesties the King and Queen can arrange for envoys to go to North America to discuss with His Royal Highness the King of Wu."

Louis XVI accepted this:
“Okay, I will arrange for an envoy to go to North America, hoping to convince His Royal Highness the King of Wu.

"At the same time, Joseph's Habsburg family can also receive the same invitation."

Liu Quanzhi knew that inviting the Habsburgs would probably be fine, but it could also be used as a bargaining chip, so he couldn't agree to it now:
"I'm very sorry, but I don't have this authorization, but you can indeed arrange for an envoy to discuss this with His Royal Highness the King of Wu."

Queen Marie still thought her proposal was a good one. It would allow the Ming Dynasty to obtain a piece of land directly next to France to build a city. The Ming Dynasty would probably provide medicines for its officials.

On this basis, providing treatment to the royal families of European countries is obviously a very profitable business, and King Wu of the Ming Dynasty should not refuse this plan.

However, since the envoy Liu Quanzhi was unable to make these decisions, he could only wait and discuss it directly with His Royal Highness the King of Wu later.

However, we can follow this discussion topic and move directly to the land transaction with Ming Dynasty:
"Then why don't we discuss the issue of territory exchange directly? It's not easy for Brother Joseph to come to Paris, right?
"If the deal goes through, and both sides have established a good friendship, Your Highness should also extend an invitation to the Habsburgs, right?"

Liu Quanzhi saw this opportunity and decisively led the topic:

“If the Habsburgs were interested in this invitation for treatment, they could have directly put it forward as a condition for the deal.

"But more importantly, I wonder what land His Majesty the Habsburg is going to exchange for?

“We need coastal land on the European continent, not inland.”

Joseph started to explain his thoughts directly:

"We can offer a piece of land on the coast of the Netherlands, but we won't use this land directly for trading. Instead, we hope to have a deeper cooperation with Ming Dynasty."

Louis XVI had a table brought, and Joseph II had his attendants unfold a map.

A map showing the approximate state structure of the Holy Roman Empire at its current size.

Liu Quanzhi felt a little overwhelmed after taking a look.

This is even more exaggerated than the current map of the Ming Dynasty.

Although the map of the Ming Dynasty is also divided into many blocks in a messy way, the blocks are much larger than those in the Shinra territory.

Moreover, the Ming Dynasty can currently be considered a half-island country, with more than half of its territory on peninsulas and islands.

Even if the islands are separated from each other, they can still be connected by sea.

Shinra is basically a landlocked country.

There is no way to completely circumvent the territorial division in this situation.

It would be very troublesome to let the army pass through the land of other states. Who knows if the passing troops will attack themselves?
After seeing clearly what Habsburg's territories were, Liu Quanzhi instantly understood why Habsburg was willing to trade the Netherlands.

The Habsburg territories were mainly concentrated in the southeastern part of the entire region, while the Southern Netherlands was in the northwestern corner.

You don't need to ask to know that communication between the two places is a big problem.

If a rebellion broke out in the Netherlands, it would be very difficult for the Habsburgs to suppress it.

If it were in the Ming Dynasty, such a place should have been closed off long ago.

Joseph II introduced the situation of the Habsburg territory, and then talked about his cooperation plan with the Ming Dynasty:
"The Habsburgs could give the coastal areas of the Netherlands to the Ming and allow the Ming to give the land in Canada directly to France.

“But the condition is that Ming and France must conclude a military alliance with the Habsburgs and the Palatinate and assist the Habsburgs and the Palatinate in completing the territorial exchange.

"Ming and France supported and protected the Palatinate, and assisted the Habsburgs in resisting interference from Prussia, Saxony and other states.

"On this basis, the Habsburgs also obtained the exclusive right to sell Ming Dynasty goods in their own territories.

"And the right to use the new medicines of His Royal Highness Prince Wu of the Ming Dynasty."

Joseph would rather give up some land and bring in the Ming Dynasty's forces to complete this territorial transaction.

Because Joseph was disgusted by states like Prussia and Saxony.

It was something that both parties to the transaction were obviously very happy about, but they, as the third party, kept obstructing it.

For some reason today’s map has not been approved, so it may not come out right away.



(End of this chapter)