The Ming Dynasty did not revolutionize

Chapter 118 The Future of the German Region
Representatives of the Habsburgs and the Palatinate thought Zhu Jianxuan's plan was feasible.

The Hanoverian territory of the British royal family is also a key force influencing the internal affairs of the Holy Roman Empire.

In the past, they were either neutral or inclined towards Prussia.

Now if we can bring Britain and Hanover in, the probability of success of this matter will increase dramatically.

French Foreign Minister Gravier's expression was not very good.

This is also because this plan is really feasible, but the result is to strengthen the Habsburgs.

At the same time, the Ming Dynasty's power will be officially introduced into the European continent. The key is to cooperate with the British at the same time.

None of this is good for France's long-term future.

It can only bring a little immediate benefit.

Moreover, Gravière really didn’t understand why the Ming Dynasty supported the Habsburgs?

Logically speaking, the Ming Dynasty’s attitude towards Europe should be similar to that of Britain, and it should strive to make Europe more divided.

But the current cooperation plan will obviously make the Habsburgs stronger, which is totally unreasonable.

But it was impossible to discuss such issues in front of the Habsburg representatives.

After careful consideration, Gravier bowed to Zhu Jianxuan and said:

"Your Majesty, we need time to consider, discuss and analyze the feasibility of this plan..."

Zhu Jianxuan knew they needed time to consider and discuss:
"No problem, you can go back and rest first. It will not be too late to make a final decision before the representatives from the UK and Spain return from Europe."

The French delegates withdrew, along with the Habsburg and Palatinate delegates.

But just over an hour later, Zhu Jianxuan suddenly received a notification that French Foreign Minister Gravier requested a private meeting.

Zhu Jianxuan was a little surprised, so he asked someone to take Gravier to his office.

After the greeting, Gravier directly asked his doubts and gave his direct suggestions:
"…Your Majesty, the Habsburgs are too powerful, which is disadvantageous to Ming, France, and Britain. We should not support the Habsburgs."

After listening to this, Zhu Jianxuan understood that the French Foreign Minister was here to act as a lobbyist.

France does not want the Ming Dynasty to interfere in European affairs. Of course, it cannot raise this idea directly with itself, but it can put pressure on the Habsburgs here.

That's why he explained to me the threat posed by the Habsburgs.

His point of view cannot be said to be wrong, and Zhu Jianxuan is not unaware that the imbalance of power among European countries is not good for the Ming Dynasty.

But now, strengthening the Habsburgs means maintaining the balance of power among European countries.

Because I am a time traveler, when I consider things, I refer to the future changes in power of various countries, rather than just the actual power comparison of various countries at present.

Zhu Jianxuan had a rough idea of ​​the Habsburg situation after the late eighteenth century.

Whether it was when he was nominally the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, or when he was beaten by Emperor Nazianzu and turned into the Austrian Empire, or when he created the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The Habsburgs are a patchwork freak, a real giant with feet of clay, truly big but not strong.

Starting from this era, as Enlightenment ideas continue to spread and brew, the nation-state will gradually become mainstream.

Without a core, the Habsburgs would fall further and further behind the times.

Even if we give him more useful land now, it will not change his future growth trend.

On the contrary, because the Habsburgs wasted this land and population resources, the nutrients that Prussia could absorb in its future development would be significantly reduced.

Unless the Habsburgs swallowed up all the states in the German region and used the Germans as the main body to rule over other ethnic groups.

It would be equivalent to turning other regions into German colonies, which would pose a certain threat.

But that is impossible.

The countries that really pose a threat to Europe in the future will still be the love-hate relationship between Britain and France, and at most Tsarist Russia.

France has completed the gestation of new social thoughts and systems.

The only thing left is when and how it can be released.

Once it is released, only the traditional cooperation of countries across Europe can withstand it.

Britain had also completed its preparations for the Industrial Revolution and had begun to rapidly accumulate industrial power in an unstoppable manner.

Even though Britain had lost its colonies in North America and India, it would still be a top power in Europe once it completed its initial industrialization.

Just like Germany before and after World War I.

Moreover, the Ming Dynasty had no reason to forcibly prohibit Britain from developing colonies in Africa.

So now is not the time to consider how to suppress the Habsburgs, but how to strengthen the Habsburgs.

This allowed it to continue to check and balance Britain and France, whose power was about to grow rapidly, as much as possible in the decades before it became completely outdated.

Through such transactions, the Ming Dynasty could also obtain suitable European trading ports.

But this logic cannot be explained to the French, as they simply cannot understand these concepts.

So how do we dispel the French people’s doubts?
Maybe try blowing some Prussia.

Prussia, which won the Seven Years' War, can still brag about itself, but at least it has already achieved the last place among the European powers.

By the time Napoleon swept away Putin in two weeks and Europe collectively humiliated him, no one believed him anymore.

Of course, to a certain extent, it cannot be considered exaggeration. It can be considered as a description of what would happen a hundred years later, illustrating the threat of the Prussian-dominated German Empire.

So Zhu Jianxuan prepared a set of words to appease Gravier:
"Mr. Gravier is French, so he should be very familiar with the ideological trends in Europe in recent decades, right?
"If these ideas continue to brew, the unification of various ethnic groups will gradually become a matter of course.

“When considering the Habsburgs, one must take into account the changes in ideology, and then consider the Prussian problem at the same time.

"The vast majority of Prussia's population are Germans, and it has become the de facto strongest state in northern Germany.

“Prussia has a strong militaristic culture, which means the desire to fight is stronger.

"As Prussia integrates more and more German population, their country will become more and more aggressive." And it will be able to attract more German states to follow.

"Because the vast majority of Prussians and the states that followed him were pure Germans.

“When his power reaches a critical point, the Habsburgs will be marginalized because the Habsburgs’ Germanism is not pure.

“By then, a relatively unified and pure, powerful and aggressive German kingdom will emerge in the center of the European continent.

"This is probably not what the politicians of Ming Dynasty, Britain, France and Russia want to see."

After listening to Zhu Jianxuan's theory, Gravière felt that it did make some sense, but it was a little difficult to accept.

After all, Prussia is now just the last of the great powers and can barely make it to the table.

This was because Prussia had great luck during the Seven Years' War.

In the later stages of the war, Prussia was actually at the end of its rope, and King Frederick had even decided to commit suicide for his country.

The British, as an ally, also believed that Prussia was beyond salvation and demanded that Prussia seek compromise and ceasefire as soon as possible.

But at this time, the ally of France and the Habsburgs, Russian Tsar Elizabeth I, suddenly died.

The new Tsar Peter III grew up in Germany and was a fanatical admirer of King Frederick of Prussia.

After Peter III ascended the throne, he immediately made peace with Prussia, returned the Prussian territory occupied by Russia, and even gave the Russian army to Frederick's command.

Russia's sudden and complete rebellion led to the defeat of France and the Habsburgs.

Otherwise, France and the Habsburgs would have won.

Even if Russia did not completely weaken Prussia in order to prevent the Habsburgs from becoming more powerful in Germany, France and Austria would at least be able to achieve the desired results.

France would get the Southern Netherlands and the Habsburgs would get Silesia.

Using the Southern Netherlands to lure France into the war was another attempt by the Habsburgs to trade the Southern Netherlands.

Prussia would return to its pre-liberation state overnight, the entire country's ideology might change, and there would be no need to talk about its status as a great power.

So when Zhu Jianxuan said that Prussia could unify the German region, Gravière found it incredible.

Even if he could, how could France, Britain and the Habsburgs watch him unify?

The Habsburgs were truly one of the top powers in Europe:

"Your Majesty, do you mean that Prussia will be stronger than the Habsburgs in the future?

"So we need to strengthen the Habsburgs now, so that in the future... we can continue to maintain the situation of confrontation and balance between the two powers in the German region?
“Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
"If we strengthen the Habsburgs now, what if they completely unify the German region? Wouldn't that be a greater threat?"

Zhu Jianxuan said firmly and decisively:
"Prussia's potential and threat are far greater than those of the Habsburgs, otherwise the Ming Dynasty would not have allowed the Habsburgs to continue to grow stronger.

“The ethnic structure within the Habsburg-ruled region was very complex, with the only real core population being the Germans in Austria.

"But these German populations were too small to suppress the numerous other foreign groups.

“This made it impossible for the Habsburgs to unify the language and writing system, to unify the grassroots social management system, and to concentrate the power of the entire country.

“The ethnic groups in regions such as Bohemia and Hungary could not be assimilated by the Germans in Austria.

“The situation in the Southern Netherlands is not an isolated case.

“The Habsburgs were unable to effectively rule the Southern Netherlands not only because of geographical isolation, but more importantly because of cultural and ethnic divisions.

“This Habsburg state has no real subject at all.

“Even though it looks very powerful now, and even looks much more powerful than Prussia, it is just a straw bag in name only.

“So we need to strengthen the Habsburgs, or adjust the status of the Habsburgs.

"Let him give up the rich regions of the Southern Netherlands, but give him the German population of Bavaria.

"This will prevent the Habsburgs from being marginalized in the German region and prevent Prussia from becoming the true leader of the German region.

“Of course, we can’t give too much. We can’t let the Habsburg Germans become the absolute mainstream and then control other ethnic groups with the Germans as the core.

“So we can’t allow the Habsburgs to enter northern Germany.

"To retain a large but weak Habsburg German kingdom, plus a Prussian German kingdom subject to various restrictions.

“This is in the best interests of all countries and ethnic groups except Germany.

"So our cooperation this time is limited to assisting the Habsburgs and the Palatinate to complete the exchange, and will not further weaken Prussia itself."

Zhu Jianxuan's real judgment was that Britain and France would soon be stronger than the Habsburgs, not the future Prussia.

But you can't say this to French politicians.

After listening to this, Gravier was silent for a long time, and then said uneasily:
"Your Majesty, I have to admit that your analysis does make sense, but what if...what if your judgment is wrong?"

Zhu Jianxuan said with certainty:
“The details may be wrong, but the trend will not be wrong. Even if the Habsburgs lose control, they will not be much stronger.

"The Habsburgs were a giant with feet of clay, while the Prussians were a light and agile swordsman. Obviously, the latter were more threatening.

"Besides, it's useless for you to not trust my judgment. In the current situation, you can only follow my decision."

Gravier was helpless. Zhu Jianxuan was in control of the situation and he really couldn't change it:
"Then... I can only pray sincerely that your judgment is correct. This concerns the future and interests of all our countries..."

After Zhu Jianxuan sent Gravier away, he couldn't help but shake his head.

Of course, my judgment was correct. The German Empire integrated with Prussia would be obviously more threatening.

But that is not something that will happen right now, and it may not even happen at all.

Because I have directly intervened, the gap between the future and history will become larger and larger.

Only the future will tell what the future of Germany will be like.

(End of this chapter)